Table 1
Macroeconomic performance by partisan control of the presidency, 1949–present
| Democratic | Republican | Total | Democratic advantage? | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real Gross Domestic Product, % growth | (1) | 3.79 | 2.60 | 3.15 | Y |
| Real Net Domestic Product per capita, % growth | (1) | 2.60 | 1.28 | 1.89 | Y |
| Job growth, total, % | (1) | 2.47 | 1.07 | 1.72 | Y |
| Job growth, private, % | (1) | 2.55 | 0.97 | 1.71 | Y |
| Unemployment rate | (1) | 5.41 | 6.01 | 5.73 | Y |
| Real wages, % growth | (1) | 1.08 | 0.88 | 0.97 | Y |
| Real business investment, % growth | (1) | 6.58 | 2.98 | 4.65 | Y |
| Real personal income excluding government transfers, % growth | (1) | 2.66 | 1.41 | 1.99 | Y |
| Inflation, all items, % | (1) | 2.91 | 3.29 | 3.13 | Y |
| Inflation less food and energy, % | (2) | 2.87 | 3.59 | 3.24 | Y |
| Federal funds rate | (3) | 4.17 | 4.94 | 4.60 | Y |
1 = available all years since first Truman Administration (1949)
2 = available since 1959
3 = available since 1954
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