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The Reagan Era Statistics

The Reagan Era Statistics

By the Numbers

Population

Population of the United States in 1980: 226.5 million
Population of the United States in 1990: 248.7 million6

Ronald Regan's Election

Percentage of the popular vote won by Ronald Reagan in the presidential election of 1980: 50.7%
Number of states won by Ronald Reagan in the presidential election of 1980: 44
Percentage of the electoral vote won by Ronald Reagan in the presidential election of 1980: 90.9%7

Percentage of the popular vote won by Ronald Reagan in the presidential election of 1984: 58.8%
Number of states won by Ronald Reagan in the presidential election of 1984: 49
Percentage of the electoral vote won by Ronald Reagan in the presidential election of 1984: 97.6%8

Ronald Reagan's Presidency

President Reagan's public approval rating upon his retirement from office in 1989: 70%
Number of presidents who finished their terms with a higher approval rating than Reagan, since Franklin Roosevelt died in office in 1945: zero1

Number of Reagan Administration officials convicted of criminal wrongdoing for their actions in the Iran-Contra Scandal: 112

Economy

Number of American taxpayers who claimed more than $1 million in income in 1980: 4,400
Number of American taxpayers who claimed more than $1 million in income in 1987: 35,0003

Percentage of Americans Living Below the Poverty Line

1979: 11.7%
1980: 13.0%
1981: 14.0%
1982: 15.0%
1983: 15.2%
1984: 14.4%
1985: 14.0%
1986: 13.6%
1987: 13.4%
1988: 13.0%4

Change from 1980–1990 in Total Effective Federal Taxation Rate (Including Both Income and Payroll Taxes) for Families 

In the lowest 20% of national income distribution: +16.1%
In the second lowest 20% of national income distribution: +6.0%
In the middle 20% of national income distribution: +1.2%
In the second highest 20% of national income distribution: -2.2%
In the highest 20% of national income distribution: -5.5%
In the highest 1% of national income distribution: -14.4%5