Just How Big is the U.S. Economy? A Gardner Magazine Special Report
Gardner Magazine sought to find the answer to the following question: Is the United States being the biggest economy by far just hyperbole or is it factual? We found out that it is factual with the U.S. GDP at over $32 trillion. 2nd Place China is over $10 trillion behind at $20.85 trillion. Two United States individual states make the top 10. Here’s a podcast discussing the topic. Listen on any device, CLICK PLAY.
This list highlights the most powerful economic entities on the planet by comparing the Gross Domestic Product of sovereign nations alongside individual U.S. states. While the United States and China maintain the top two positions, prominent states like California and Texas demonstrate enough financial strength to outrank several established world powers. For instance, California’s economy is large enough to rival nations like Japan and the United Kingdom, while Texas competes closely with countries such as Italy and Brazil.
The data illustrates a global landscape where specific regional economies within America hold as much financial influence as entire independent countries. Ultimately, the ranking serves to showcase the massive scale of nominal wealth distributed across both global leaders and domestic powerhouses.
| Rank | Entity | Type | Nominal GDP (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | Country | ~$32.38 trillion |
| 2 | China | Country | ~$20.85 trillion |
| 3 | Germany | Country | ~$5.45 trillion |
| 4 | California | U.S. State | ~$4.30 trillion |
| 5 | Japan | Country | ~$4.38 trillion |
| 6 | United Kingdom | Country | ~$4.24 trillion |
| 7 | India | Country | ~$4.15 trillion |
| 8 | France | Country | ~$3.59 trillion |
| 9 | Texas | U.S. State | ~$2.94 trillion |
| 10 | Italy / Russia / Brazil | Countries | $2.60 – $2.74 trillion |
