Is the nation better off than it was four years ago?

The answer largely depends on the statistics you pick.

Unemployment rate

Then: 7.8% (Jan. 2009)

Now: 7.8%  (Dec. 2012)

 

Dow Jones Industrial Average

Then: 7,949.09 (close as of Jan. 20, 2009)

Now: 13,534.89 (close as of Jan. 15, 2013)

 

Gross Domestic Product

Then: -5.3% (1^st quarter of 2009)

Now: +3.1% (3^rd quarter of 2012)

 

Consumer Confidence (1985=100)

Then: 37.4 (Jan. 2009)

Now: 65.1 (Dec. 2012)

 

Americans who believe the country is headed in the right direction

Then: 26% of adults (Jan. 2009 NBC/WSJ poll)

Now: 41% of adults (Dec. 2012 NBC/WSJ poll)

 

Median household income (adjusted for inflation)

Then: $52,195 (Census data for 2009)

Now: $50,054 (Census data for 2011)

 

Americans living below the poverty level

Then: 43.6 million (Census data for 2009)

Now: 46.2 million (Census data for 2011)

 

Americans without health insurance

Then: 49.0 million (Census data for 2009)

Now: 48.6 million (Census data for 2011)

 

Americans receiving food stamps

Then: 33.5 million (average for 2009)

Now: 46.6 million (average for 2012)

 

Federal budget deficit

Then: -1.4 trillion (FY 2009)

Now: -$1.1 trillion (FY 2012 projected)

 

Federal public debt

Then: $10.6 trillion (Jan. 20, 2009)

Now: $16.4 trillion (Jan. 14, 2013)

 

Federal spending as a percentage of GDP

Then: 25.2% (FY 2009)

Now: 24.3% (FY 2012 projected)

 

Median sales price of new homes

Then: $208,600 (Jan. 2009)

Now: $246,200 (Nov. 2012)

 

Number of Democrats in U.S. House of Representatives

Then: 257 (2009)

Now: 201 (2013)

 

Number of Democrats (plus independents caucusing with Dems) in U.S. Senate

Then: 58 (Jan. 2009)

Now: 55 (Jan. 2013)

 

Number of Democratic governors

Then: 28 (2009)

Now: 19 (2013)

 

Number of U.S. troops in Iraq

Then: 139,500 (Jan. 2009)

Now: 200 (Jan. 2013)

 

Number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan

Then: 34,400 (Jan. 2009)

Now: 66,000 (Jan. 2013)