UK vs United States: economic growth, GDP and inflation compared
IMF figures for 2025 put the UK's GDP growth rate at 1.2%, lower than the United States's 2.3%. On IMF figures, the UK's GDP in 2025 was $4.01 trillion; the United States's was $30.86 trillion. In 2025 the IMF gives 3.4% for the UK's inflation rate and 2.7% for the United States.
Real GDP growth
IMF figures for 2025 put the UK's GDP growth rate at 1.2%, lower than the United States's 2.3%. From 2015 to 2025 the UK's figure was the higher of the two in 4 of 11 years.
| Year | UK | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.2% | 2.3% |
| 2024 | 1.1% | 3.0% |
| 2023 | 0.4% | 2.9% |
| 2022 | 5.0% | 2.4% |
| 2021 | 8.5% | 6.3% |
| 2020 | minus 10.0% | minus 2.1% |
| 2019 | 1.4% | 2.6% |
| 2018 | 1.6% | 3.0% |
| 2017 | 3.3% | 2.5% |
| 2016 | 2.2% | 1.8% |
| 2015 | 2.2% | 2.9% |
The IMF's real GDP growth is the percentage change in gross domestic product at constant prices, for a calendar year compared with the year before.
GDP, current prices
On IMF figures, the UK's GDP in 2025 was $4.01 trillion; the United States's was $30.86 trillion. The UK's figure was not higher than the United States's in any year from 2015 to 2025.
| Year | UK | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $4.01 trillion | $30.86 trillion |
| 2024 | $3.71 trillion | $29.38 trillion |
| 2023 | $3.44 trillion | $27.83 trillion |
| 2022 | $3.20 trillion | $26.06 trillion |
| 2021 | $3.21 trillion | $23.75 trillion |
| 2020 | $2.73 trillion | $21.38 trillion |
| 2019 | $2.89 trillion | $21.54 trillion |
| 2018 | $2.91 trillion | $20.66 trillion |
| 2017 | $2.71 trillion | $19.61 trillion |
| 2016 | $2.72 trillion | $18.80 trillion |
| 2015 | $2.95 trillion | $18.30 trillion |
The IMF's GDP in US dollars is the value of all goods and services produced in a country in a calendar year, at that year's prices, converted from the national currency into US dollars at market exchange rates.
Inflation, average consumer prices
In 2025 the IMF gives 3.4% for the UK's inflation rate and 2.7% for the United States. From 2015 to 2025 the UK's figure was the higher of the two in 5 of 11 years.
| Year | UK | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.4% | 2.7% |
| 2024 | 2.5% | 3.0% |
| 2023 | 7.3% | 4.1% |
| 2022 | 9.1% | 8.0% |
| 2021 | 2.6% | 4.7% |
| 2020 | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| 2019 | 1.8% | 1.8% |
| 2018 | 2.5% | 2.4% |
| 2017 | 2.7% | 2.1% |
| 2016 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| 2015 | 0.0% | 0.1% |
The IMF measures inflation as the percentage change in the average level of each country's consumer price index over a calendar year compared with the year before.
More figures for the UK and the United States
| Figure | UK | United States | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GDP per head, purchasing power parity | $65,758 | $90,267 | 2025 | IMF |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.3% | 2025 | IMF |
| General government gross debt | 102.1% of GDP | 124.4% of GDP | 2025 | IMF |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.4 years | 78.9 years | 2024 | World Bank |
| Total tax revenue | 34.4% of GDP | 25.6% of GDP | 2024 | OECD |
| Current health expenditure | 11.4% of GDP | 17.6% of GDP | 2025 | OECD |
| General government expenditure | 43.5% of GDP | 37.6% of GDP | 2025 | IMF |
| Employment rate, ages 15 to 64 | 74.8% | 71.9% | 2024 | OECD |
| Real minimum wage per hour | $17.13 an hour | $7.25 an hour | 2025 | OECD |
| Core defence expenditure | 2.56% of GDP | 3.17% of GDP | 2026 | NATO |
| Carbon dioxide emissions per person | 4.22 tonnes | 13.62 tonnes | 2024 | World Bank |
| Gross domestic spending on research and development | 2.8% of GDP | 3.4% of GDP | 2023 | OECD |
| Price-to-income ratio, standardised | 115.7 (100 = long-term average) | 112.3 (100 = long-term average) | 2025 | OECD |
Figures are the international body's, for a year both countries share; they can differ from those published by the ONS because they are adjusted for comparison.
Ranked tables with the UK and the United States
- UK inflation compared with the G7
- UK GDP growth compared with the G7
- UK GDP compared with other countries
More about the United States: United States in figures. Compare any two countries with the country comparison tool.
Sources and receipts
- International Monetary Fund: World Economic Outlook database (IMF DataMapper)read 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
5200170b0f19f025…· publisher's page - International Monetary Fund: World Economic Outlook database (IMF DataMapper)read 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
7294ac0b3013e39b…· publisher's page - International Monetary Fund: World Economic Outlook database (IMF DataMapper)read 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
e36fb78dc58c5b50…· publisher's page
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