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U.S. Federal Government Budget Per Resident Over Time

1) This chart was created from historical tables included in the U.S. Federal Government fiscal year 2011 budget and U.S.
Census population estimates and projections. The federal government adjusted its fiscal year one calendar quarter (3 months)
during 1976, creating a 'transition quarter,' which has been neglected in this chart.

2) The chart shows the total federal budget, or how much it spent during each fiscal year - from 1962 to 2009, with projections
through 2015, adjusted for inflation to constant FY2005 dollars - divided by the U.S. resident population over time. Inflation
reduces the buying power of the dollar over time. So constant FY2005 dollars adjusts to constant buying power over time.

3) Inflation values used to calculate the inflation-adjusted debt were also collected from historical tables included in the fiscal
2011 U.S. Federal Government budget.

4) From the inflation-adjusted budget data, one can see that the real spending per U.S. resident grew steadily during this time
period, with flattened spending periods from the late-1960s to mid-1970s and from the early 1990s to early 2000s.

5) From 2001 to 2009 real spending per resident increased steadily, then skyrocketed from about $8,500 per resident in 2007
to 10,400 per resident in 2009, and is projected to continue up to nearly $11,000 per resident.

6) This chart doesn't tell us anything about the spending relative to the size of the economy, or Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
See this graph of U.S. Federal Government Budget as a Percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Over Time.

7) You can see the absolute value of the U.S. Federal budget, in current dollars and Inflation-adjusted dollars here.

8) See also U.S. Resident Population Over Time.
Supporting Evidence
w o r t h   a   t h o u s a n d   w o r d s™
U.S. Federal Budget Per U.S. Resident Over Time
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