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US vs China Inflation
United States moved above China in 1990. In 1987 China stood at roughly 197% of United States’s Inflation; today the figure is about 2%, and the pair was closest in 2018 (85%).
| Year | United States | China | China as % of US |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.46% | 7.23% | 496% |
| 1970 | 5.84% | 7.23% | 124% |
| 1980 | 13.55% | 7.23% | 53% |
| 1990 | 5.4% | 3.05% | 57% |
| 2000 | 3.38% | 0.35% | 10% |
| 2010 | 1.64% | 3.18% | 194% |
| 2020 | 1.23% | 2.42% | 196% |
| 2024 | 2.95% | 0.22% | 7% |
Frequently asked questions
When did United States move above China in Inflation?
In 1990. United States’s published Inflation rose above China’s that year.
How do United States and China compare today?
United States is ahead: 2.95% against 0.06% — the trailing economy stands at about 2% of the leader.
Are these Inflation figures nominal or adjusted?
The series is a share expressed in annual %, exactly as the World Bank publishes it; movements are percentage points, not percent.
Full series
Every published year for both economies, with charts, downloads and citations: