Measures in green indicate an improving national trend or that we are outperforming at least 80% of countries.

Measures in red indicate a declining national trend or that we are outperforming less than 50% of countries.

Measures in yellow indicate stable trends or that we are outperforming 50-79% of countries.

Summary of Results

The US has the second largest economy in the world, next to China (although we still far exceed China on a per capita basis). We also have among the most productive workforces in the world, beating out almost nine of every 10 countries. Both measures are at or near all-time highs.

Our trends are also generally moving in a positive direction. Output and productivity have both been improving overall and productivity has also been improving relative to other countries. Of all the topics and measures in this report, the economy is our greatest strength.

Related Topics

The rise in productivity is a key factor behind the slight (though mixed) rise in average real wages, and economic output is driven partly by the size of the labor force (see the Work & Labor Force section). Since human capital is a key driver of productivity, the Education section is relevant. Economic output is also a driver of the environment and national security. Finally, as with other topics in this report, the averages we report reflect improvements for some groups and negative outcomes for others. For evidence on how economic output is shared across the population, see the Inequality section.

Other Measures Considered

The board also considered, but did not include, other measures, including new business starts, business investments, and corporate concentration. The public did not support any of these other measures either. Economic output received the most support from the public at 69%.