Federal Debt (% of GDP)
122.6%
· Jan 2026
econ
scout
1969-70 Recession · Dec 1969 – Nov 1970
1973-75 Recession · Nov 1973 – Mar 1975
1980 Recession · Jan 1980 – Jul 1980
1981-82 Recession · Jul 1981 – Nov 1982
1990-91 Recession · Jul 1990 – Mar 1991
2001 Recession · Mar 2001 – Nov 2001
Global Financial Crisis · Dec 2007 – Jun 2009
COVID-19 Recession · Feb 2020 – Apr 2020
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
2020
122.6%
Federal Debt (% of GDP) — one value per year; US recessions are shaded on the chart.
Year
Federal Debt (% of GDP)
1966
39.5%
1967
39.1%
1968
37.0%
1969
35.5%
1970
35.7%
1971
35.6%
1972
33.7%
1973
31.8%
1974
30.8%
1975
32.7%
1976
33.8%
1977
33.2%
1978
31.9%
1979
31.0%
1980
31.2%
1981
31.4%
1982
35.2%
1983
37.2%
1984
40.1%
1985
43.8%
1986
47.6%
1987
48.6%
1988
49.7%
1989
51.4%
1990
56.0%
1991
60.7%
1992
62.5%
1993
64.7%
1994
64.4%
1995
64.2%
1996
64.4%
1997
62.8%
1998
60.4%
1999
58.3%
2000
54.3%
2001
55.8%
2002
57.9%
2003
59.4%
2004
60.6%
2005
61.3%
2006
61.8%
2007
62.7%
2008
73.2%
2009
84.0%
2010
91.6%
2011
96.1%
2012
100.1%
2013
99.8%
2014
101.3%
2015
102.6%
2016
104.6%
2017
102.3%
2018
105.0%
2019
105.8%
2020
125.6%
2021
119.4%
2022
117.4%
2023
119.6%
2024
121.4%
2025
122.6%
2026
122.6%
Source: FRED · GFDEGDQ188S · econscout.com