Social contributions (% of revenue) in United States
United States: Social contributions (% of revenue) was 36.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Social contributions in United States, 1972–2024
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of revenue.
Analysis
United States recorded 36.5% for social contributions in 2024.
That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and up 6.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, social contributions in United States peaked at 41.9% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 23.6%, in 1972.
That places United States 11th out of 112 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 53 years of available data.
Social contributions (% of revenue) in United States, year by year
| Year | % of revenue | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 23.6% | — |
| 1973 | 25.0% | +5.8% |
| 1974 | 26.2% | +4.9% |
| 1975 | 28.1% | +7.3% |
| 1976 | 28.3% | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 27.9% | -1.4% |
| 1978 | 28.3% | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 27.7% | -1.9% |
| 1980 | 28.2% | +1.8% |
| 1981 | 28.0% | -0.8% |
| 1982 | 29.9% | +6.6% |
| 1983 | 31.3% | +4.9% |
| 1984 | 32.7% | +4.4% |
| 1985 | 32.9% | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 33.9% | +3.1% |
| 1987 | 32.8% | -3.2% |
| 1988 | 34.2% | +4.3% |
| 1989 | 33.9% | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 35.3% | +4.2% |
| 1991 | 34.5% | -2.3% |
| 1992 | 36.2% | +4.9% |
| 1993 | 35.0% | -3.4% |
| 1994 | 35.1% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 34.1% | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 33.7% | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 32.7% | -2.7% |
| 1998 | 32.2% | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 32.4% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 31.3% | -3.6% |
| 2001 | 35.0% | +12.1% |
| 2002 | 38.9% | +11.1% |
| 2003 | 39.7% | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 39.3% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 36.5% | -7.1% |
| 2006 | 35.2% | -3.6% |
| 2007 | 35.1% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 37.2% | +6.2% |
| 2009 | 41.9% | +12.5% |
| 2010 | 39.3% | -6.2% |
| 2011 | 34.8% | -11.5% |
| 2012 | 34.4% | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 34.5% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 34.3% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 34.3% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 35.1% | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 34.1% | -2.9% |
| 2018 | 37.3% | +9.4% |
| 2019 | 37.8% | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 37.9% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 34.6% | -8.8% |
| 2022 | 32.6% | -5.8% |
| 2023 | 36.7% | +12.6% |
| 2024 | 36.5% | -0.5% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 36.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 28.1%, 1.3× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 26.9% | 23.6% | 28.3% | 8 |
| 1980s | 31.8% | 28.0% | 34.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 34.1% | 32.2% | 36.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.0% | 31.3% | 41.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 35.6% | 34.1% | 39.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.7% | 32.6% | 37.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
More public sector data for United States
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 745.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 3.56 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
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- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 52.65 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is social contributions in United States?
- Social contributions in United States was 36.5% in 2024, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest social contributions recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 41.9% in 2009.
- What is the lowest social contributions recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.6% in 1972.
- How does United States rank for social contributions?
- United States ranks 11th out of 112 countries with data for 2024.
- Is social contributions rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Social contributions (% of revenue). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Social contributions are actual or imputed contributions payable to social insurance schemes to make provisions for social benefits to be paid. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of revenue which includes all transactions that add to the amount of economic value of a unit or sector.