GDP Per Capita
Definition
Gross Domestic Product divided by total population. GDP measures the total value of all goods and services produced within a country's borders in a year. Dividing by population gives a per-person measure of economic output.
Why It Matters
GDP per capita is the standard measure for comparing economic development across countries. It is used by the World Bank to classify countries by income level and by investors to assess market potential.
How It's Measured
National statistical agencies calculate GDP using production, income, or expenditure methods. The World Bank reports GDP per capita in current US dollars and purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
Current Value
US: approximately $80,000; Luxembourg (highest): approximately $130,000
Related Terms
Related Glossary Terms
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Frequently Asked Questions
Gross Domestic Product divided by total population. GDP measures the total value of all goods and services produced within a country's borders in a year. Dividing by population gives a per-person measure of economic output.
GDP per capita is the standard measure for comparing economic development across countries. It is used by the World Bank to classify countries by income level and by investors to assess market potential.
National statistical agencies calculate GDP using production, income, or expenditure methods. The World Bank reports GDP per capita in current US dollars and purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
GDP Per Capita is one of the U.S. population demographics concepts that recurs across this site. The definition above is the technical answer; the paragraphs below add the practical context for how the concept connects to the the U.S. Census Bureau ACS and decennial files data behind every per-entity page on the site.
In the the U.S. Census Bureau ACS and decennial files data, this concept shapes one or more of the fields that drive the per-entity grades and rankings on this site. The methodology page describes which fields feed into which output; this glossary entry documents the underlying term.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, 2026.