United States vs China
Every indicator for United States and China side by side, with the percentage gap between them. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
| Indicator | United States | China | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) (people) | 341,784,857 | 1,406,585,000 | −75.7% |
| GDP (nominal) (billion $) | 30,770 | 19,498 | +57.8% |
| GDP per capita ($) | 90,027 | 13,862 | +549.5% |
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.9 | 78.0 | — |
| Area (km²) | 9,831,510 | 9,562,910 | +2.8% |
| Population density (people/km²) | 35 | 147 | −76.4% |
| Median age (years) | 38.3 | 39.6 | — |
| Internet usage (%) | 94.7 | 91.6 | — |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 4.2 | 4.6 | — |
| Inflation (%) | 2.9 | 0.1 | — |
| Urban population (%) | 80.2 | 66.3 | — |
| Military expenditure (2024) (million $) | 997,309 | 313,658 | +218.0% |
| Military expenditure as a share of GDP (%) | 3.42 | 1.71 | +100.0% |
| Military expenditure as a share of government spending (%) | 9.11 | 5.06 | +80.0% |
| Military expenditure per capita ($) | 2,918 | 223 | +1,208.5% |
| Armed forces personnel (2020) (people) | 1,395,000 | 2,535,000 | −45.0% |
| Armed forces per 1,000 people (people) | 4.1 | 1.8 | +126.5% |
| Armed forces as a share of the labor force (%) | 0.84 | 0.33 | +154.5% |
The difference column shows the percentage gap of United States relative to China; a positive value favors United States. Interpret it in context — for unemployment, a lower value is better.
Key differences
- On population (2025), United States is 75.7% lower than China.
- On gdp (nominal), United States is 57.8% higher than China.
- On gdp per capita, United States is 549.5% higher than China.
United StatesChina
The indicators use different scales, so the chart is a rough visual comparison only; use the table for exact figures.
Related comparisons
Other comparisons involving United States or China.
United States profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
China profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Data sourcesUN World Population Prospects, IMF, World Bank, SIPRI