Tax to GDP ratios

The tax to GDP ratio in the United States is one of the lowest amongst OECD countries.  It declined from 29.5% in 2000 to 25.5% in 2003 and then rose to reach 27.9% by 2006 before declining to 24.2% in 2009 and rising again to 25.1% in 2011. The measure has been well below the OECD average over the whole period.  In 2010, the measure was 24.8%, 9 percentage points below the OECD figure of 33.8%.

Figure 1: Tax revenue as percentage of GDP 2000 to latest available data

Tax structures

The main observations for United States are:

• Revenue from personal and corporate income taxes was 14.9% of GDP in 2000 and 11.8% in 2011.  The 2010 figure was 10.8%, just below the OECD average of 11.3%.

• The tax ratio for Social security contributions was 6.9% of GDP in 2000 and 5.7% in 2011.   The 2010 figure of 6.4% was well below the OECD average of 9.5%.

• The tax ratio for Taxes on goods and services was 4.7% of GDP in 2000 and 4.6% in 2011.  The 2010 figure of 4.5% was well below the OECD average of 11.0%.

• Property tax revenues were 3.2% of GDP in 2010, more than 50% above the OECD average of 1.9%.

Figure 2: Tax revenue main headings as percentage of GDP, 2000, 2007, 2010, 2011 

• OECD averages are not available for 2011 as 5 OECD countries have not provided data for that year.
• More comparative information about OECD member countries is contained in the tables linked within the following webpages:
  • Tax revenue trends: tax ratios changes between 2007 and 2011
  • Tax revenue trends: tax ratios changes between 1965 and 2010
  • Tax structures: latest position (2010)
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