The United States has a higher GDP per capita ($76,398 vs $12,720) and leads in technological innovation, while China has the world's largest population (1.4 billion) and is the largest manufacturing economy by output volume. The US emphasizes service and high-tech sectors, while China dominates in manufacturing and raw production capacity.
China vs United States — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Upper-middle-income country with world's 2nd-largest economy and dominant manufacturing base.
Federal republic spanning North America with 345 million people, world's largest economy at $28.7 trillion, and diverse geography from coasts to mountains.
GDP Per Capita. Total GDP (Nominal). Population. Manufacturing Output. R&D Investment as % of GDP. Number of Fortune 500 Companies. Life Expectancy
Choose China if you're analyzing global manufacturing capacity, population-based markets, or growth potential in emerging sectors. Choose the United States if you're evaluating individual wealth, technological innovation, corporate market dominance, or service-sector leadership. Both are essential economic powers with complementary strengths: the US leads in high-value sectors and per-capita wealth, while China leads in production scale and total economic output.
China: $17.7 Trillion | United States: $25.5 Trillion
China: $292 Billion | United States: $877 Billion
China: $33-34 trillion | United States: $30+ trillion
China: 35% of global output | United States: ~18%
China: Limited by export controls | United States: Global leader (Intel, NVIDIA, TSMC partners)
China: $400-800 billion potential loss | United States: Lower exposure (potential beneficiary)
China: $20.6 trillion | United States: $27.4 trillion
China: -0.5 to -2.0% | United States: Potential +0.5% from policy
China: 0.2-0.3% | United States: 0.5%+ (estimated)
Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Production
China: 94% | United States: Minimal (<5%)
China: -0.5 to -2% ($400-800B reduction) | United States: Minimal exposure
China: $17.9 trillion | United States: N/A
China: 2,300 thousand | United States: N/A
China: $3.2 trillion | United States: N/A
China: One-party communist state | United States: N/A
China: 88 (not free) | United States: N/A
China: 40% (global EV sales) | United States: N/A
China: $17.9 trillion | United States: $27.4 trillion
Government Education Expenditure Per Capita
China: $6,177.1 billion | United States: $11,109.2 billion
China: $296.5 billion | United States: $925.8 billion
China: $1,272.4 billion | United States: $2,174.6 billion
China: 1.4 billion | United States: 0.34 billion
China: 1.42 billion | United States: N/A
China: €296.5 billion | United States: N/A
China: 1,425 million | United States: 0.339 billion
China: 0.796 (Very High) | United States: N/A
China: $163 billion | United States: N/A
China: 1.57 million | United States: N/A
China: $163.1 billion | United States: N/A
China: $17.9 trillion | United States: $27.9 trillion
China: $850 billion | United States: N/A
China: 12% (design & manufacturing) | United States: N/A
China: $163 billion (2024) | United States: N/A
China: World's factory (services rising) | United States: N/A
China: Largest — ~29% of global value-added | United States: N/A
China: 78.5 years | United States: 76.4 years
China: 124 companies | United States: 346 companies
China: 926 million | United States: 312 million
Years to Double GDP at Current Growth Rate
China: $1,830 billion | United States: N/A
China: $17.9 trillion | United States: $28.9 trillion
China: $33.8 trillion | United States: $28.7 trillion
China: $4.7 trillion | United States: $2.1 trillion
China: 16% (nominal) | United States: 26%
China: $13.5 trillion | United States: $36 trillion
China: $35.2 trillion | United States: $26.9 trillion
Foreign Direct Investment Inflows (2025)
China: $192 billion | United States: $285 billion
China: N/A | United States: 3,794,100 sq mi
China: N/A | United States: Rank 1 (global superpower)
China: N/A | United States: Reference (leader)
Years to Close GDP Gap (at current growth rates)
China: N/A | United States: N/A (declining relative position)
China: N/A | United States: Minimal direct impact
China: N/A | United States: Global leader in chip design
How to choose between China and United States
China vs United States — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for China vs United States. Contains 132 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
China vs United States — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for China vs United States.
By total nominal GDP, the United States leads at $27.9 trillion compared to China's $27.4 trillion as of 2026. However, China ranks second and the gap has narrowed significantly over the past two decades. By purchasing power parity (PPP), China's GDP is actually larger, reflecting lower domestic costs.
Why is China's GDP per capita so much lower than the US?
China's GDP per capita of $12,720 versus the US's $76,398 reflects that China's economy is divided among 1.42 billion people versus 339 million Americans. China has higher income inequality and a much larger rural population with lower incomes. The US has a more mature, service-based economy with higher productivity per worker.
Which country is better for manufacturing?
China dominates manufacturing by volume and scale, producing 28% of global manufactured goods and employing over 400 million manufacturing workers. However, the US excels in high-value, precision manufacturing (semiconductors, aerospace, pharmaceuticals). China is better for cost-efficient production; the US is better for specialized, high-margin manufacturing.
The United States leads in innovation metrics: it invests 3.5% of GDP in R&D (vs China's 2.1%), hosts 346 Fortune 500 companies (vs 124), and dominates software, AI, and biotechnology. China leads in 5G deployment and EV manufacturing scale. The US innovates; China scales innovations rapidly.
What are the main economic differences between the two countries?
The US economy emphasizes services (finance, technology, healthcare, entertainment), producing high-value goods with smaller volumes. China's economy emphasizes manufacturing scale and raw production volume across diverse sectors. The US has higher wages and consumption; China has lower labor costs and higher production capacity. Together, they represent approximately 40% of global GDP.
How to Choose Between China and United States
GDP Per Capita: China has $12,720 USD, while United States has $76,398 USD.
Total GDP (Nominal): China has $17.9 trillion USD, while United States has $27.4 trillion USD.
Population: China has 1.42 billion, while United States has 339 million.
Manufacturing Output: China has 28% of global share, while United States has 16% of global share.
R&D Investment as % of GDP: China has 2.1%, while United States has 3.5%.
Consider: Number of Fortune 500 Companies
Number of Fortune 500 Companies: China has 124 companies, while United States has 346 companies.
Life Expectancy: China has 78.2 years, while United States has 76.4 years.