Economic markers- 2025 edition

A year ago, I set seven indicators of the state of the country.  My goal was to compare year to year for each of the parameters, to try and objectively show if the country was getting better or worse.  I've also listed my sources, and my intention is to use the same source every time I do a health check for the country.

This past year there has been a lot of... well, a lot.  DOGE, tarriffs, Government shutdown, the Big Beautiful Bill, investigations into James Powell.  It's been exhausting.  At times, I just wanted to say, "What fresh hell is this?"  

Have all of these events made things better or worse for the country?  Let's compare...

1)  The current national debt.

Source:  US Debt Clock

• 2025-02-19 Debt:  $36.499 Trillion
• 2026-01-13 Debt:  $38.602 Trillion  (+2.103 Trillion)

• 2025-02-19 Ratio of US Federal Debt to GDP:  123.02%
• 2026-01-13 Ratio of US Federal Debt to GDP:  124.28%  (+1.26%)

Notes (2026):  Despite DOGE, the federal debt increased, both as a total and as a ratio to the GDP.  Considering all of the programs that were slashed by DOGE, you would think there would be a reduction of the deficit increase  

2)  US Employment Rate

Not the unemployment rate, which only accounts for people looking for jobs.  This is the percentage of the number of people who have a job as a percentage of the working age population (people beteween the ages of 15 and 64)

Source:  US Employment Rate

• January 2025 Value:  60.10%
• December 2025 Value:  59.70% (-.0.40%)

Notes (2026):  I'm a little surprised it only dropped by less than half a percent.  Anecdotally, I had heard about people having trouble finding work on a longer scale.

3)  Consumer Price Index

This measures the 12 month change in prices

Source:  US Bureau of Labor Statistics

• January 2025 All items:   3.0%
• December 2025 All items:   2.7%

• January 2025 Food:  2.5%
• December 2025 Food:  3.1%

• January 2025 Energy:  1.0%
• December 2025 Energy:  2.3%

• January 2025 All items less food and energy:  3.3%
• December 2025 All items less food and energy:  2.6%

Notes (2026):  A mixed bag.  Food and Energy has gone up compared, while everything else has gone down.  

4)  National average fuel price:

Source:  AAA Fuel Prices

• 2025-02-19 Value:  $3.164
• 2026-01-13 Value:  $2.820

Notes (2026):  The first clear, unadulterated win 

5)  Average rent price in the US

Source:  Rentcafe

• November 2024 rate:  $1,748
• December 2025 rate:  $1,740 (down $8)

Notes (2026):  Rent has gone down- a small fraction, but it's in the right direction.

6)  Average and Median US Income:

The average salary is the sum of all income devided by the number of workers.  The median salary is the midpoint, where 50% of the population is above the line and 50% is below the line

Source:  SoFi Learn

• Q4 2024 Average Salary:  $63,795
• Q4 2025 Average Salary:  $66,622  (+$2,427)

• Q4 2024 Median Salary:  $61,984
• Q4 2025 Median Salary:  unknown

Notes (2026):  My source hasn't updated the median salary.  The average salary does look promising.  I may need to look elsewhere for this

7)  Current population below poverty line

Source:  American Progress

• 2023 Poverty Threshold:  $30,900 for a family of four
• 2024 Poverty Threshold:  $31,812 for a family of four

• 2023 Poverty Rate:  11.1%
• 2024 Poverty Rate:  10.6%

Notes (2026):  The poverty rate seems to be about a year behind the other idicators

Total results (2026):  The economy has improved.  Inflation is still too high (closer to 3% than 2%), but nowhere near a panic level.  The income has increased, gas has gone down, and rent has flatlined.

The negatives?  Fewer people are working (nearly half a percent is not insignificant in a country of millions), and the debt continues to grow out of control. 

My plan is to continue to measure these every January and see how they all change to paint a picture of the economy

I welcome other suggestions for parameters.  They should be objective, easy to understand, and easy to check.