The United States leads in per-capita GDP ($76,398 vs $12,556), military spending ($820B vs $296B), and technological innovation metrics, while China surpasses the U.S. in total population (1.42B vs 339M), manufacturing output, and renewable energy capacity (1,547 GW vs 658 GW).
China vs United States — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Federal republic with the world's largest economy and military superpower status.
One-party socialist state with world's second-largest economy, dominant manufacturing sector, and 1.4 billion population.
Per-Capita GDP. Total Population. Military Spending. Renewable Energy Capacity. Total GDP Ranking. Life Expectancy. Patent Filings (Annual)
The United States maintains economic and military dominance with higher per-capita wealth, greater military capabilities, and stronger per-capita innovation metrics, making it the global superpower in individual prosperity and defense. China's advantages lie in scale (population, manufacturing, renewable energy, total GDP), positioning it as an emerging superpower with growing influence. Choose the U.S. for measuring advanced economies and individual living standards; choose China for understanding manufacturing, population-scale economies, and future global influence.
United States of America: $28.7 trillion | People's Republic of China: $17.9 trillion
United States of America: $31.82 trillion | People's Republic of China: $35.0+ trillion
United States of America: 22.73% | People's Republic of China: 14.77%
United States of America: 6.31x higher | People's Republic of China: 1.0x (baseline)
United States of America: Emerging leader, <30% | People's Republic of China: 70%
United States of America: ~15% | People's Republic of China: 35%
Combined Global Economic Share (Nominal)
United States of America: 42.46% (combined US-China) | People's Republic of China: 42.46% (combined US-China)
United States of America: $89,000+ | People's Republic of China: $14,100
United States of America: 23.6% | People's Republic of China: 15.2%
United States of America: 18% | People's Republic of China: 70%
United States of America: ~15% | People's Republic of China: 80%+
Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Production
United States of America: 6% | People's Republic of China: 94%
United States of America: 2.5% | People's Republic of China: 4.7%
United States of America: €10,266.8B | People's Republic of China: $6,240,157.8M
United States of America: €925,796.8M | People's Republic of China: $313.7 billion
United States of America: €3,981 | People's Republic of China: €467
United States of America: 20% | People's Republic of China: 70%
United States of America: $27.6 trillion | People's Republic of China: N/A
United States of America: $821 billion | People's Republic of China: N/A
United States of America: 57 | People's Republic of China: N/A
United States of America: 6,300 | People's Republic of China: N/A
United States of America: Advanced semiconductors, AI, quantum computing, defense tech | People's Republic of China: N/A
United States of America: $15.29 trillion | People's Republic of China: $45.78 trillion
United States of America: $94,800 | People's Republic of China: $15,000
United States of America: 2.0-2.5% | People's Republic of China: 4.5-4.8%
United States of America: ~18% | People's Republic of China: 35%
United States of America: $30.1 trillion | People's Republic of China: $17.9 trillion
United States of America: 2.0–2.5% | People's Republic of China: 4.6–4.8%
United States of America: <5% | People's Republic of China: 80%+
United States of America: 4.5% | People's Republic of China: ~4.0% (estimated)
United States of America: $76,398 | People's Republic of China: $12,720
United States of America: 16% | People's Republic of China: 28%
United States of America: $2.9T | People's Republic of China: $7.8T
United States of America: $820 billion | People's Republic of China: $296 billion
United States of America: 3.4% | People's Republic of China: 2.1%
United States of America: 743 km | People's Republic of China: 45,000 km
United States of America: 9.8 million km² | People's Republic of China: N/A
United States of America: 36 people/sq mi | People's Republic of China: N/A
United States of America: $12,914 per capita | People's Republic of China: N/A
United States of America: 4.7 per 100k | People's Republic of China: N/A
United States of America: 0.41 | People's Republic of China: N/A
United States of America: 1,290 thousand | People's Republic of China: N/A
United States of America: 1,770 | People's Republic of China: N/A
United States of America: 27 universities | People's Republic of China: 8 universities
United States of America: $384 billion (2023) | People's Republic of China: $189 billion (2023)
United States of America: $27.3 trillion | People's Republic of China: $17.9 trillion
United States of America: 614,000 | People's Republic of China: 1,500,000
United States of America: 707 GW | People's Republic of China: 1,854 GW
United States of America: 4.7 physicians | People's Republic of China: 2.1 physicians
United States of America: $27.36 trillion | People's Republic of China: $17.99 trillion
United States of America: $820 billion | People's Republic of China: $292 billion
United States of America: 371.8 | People's Republic of China: 1,200
United States of America: $27.3 trillion | People's Republic of China: $17.8 trillion
United States of America: $27.4 trillion | People's Republic of China: N/A
United States of America: 6.3 | People's Republic of China: N/A
United States of America: $11,945 | People's Republic of China: N/A
United States of America: 2.1 billion | People's Republic of China: N/A
United States of America: 79.3 million | People's Republic of China: N/A
United States of America: 735 km | People's Republic of China: 45,000 km
United States of America: 61% | People's Republic of China: 22%
United States of America: 335 million | People's Republic of China: 1,426 million
United States of America: 78.4 years | People's Republic of China: 77.9 years
United States of America: 5.0 billion | People's Republic of China: 12.3 billion
United States of America: $2.1 trillion | People's Republic of China: $4.7 trillion
United States of America: 312 million | People's Republic of China: 1,050 million
United States of America: $28.5T | People's Republic of China: $23.8T
Average Annual GDP Growth Rate (2024-2026)
United States of America: 2.25% | People's Republic of China: 4.75%
United States of America: $84,000 | People's Republic of China: $17,000
United States of America: 206M | People's Republic of China: 920M
United States of America: 1st | People's Republic of China: 2nd
United States of America: AI, semiconductors, cloud computing | People's Republic of China: 5G, renewables, EVs
United States of America: 82% | People's Republic of China: 63%
United States of America: $27.4 trillion | People's Republic of China: $17.9 trillion
United States of America: 814,340 | People's Republic of China: 1,570,000
United States of America: 8.5% | People's Republic of China: 12.3%
United States of America: 16% of global | People's Republic of China: 28% of global
United States of America: $27.4 trillion | People's Republic of China: $17.8 trillion
United States of America: 635,000 | People's Republic of China: 1,700,000
United States of America: 2.1% | People's Republic of China: 4.2%
United States of America: 26.3% | People's Republic of China: 16.4%
United States of America: $285 billion | People's Republic of China: $163 billion
United States of America: 59% | People's Republic of China: 2.7%
United States of America: 128% | People's Republic of China: 77%
United States of America: 78.9 years | People's Republic of China: 78.2
United States of America: 99.0% | People's Republic of China: N/A
United States of America: 4.1% | People's Republic of China: N/A
United States of America: $74,580 | People's Republic of China: N/A
United States of America: $820B | People's Republic of China: $296B
United States of America: 635,000 | People's Republic of China: 1,500,000
United States of America: 91% | People's Republic of China: 76%
United States of America: $0.13 trillion | People's Republic of China: $3.27 trillion
United States of America: $27.4T | People's Republic of China: $17.8T
United States of America: 335 million | People's Republic of China: 1,430M
United States of America: 0.921 | People's Republic of China: 0.796
United States of America: 605,000 | People's Republic of China: 738,000
United States of America: $848 billion | People's Republic of China: $612 billion
United States of America: N/A | People's Republic of China: $17.9 trillion
United States of America: N/A | People's Republic of China: 4.8%
United States of America: N/A | People's Republic of China: 38.4 years
United States of America: N/A | People's Republic of China: €469
JPMorgan Growth Leadership Outlook (2026)
United States of America: N/A | People's Republic of China: Secondary
United States of America: N/A | People's Republic of China: $18.74T
United States of America: N/A | People's Republic of China: 5.0-5.3%
United States of America: N/A | People's Republic of China: 32.94%
United States of America: N/A | People's Republic of China: €299,621.7M
United States of America: N/A | People's Republic of China: $620,062.8M
United States of America: N/A | People's Republic of China: €11,242
United States of America: N/A | People's Republic of China: 392 robots per 10k workers
United States of America: N/A | People's Republic of China: 60%
How to choose between United States of America and People's Republic of China
Compare United States of America vs People's Republic of China
China vs United States — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for China vs United States. Contains 116 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.
The United States has the largest economy by total GDP ($27.3 trillion vs $17.9 trillion) and dramatically higher per-capita GDP ($76,398 vs $12,556), indicating greater individual wealth and purchasing power. China's economy is the second-largest and growing rapidly, but the average American is 6x wealthier than the average Chinese citizen.
Which country is more technologically advanced?
The United States leads in per-capita innovation with 715,000 annual patent filings and dominance in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and software development. However, China files more patents per capita in renewable energy and manufacturing technologies. The U.S. maintains leadership in high-value, cutting-edge innovation.
The United States has more physicians per capita (4.7 vs 2.1 per 1,000) and leads in medical research and cutting-edge treatments, but costs are extreme—averaging $12,000 per person annually versus $1,400 in China. China offers universal coverage but with lower quality in rural areas, while the U.S. provides superior care for those who can afford it.
Which country is winning the renewable energy race?
China dominates renewable energy capacity with 1,547 GW compared to 658 GW in the U.S. (2.35x larger). China leads in solar, wind, and hydroelectric deployment, driven by government mandates and massive capital investment. The U.S. is rapidly expanding renewables but started later and with less government coordination.
The United States maintains unmatched military dominance with a $820 billion budget versus China's $296 billion, operating 11 aircraft carriers (China has 3), and maintaining technological superiority. However, China has larger personnel numbers (2.27 million active vs 1.34 million) and is rapidly modernizing its capabilities.
How to Choose Between United States of America and People's Republic of China
Per-Capita GDP: United States of America has $76,398, while People's Republic of China has $12,556.
Total Population: United States of America has 339 million, while People's Republic of China has 1.42 billion.
Military Spending: United States of America has $820 billion, while People's Republic of China has $296 billion.
Renewable Energy Capacity: United States of America has 658 GW, while People's Republic of China has 1,547 GW.
Total GDP Ranking: United States of America has #1 ($27.3 trillion), while People's Republic of China has #2 ($17.9 trillion).
Life Expectancy: United States of America has 76.4 years, while People's Republic of China has 77.5 years.
Patent Filings (Annual): United States of America has 715,000, while People's Republic of China has 635,000.