Unemployment and the poverty rate dropped during his presidency

When Barack Obama took office, the unemployment rate was at a high of 7.8%. It peaked at 10% in October 2009 and didn't fall below that level for the next two years. The unemployment rate had plummeted three whole percentage points to 4.8 percent by the time Obama left office. Furthermore, this was significantly lower than the historical average of 5.6 percent. Under President Obama, American households' inflation-adjusted incomes hit their greatest level ever.

In 2016, the median family income was $59,039. An increase of $2,963, or 5.3 percent, over 2008 was The poverty rate decreased as a result of the growth in revenues. The poverty rate fell by 0.5 percent under the Obama administration, from 13.2 percent in 2008 to 12.7 percent in 2016. However, the number of people living below the poverty line increased by 787,000 to 40.6 million. The difference in numbers is because the population grew at a faster rate.