Last updated: May 17th, 2024
This page has the comparisons between Carter vs Nixon across all the metrics we track. President Carter and President Nixon 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, Jimmy Carter has performed better on 3 out of the 5 metrics we track. President Carter's highest performance difference was on the indicator NASDAQ Index performing 106.64% better than President Nixon. President Carter's lowest performance difference was on Job Growth performing -0.40% worse than President Nixon.
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 Carter compare to Nixon in the stock market? We share the facts on cumulative and annualized performance between Carter and Nixon in the stock market. Cumulatively across the S&P 500, Carter is at 29.39% compared to Nixon at -20.05% a difference of 49.44%. On the NASDAQ, Carter is at 106.64% compared to Nixon at N/A a difference of N/A. Finally, on the DOW Jones, Carter is at 0.24% compared to Nixon at -16.10% a difference of 16.34%.
| Index Cumulative Performance | Jimmy Carter | Richard Nixon | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASDAQ | 106.64% | N/A | N/A |
| DOW | 0.24% | -16.10% | Carter +16.34% |
| S&P | 29.39% | -20.05% | Carter +49.44% |
| Index Annualized Performance | Jimmy Carter | Richard Nixon | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASDAQ | 19.88% | N/A | N/A |
| DOW | 0.06% | -3.11% | Carter +3.17% |
| S&P | 6.65% | -3.95% | Carter +10.60% |
How does Carter compare to Nixon with respect to GDP Growth? We share the facts on cumulative and annualized GDP growth. Cumulatively Carter is at 14.27% compared to Nixon at 14.59% a difference of -0.32%
| GDP | Jimmy Carter | Richard Nixon | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumulative | 14.27% | 14.59% | Carter -0.32% |
| Annualized | 3.43% | 2.53% | Carter +0.90% |
How does Carter compare to Nixon in non-farm payroll? We share the facts on cumulative and annualized jobs created. Cumulatively Carter is at 12.82% compared to Nixon at 13.22% a difference of -0.40%
| Indicator Cumulative Gain/Loss | Jimmy Carter | Richard Nixon | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumulative | 12.82% | 13.22% | Carter -0.40% |
| Annualized | 3.10% | 2.27% | Carter +0.83% |
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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