United States's expense (current LCU) was 6.8 trillion in 2023, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is up 75.93% from 3.86 trillion in 2013 (5.81% a year on average, compounded).
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 6.8 trillion | 2023 |
| Five years earlier | 4.58 trillion | 2018 |
| Ten years earlier | 3.86 trillion | 2013 |
| Highest | 7.41 trillion | 2021 |
| Lowest | 227.66 billion | 1972 |
| Average since 2014 | 5.35 trillion | 2014–2023 |
| First recorded | 227.66 billion |
What the numbers say
In 2023, United States' expense (current LCU) rose 6% on 2022 (from 6.41 trillion to 6.8 trillion).
Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1993 to 2022), the average change was +5.4% and a typical year strayed about 8% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was 40.1% in 2020 and the biggest yearly fall was 13.5% in 2022. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.
From 2014 to 2023 the straight-line trend is upward, about 395.07 billion a year. A straight line explains 80% of the movement over 10 observed years.
Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.
How it compares
In 2023, United States had the 15th highest value of the 80 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.
Closest to United States in the 2023 ranking
- Côte d'Ivoire — 12th of 80: 8.76 trillion
- Madagascar — 13th of 80: 7.84 trillion
- Mexico — 14th of 80: 7.16 trillion
- Sri Lanka — 16th of 80: 4.97 trillion
- Ukraine — 17th of 80: 4.35 trillion
- Kenya — 18th of 80: 4.19 trillion
What this measures
Expense is a decrease in net worth resulting from a transaction. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.
Limitations: For most countries central government finance data have been consolidated into one account, but for others only budgetary central government accounts are available. Countries reporting budgetary data are noted in the country metadata. Because budgetary accounts may not include all central government units (such as social security funds), they usually provide an incomplete picture. In federal states the central government accounts provide an incomplete view of total public finance. Data on government revenue and expense are collected by the IMF through questionnaires to member countries and by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
All 52 values
| Year | Expense (current LCU) |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 6,795,281,800,000 |
| 2022 | 6,412,898,800,000 |
| 2021 | 7,413,029,700,000 |
| 2020 | 6,796,616,000,000 |
| 2019 | 4,849,584,300,000 |
| 2018 | 4,579,442,000,000 |
| 2017 | 4,342,256,600,000 |
| 2016 | 4,215,294,600,000 |
| 2015 | 4,093,242,600,000 |
| 2014 | 3,981,212,800,000 |
Expense (current LCU) in nearby economies
- Canada — 565.06 billion (2023)
More public sector data for United States
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 745 million (2025)
- Military expenditure (current USD) — 954.39 billion (2025)
- Military expenditure (current LCU) — 954.39 billion (2025)
- Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 3.12% (2025)
- Arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 13.98 billion (2025)
- Net incurrence of liabilities, total (current LCU) — 2.07 trillion (2024)
- Net incurrence of liabilities, total (% of GDP) — 7.06% (2024)
- Net investment in nonfinancial assets (current LCU) — 435.61 billion (2024)
- Net investment in nonfinancial assets (% of GDP) — 1.49% (2024)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is United States's expense (current LCU)?
- 6.8 trillion in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1972?
- It is up 2,885% from 227.66 billion in 1972 (6.89% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 7.41 trillion in 2021 and the lowest 227.66 billion in 1972.
- How does United States rank?
- 15th highest of 80 economies with data for 2023.
- Is the latest change in expense (current LCU) unusual for United States?
- In 2023, United States' expense (current LCU) rose 6% on 2022 (from 6.41 trillion to 6.8 trillion). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1993 to 2022), the average change was +5.4% and a typical year strayed about 8% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator GC.XPN.TOTL.CN, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.
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