The US economy is larger by nominal GDP ($27.4T vs $17.8T in 2024), but China's economy grows faster (5.0% vs 2.7% annually) and is second-largest globally. The US maintains technological and financial dominance, while China leads in manufacturing output and foreign exchange reserves.
China's Economy vs US Economy — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
World's largest nominal GDP at $28.7 trillion with advanced services and tech sectors
World's second-largest economy at $17.8 trillion with 28% global manufacturing share and 5% annual growth
Nominal GDP (2024). Annual GDP Growth Rate (2024). GDP per Capita (2024). Foreign Exchange Reserves. Unemployment Rate (2024). Manufacturing Output Share (Global %). Technology Companies in Top 50 Global (by market cap)
The US economy remains the world's largest and most technologically advanced, with superior per-capita wealth, lower unemployment, and dominance in high-value sectors like software, finance, and semiconductors. China's economy is growing significantly faster and has surpassed the US in manufacturing output and foreign reserves, positioning it as a rising economic superpower. Choose the US for stable, innovation-driven growth and financial strength; choose China for future growth potential and manufacturing scale, though with greater structural and geopolitical risks.
United States Economy: $30.0-30.5 trillion | China's Economy: ~$31.7 trillion
United States Economy: 17% | China's Economy: 70%
United States Economy: ~6% | China's Economy: 94%
United States Economy: ~16% | China's Economy: 35%
United States Economy: ~3.8-4.0% | China's Economy: ~4.1%
Advanced Semiconductor Market Leadership
United States Economy: Dominant (Intel, TSMC partnership, Samsung); controls cutting-edge nodes | China's Economy: Limited by US export controls; dependent on SMIC/HiSilicon
United States Economy: 20-25% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: Global leader in design and manufacturing | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: Moderate exposure | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.2% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $925.8 billion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $4.18 trillion (2024) | China's Economy: $620 billion (2023)
United States Economy: 0.3-0.5% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 30.0+ | China's Economy: ~27-28 trillion
United States Economy: $4,175 billion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $4,481 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: ~20% | China's Economy: 70%
United States Economy: 6% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: Leading edge (3nm and below) | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: Minimal negative impact | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: ~10% | China's Economy: 80%+ of global output
United States Economy: Leading in design and manufacturing | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: Minimal (exporter advantage) | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.0-2.5% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: €925.8 billion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.0-2.5% | China's Economy: 4.5-5.0%
United States Economy: 25-30% of global EVs | China's Economy: 70% of global EVs
United States Economy: 8-10% | China's Economy: 80%+
United States Economy: ~4.0% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $310 billion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $4,175,432 million (2024) | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: €925,796.8 million | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $89,000 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $10,266.8 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $925.8 | China's Economy: €296.5 billion
United States Economy: Global market leader | China's Economy: Limited by US export controls
United States Economy: Lower exposure | China's Economy: $400-800B potential loss
United States Economy: ~6% of global | China's Economy: 94% of global
United States Economy: Minimal | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 0.4-0.6% | China's Economy: N/A
Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Production
United States Economy: ~15% | China's Economy: 94%
United States Economy: $89,000+ | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 9% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 0.2-0.4pp | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 0.3-0.5% (from AI investment) | China's Economy: N/A
Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Production Share
United States Economy: 4% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 15% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 12% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $50-150B | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $31.5 trillion | China's Economy: $45.78 trillion
United States Economy: 2.1% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 1st | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 123% (combined public+private+household) | China's Economy: 77%
United States Economy: 0.34 billion | China's Economy: 1,426 million
United States Economy: $809 billion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: AI, semiconductors, cloud, fintech | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $35,000-45,000 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $94,430 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $11.1 trillion ahead | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: Data not available | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: ~25-26% of global GDP | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 1st (maintained) | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: ~1.8% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 26.2% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: Not specified | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $28.0 trillion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $85,000 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $27.4 trillion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: €10,217,935.3 million | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $3,981 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 44.5 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: ~2.8% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 1 EUR = 1.1797 USD | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.0-2.4% | China's Economy: 4.6-4.8%
United States Economy: 2.0% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $96,500+ | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $11.53 trillion lead | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $27.23 trillion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 122.27% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 37.74% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 3.5% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 336 million | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.8% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 11.8% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 25.5% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 38.5 years | China's Economy: 38.6 years
United States Economy: $27.4 trillion | China's Economy: $17.8 trillion
United States Economy: 4.2% | China's Economy: 4.1%
United States Economy: 2.9% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $156 billion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 167 companies | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 11.2% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $27.4T | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $82,000 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $0.13T | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 4.1% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $15.2T (Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Nvidia, Tesla, Broadcom) | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 38.9 years | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $2.1 trillion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $76,398 | China's Economy: $12,720
United States Economy: 2.8% | China's Economy: 5.2%
United States Economy: $2.4 trillion | China's Economy: $4.3 trillion
United States Economy: $285 billion (2023) | China's Economy: $163 billion (2023)
United States Economy: $82,500 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 123% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $62,400 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 339 million | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 65% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.5% | China's Economy: 5.0%
United States Economy: $87,000 | China's Economy: $12,556
United States Economy: $0.13 trillion | China's Economy: $3.3 trillion
United States Economy: 129% | China's Economy: 282%
United States Economy: 3.5% | China's Economy: 2.1%
United States Economy: 2.1% | China's Economy: 5.2%
United States Economy: $80,412 | China's Economy: $23,482
United States Economy: 16.3% | China's Economy: 42.8%
United States Economy: 123% | China's Economy: 77.8%
United States Economy: $12.8 trillion | China's Economy: $4.2 trillion
United States Economy: 340 million | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 21% of electricity | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 135 companies | China's Economy: 142 companies
United States Economy: $33.2 trillion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 11% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 80.1% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $285 billion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $31.2 trillion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 16% | China's Economy: 28%
United States Economy: -$73 billion deficit | China's Economy: $631.8 billion surplus
United States Economy: 12% | China's Economy: 28%
United States Economy: 4.1% | China's Economy: 5.1%
United States Economy: $-$73 billion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $2.3T | China's Economy: $2.1T
United States Economy: 2.5% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 11.5% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $820 billion | China's Economy: $230 billion
United States Economy: 615,000 | China's Economy: 1,224,000
United States Economy: 8.2% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: -$773 billion (deficit) | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.5% | China's Economy: 5.4% (2024 estimate)
United States Economy: -$73.1 billion | China's Economy: +$632 billion surplus
United States Economy: +0.4% (growing) | China's Economy: -1.6% (declining)
United States Economy: $27.9 trillion | China's Economy: $17.9 trillion
United States Economy: 11% | China's Economy: 28%
United States Economy: $68,420 | China's Economy: $11,000
United States Economy: 0.38 million | China's Economy: 1.67 million
United States Economy: 17% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 9.8% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $42.8 trillion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 16.5% | China's Economy: 28%
United States Economy: $7.1 trillion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 11.8% | China's Economy: 28.2%
Foreign Direct Investment Inflows (2024)
United States Economy: $285B | China's Economy: $163 billion
United States Economy: 63.0% | China's Economy: N/A
Tech Sector Market Capitalization (Top 7 Companies)
United States Economy: $14.2 trillion | China's Economy: N/A
Average Annual GDP Growth Rate (2010-2023)
United States Economy: 2.4% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $28.2 trillion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 26% of world GDP | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $285 billion | China's Economy: $189 billion
United States Economy: 0.41 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 17.3% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: -$773 billion deficit | China's Economy: +$352 billion surplus
United States Economy: 398,144 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $329 billion | China's Economy: $163.5 billion
United States Economy: 170 million workers | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $28.7 trillion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $12.4 trillion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 16% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 615,000 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.6% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $130 billion | China's Economy: $3.2 trillion
United States Economy: $76,398 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 11.2% | China's Economy: 27%
United States Economy: 415,000 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $48.2 trillion | China's Economy: $14.2 trillion
United States Economy: $120,000 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $76,500 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 680 GW | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $27.4 trillion | China's Economy: $17.9 trillion
United States Economy: 2.7% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 32.4% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 16.9% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 21.6% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $28.7 trillion | China's Economy: $17-18 trillion
United States Economy: 16% | China's Economy: 27.3%
United States Economy: $12.5 trillion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $32 trillion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 80% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 26% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $28.7 trillion | China's Economy: $17.9 trillion
United States Economy: 31% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $189 billion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 4.2% | China's Economy: 5.0%
United States Economy: 3.4% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 82% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 41.1 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $7.25 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $68.40 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $119 billion | China's Economy: N/A
Annual GDP Growth Rate (2020-2026 Average)
United States Economy: 195 companies | China's Economy: 88 companies
United States Economy: 38.7 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 285,000 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 18% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 0.84 million | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 13.3% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 123% | China's Economy: 280%
United States Economy: $840 billion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 12.3% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $81,045 | China's Economy: $12,720
United States Economy: 26.4% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 123% | China's Economy: 77%
United States Economy: $83,250 | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.1% | China's Economy: 5.0%
United States Economy: $7.2 trillion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $28.2T | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 11.4% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 3.45% | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 0.34 billion | China's Economy: N/A
United States Economy: N/A | China's Economy: $296.5 billion
United States Economy: N/A | China's Economy: 80%+
United States Economy: N/A | China's Economy: $6,177 billion
United States Economy: N/A | China's Economy: 4.6-4.8%
Government Education Spending Per Capita
United States Economy: N/A | China's Economy: €467
United States Economy: N/A | China's Economy: Constrained by US export controls
United States Economy: N/A | China's Economy: $12,720
United States Economy: N/A | China's Economy: $3.58 trillion
United States Economy: N/A | China's Economy: 38.4 years
How to choose between United States Economy and China's Economy
Compare United States Economy vs China's Economy
China's Economy vs US Economy — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for China's Economy vs US Economy. Contains 299 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
China's Economy vs US Economy — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for China's Economy vs US Economy.
Is China's economy larger than the US economy?
No. The US economy is larger by nominal GDP ($27.4T vs $17.8T in 2024). However, when adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP), China's economy is estimated at $36.3T, making it larger in real purchasing terms. The difference depends on measurement method: nominal GDP favors the US due to higher currency value, while PPP-adjusted figures favor China due to lower cost of living.
Why is China's economy growing faster than the US?
China's 5.0% growth (2024) exceeds the US 2.7% due to: (1) China starting from a lower development baseline with 1.4 billion people entering middle class, (2) massive government stimulus and infrastructure investment, (3) rapid urbanization still occurring, and (4) manufacturing expansion. The US has mature, slower-growing developed economy characteristics with demographic headwinds and already-saturated markets.
What are the biggest economic risks for each economy?
US risks: rising government debt ($33.2T), aging population limiting workforce growth, and political polarization affecting policy stability. China risks: property sector collapse (real estate = 30% of GDP), unprecedented debt levels (282% debt-to-GDP), demographic decline with shrinking working-age population, US trade restrictions on semiconductors and technology, and corporate debt defaults among major developers like Evergrande.
Which economy is more stable for investment?
The US economy is more stable for conservative investors due to: strong rule of law, transparent financial markets, independent judiciary, and 129% debt-to-GDP. China offers higher growth potential but carries greater risks: opaque policy decisions, state control of markets, 282% debt-to-GDP, restricted foreign investment in key sectors, and geopolitical tensions. Risk-averse investors prefer the US; growth-seeking investors accept China's higher volatility.
How do the economies compare in technology and innovation?
The US dominates in high-value technology: 26 of top 50 global tech companies vs China's 8. US leads semiconductors (Intel, Qualcomm, NVIDIA), cloud computing (AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud), artificial intelligence (OpenAI, Google DeepMind), and software. China leads in manufacturing scale, 5G deployment speed, e-commerce platforms (Alibaba, Tencent), and battery/solar technology. The US has technological depth; China has technological scale.
How to Choose Between United States Economy and China's Economy
Nominal GDP (2024): United States Economy has $27.4 trillion, while China's Economy has $17.8 trillion.
Annual GDP Growth Rate (2024): United States Economy has 2.7%, while China's Economy has 5.0%.
GDP per Capita (2024): United States Economy has $76,398, while China's Economy has $13,072.
Foreign Exchange Reserves: United States Economy has $130.6 billion, while China's Economy has $3.46 trillion.
Unemployment Rate (2024): United States Economy has 3.9%, while China's Economy has 5.0%.
Consider: Manufacturing Output Share (Global %)
Manufacturing Output Share (Global %): United States Economy has 16.4%, while China's Economy has 28.7%.
Consider: Technology Companies in Top 50 Global (by market cap)
Technology Companies in Top 50 Global (by market cap): United States Economy has 26 companies, while China's Economy has 8 companies.