Last updated: May 16th, 2024
This page has the comparisons between Reagan vs Clinton across all the metrics we track. President Reagan and President Clinton 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, Ronald Reagan has performed better on 0 out of the 5 metrics we track. President Reagan's lowest performance difference was on NASDAQ Index performing -203.56% worse than President Clinton.
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 Reagan compare to Clinton in the stock market? We share the facts on cumulative and annualized performance between Reagan and Clinton in the stock market. Cumulatively across the S&P 500, Reagan is at 113.52% compared to Clinton at 208.54% a difference of -95.02%. On the NASDAQ, Reagan is at 94.02% compared to Clinton at 297.58% a difference of -203.56%. Finally, on the DOW Jones, Reagan is at 130.60% compared to Clinton at 225.17% a difference of -94.57%.
| Index Cumulative Performance | Ronald Reagan | Bill Clinton | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASDAQ | 94.02% | 297.58% | Reagan -203.56% |
| DOW | 130.60% | 225.17% | Reagan -94.57% |
| S&P | 113.52% | 208.54% | Reagan -95.02% |
| Index Annualized Performance | Ronald Reagan | Bill Clinton | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASDAQ | 8.63% | 18.82% | Reagan -10.19% |
| DOW | 11.00% | 15.87% | Reagan -4.87% |
| S&P | 9.94% | 15.11% | Reagan -5.17% |
How does Reagan compare to Clinton with respect to GDP Growth? We share the facts on cumulative and annualized GDP growth. Cumulatively Reagan is at 31.01% compared to Clinton at 34.23% a difference of -3.21%
| GDP | Ronald Reagan | Bill Clinton | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumulative | 31.01% | 34.23% | Reagan -3.21% |
| Annualized | 3.45% | 3.77% | Reagan -0.32% |
How does Reagan compare to Clinton in non-farm payroll? We share the facts on cumulative and annualized jobs created. Cumulatively Reagan is at 17.72% compared to Clinton at 20.86% a difference of -3.14%
| Indicator Cumulative Gain/Loss | Ronald Reagan | Bill Clinton | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumulative | 17.72% | 20.86% | Reagan -3.14% |
| Annualized | 2.07% | 2.41% | Reagan -0.34% |
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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