United Kingdom vs United States: Government spending vs. GDP, per capita
United Kingdom
9,829 constant 2015 US$ per person
in 2025
United States
8,913 constant 2015 US$ per person
in 2024
United Kingdom rank
21st
United States rank
22nd
Government spending vs. GDP, per capita over time
- United Kingdom
- United States
How they compare
United Kingdom currently reports 9,829 constant 2015 US$ per person against 8,913 constant 2015 US$ per person in United States, a difference of 916 constant 2015 US$ per person.
That makes United Kingdom's figure about 1.1 times United States's.
The two have swapped places 5 times across 55 shared years of data; in 1970 it was United States ahead.
United Kingdom ranks 21st and United States ranks 22nd of 166 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, United Kingdom averaged higher in 2 and United States in 4.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | United Kingdom | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5,346 constant 2015 US$ per person | 6,624 constant 2015 US$ per person | 1,278 constant 2015 US$ per person | United States |
| 1980s | 6,060 constant 2015 US$ per person | 7,234 constant 2015 US$ per person | 1,174 constant 2015 US$ per person | United States |
| 1990s | 6,547 constant 2015 US$ per person | 7,854 constant 2015 US$ per person | 1,307 constant 2015 US$ per person | United States |
| 2000s | 8,170 constant 2015 US$ per person | 8,465 constant 2015 US$ per person | 295.17 constant 2015 US$ per person | United States |
| 2010s | 8,735 constant 2015 US$ per person | 8,299 constant 2015 US$ per person | 435.79 constant 2015 US$ per person | United Kingdom |
| 2020s | 9,335 constant 2015 US$ per person | 8,706 constant 2015 US$ per person | 628.81 constant 2015 US$ per person | United Kingdom |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher government spending vs. gdp, per capita, United Kingdom or United States?
- United Kingdom, at 9,829 constant 2015 US$ per person against 8,913 constant 2015 US$ per person in United States as of 2025.
- What is the difference in government spending vs. gdp, per capita between United Kingdom and United States?
- 916 constant 2015 US$ per person, with United Kingdom ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for United Kingdom and United States?
- 55 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2024.
- How do United Kingdom and United States rank globally for government spending vs. gdp, per capita?
- United Kingdom ranks 21st and United States ranks 22nd of 166 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Statizoid (derived), published as Government spending vs. GDP, per capita. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Government spending vs. GDP divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.