Statistics: The Impact of the Depression

Change in Gross National Product

1879-89

+ 6 percent

1889-99

+ 4 percent

1899-1909

+ 4 percent

1909-19

+ 2 percent

1919-29

+ 3 percent

1929-39

0 percent

1939-49

+ 4 percent

1949-59

+ 4 percent

1959-69

+ 4 percent

1969-79

+ 3 percent


 

GNP in 1929 dollars

1920

60

1925

80

1929

100

1930

90

1933

70

1937

100

1938

95

1939

100


 

Average Unemployment Rate

1879-89

8 percent

1889-99

10 percent

1899-1909

4 percent

1909-19

4 percent

1919-29

4 percent

1929-39

18 percent

1939-49

5 percent

1949-59

4 percent

1959-69

5 percent

1969-79

6 percent


 

Unemployment as Percentage of the Labor Force

1900

5 percent

1910

5.9 percent

1920

4 percent

1925

4 percent

1929

3.2 percent

1930

8.7 percent

1932

23.6 percent

1933

24.9 percent

1934

21.7 percent

1935

20.1 percent

1936

16.9 percent

1937

14.3 percent

1938

19 percent

1939

17.2 percent

1940

14.6 percent

1950

5 percent


 

Bank Failures

1929

659

1930

1,352

1931

1,456

1932

2,294

1933

5,190


 

Federal Spending During the Great Depression as a Percentage of GNP

1929

3 percent

1930

3 percent

1931

4 percent

1932

8 percent

1933

8 percent

1934

10 percent

1935

9 percent

1936

10 percent

1937

9 percent

1938

8 percent

1939

10 percent