Vertical fiscal imbalance, Percent in United States of America

United States of America: Vertical fiscal imbalance, Percent was 0.3212 in 2020. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2020)
0.3212
Change on year
up 533.1%
World rank
5th
of 64 countries
All-time high
0.3212
in 2020
All-time low
-0.5079
in 2000
Years of data
32
1989–2020

Vertical fiscal imbalance, Percent in United States of America, 1989–2020

-0.6-0.4-0.2-00.20.41989200420201989: 0.0651990: 0.1251991: 0.1821992: 0.111993: 0.041994: -0.0381995: -0.1181996: -0.1731997: -0.2781998: -0.3771999: -0.4092000: -0.5082001: -0.3842002: -0.1432003: -0.0392004: -0.0392005: -0.1162006: -0.2222007: -0.22008: 0.032009: 0.2552010: 0.2062011: 0.1182012: 0.0222013: -0.1912014: -0.2332015: -0.312016: -0.252017: -0.3342018: -0.1122019: -0.0742020: 0.321

Source: International Monetary Fund.

Analysis

In 2020, vertical fiscal imbalance, percent in United States of America stood at 0.3212. That is the highest value across all 32 years on record.

That represents a change of up 533.1% on the previous year and up 56.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, vertical fiscal imbalance, percent in United States of America peaked at 0.3212 in 2020 and was at its lowest, -0.5079, in 2000.

United States of America ranks 5th of 64 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Vertical fiscal imbalance, Percent in United States of America, year by year

Annual values for Vertical fiscal imbalance, Percent (Central government) in United States of America, 1989 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1989 0.0647
1990 0.1254 +93.9%
1991 0.1823 +45.4%
1992 0.1099 -39.7%
1993 0.0399 -63.7%
1994 -0.0379 -195.1%
1995 -0.1183 +212.0%
1996 -0.173 +46.2%
1997 -0.2782 +60.8%
1998 -0.3768 +35.4%
1999 -0.4094 +8.7%
2000 -0.5079 +24.1%
2001 -0.3842 -24.3%
2002 -0.1433 -62.7%
2003 -0.0391 -72.7%
2004 -0.0392 +0.3%
2005 -0.1158 +195.4%
2006 -0.2221 +91.9%
2007 -0.1999 -10.0%
2008 0.0304 -115.2%
2009 0.2552 +738.3%
2010 0.2057 -19.4%
2011 0.1181 -42.6%
2012 0.0219 -81.4%
2013 -0.1914 -972.1%
2014 -0.2325 +21.5%
2015 -0.3099 +33.2%
2016 -0.2498 -19.4%
2017 -0.334 +33.7%
2018 -0.1122 -66.4%
2019 -0.0742 -33.9%
2020 0.3212 -533.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 0.0647 0.0647 0.0647 1
1990s -0.0936 -0.4094 0.1823 10
2000s -0.1366 -0.5079 0.2552 10
2010s -0.1158 -0.334 0.2057 10
2020s 0.3212 0.3212 0.3212 1

Countries ranked near United States of America

  1. 2 Marshall Islands 0.4558 compare
  2. 3 Palau 0.3751 compare
  3. 4 Rwanda 0.3258 compare
  4. 6 Paraguay 0.2908 compare
  5. 7 Senegal 0.2802 compare
  6. 8 Mauritius 0.2717 compare

See the full ranking of 64 places →

More public sector data for United States of America

All data for United States of America →

Frequently asked questions

What is vertical fiscal imbalance, percent in United States of America?
Vertical fiscal imbalance, percent in United States of America was 0.3212 in 2020, according to International Monetary Fund.
What is the highest vertical fiscal imbalance, percent recorded in United States of America?
The highest recorded value was 0.3212 in 2020.
What is the lowest vertical fiscal imbalance, percent recorded in United States of America?
The lowest recorded value was -0.5079 in 2000.
How does United States of America rank for vertical fiscal imbalance, percent?
United States of America ranks 5th out of 64 countries with data for 2020.
Is vertical fiscal imbalance, percent rising or falling in United States of America?
Over the last ten years it is up 56.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this United States of America data come from?
The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Vertical fiscal imbalance, Percent (Central government). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Vertical fiscal imbalance, Percent in United States of America. Statizoid, drawing on International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/vertical-fiscal-imbalance-percent-central-government/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator
Vertical fiscal imbalance, Percent (Central government)
Source
International Monetary Fund
Licence
IMF Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
64 places, 1,123 data points, 1989–2020
Last refreshed

The Fiscal Decentralization dataset includes fiscal decentralization indicators for a sample of IMF member countries. The following indicators are included in the dataset: Revenue and Expenditure Decentralization Shares; Transfer dependency and Vertical Fiscal Imbalances; Deficit and Debt; Allocation of expenditure (economic classification); Allocation of expenditure (functional classification); Allocation of non-Tax Revenues; and Allocation of Taxes.