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Q. What Are the Components of GDP?

From Kimberly Amadeo,
Your Guide to US Economy.
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A. The components of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) will tell you what the U.S. is good at producing.

Over 70% of what the U.S. produces is for personal consumption. The remaining 30% of GDP is business investment (16%) and government (19%), of which one-third is defense.

The largest components of personal consumption include:

  • More than 40% of GDP are services. The two largest components are real estate (10%) and health care (12%).
  • Non-durable goods are 20% of GDP. The three largest components are food (10%), clothing (2.7%) and fuel (2.4%).
  • Durable goods, such as autos (3.6%) and furniture (3%) is the smallest, at only 8% of GDP.

(The percentages given don't total, because of calculations made to net out exports from imports, and from changes in inventory.)

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