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US vs China GDP per capita
United States has held the lead throughout the published window. In 1960 China stood at roughly 3% of United States’s GDP per capita; today the figure is about 15%, and the pair was closest in 2021 (18%).
| Year | United States | China | China as % of US |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2,999.86 | 89.72 | 3% |
| 1970 | 5,234.3 | 113.35 | 2% |
| 1980 | 12,574.79 | 195.15 | 2% |
| 1990 | 23,888.6 | 318.5 | 1% |
| 2000 | 36,329.97 | 969.2 | 3% |
| 2010 | 48,642.63 | 4,629.25 | 10% |
| 2020 | 64,465.3 | 10,627.46 | 16% |
| 2025 | 90,026.52 | 13,861.97 | 15% |
Frequently asked questions
When did United States pass China in GDP per capita?
It has not come to that. United States has held the larger GDP per capita in every published year (1960–2025).
How do United States and China compare today?
United States is ahead: 90,026.52 against 13,861.97 — the trailing economy stands at about 15% of the leader.
Are these GDP per capita figures nominal or adjusted?
They are exactly as the World Bank publishes them — current US$ — with no inflation restatement, no PPP conversion and no interpolation for missing years.
Full series
Every published year for both economies, with charts, downloads and citations: