Last updated: May 17th, 2024
This page has the comparisons between Clinton vs Carter across all the metrics we track. President Clinton and President Carter data are no longer in office. Their data has been set to be as equivalent by days in office to make a fair comparison of their performance. This accounts for presidents that had one term vs two terms, or presidents that had a much shortened term.
With respect to cumulative performance, Bill Clinton has performed better on 5 out of the 5 metrics we track. President Clinton's highest performance difference was on the indicator DOW Jones Index performing 224.93% better than President Carter. President Clinton's lowest performance difference was on Job Growth performing 8.04% better than President Carter.
We highly recommend you read this article as well prior: What's the best way to interpret the facts and data on Facts First?
How does Clinton compare to Carter in the stock market? We share the facts on cumulative and annualized performance between Clinton and Carter in the stock market. Cumulatively across the S&P 500, Clinton is at 208.54% compared to Carter at 29.39% a difference of 179.15%. On the NASDAQ, Clinton is at 297.58% compared to Carter at 106.64% a difference of 190.94%. Finally, on the DOW Jones, Clinton is at 225.17% compared to Carter at 0.24% a difference of 224.93%.
| Index Cumulative Performance | Bill Clinton | Jimmy Carter | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASDAQ | 297.58% | 106.64% | Clinton +190.94% |
| DOW | 225.17% | 0.24% | Clinton +224.93% |
| S&P | 208.54% | 29.39% | Clinton +179.15% |
| Index Annualized Performance | Bill Clinton | Jimmy Carter | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASDAQ | 18.82% | 19.88% | Clinton -1.06% |
| DOW | 15.87% | 0.06% | Clinton +15.81% |
| S&P | 15.11% | 6.65% | Clinton +8.46% |
How does Clinton compare to Carter with respect to GDP Growth? We share the facts on cumulative and annualized GDP growth. Cumulatively Clinton is at 34.23% compared to Carter at 14.27% a difference of 19.96%
| GDP | Bill Clinton | Jimmy Carter | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumulative | 34.23% | 14.27% | Clinton +19.96% |
| Annualized | 3.77% | 3.43% | Clinton +0.34% |
How does Clinton compare to Carter in non-farm payroll? We share the facts on cumulative and annualized jobs created. Cumulatively Clinton is at 20.86% compared to Carter at 12.82% a difference of 8.04%
| Indicator Cumulative Gain/Loss | Bill Clinton | Jimmy Carter | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumulative | 20.86% | 12.82% | Clinton +8.04% |
| Annualized | 2.41% | 3.10% | Clinton -0.69% |
We capture the data as soon as it’s available to us – stock market data after daily market close, jobs data once a month and GDP data once a quarter. After verifying the raw data, we then calculate updated cumulative and annualized performance data for the current president (the data for previous presidents have been calculated and verified in advance).
Some metrics are measured daily (like stock market performance), monthly (like jobs growth) and quarterly (like GDP growth). We start measurement of performance for a president from the first full time period after their inauguration. For stock market performance, it is the first stock market day in office. For jobs growth, it’s either first full calendar month in office (so if you are inaugurated in the middle of January, the first full month is February). This ensures a consistent starting point across all presidencies.
Also, read these articles in our Learning Center:
- What is the difference between cumulative and annualized performance?
- What’s the best way to interpret the facts and data on Facts First?
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