Economy grew 5.7% in 2021, fastest pace in more than three decades

The economy grew 5.7% in 2021, the fastest rate since 1984, as the country shook off the worst of the pandemic, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Wednesday.

The numbers, adjusted for inflation, were in part fueled by a surprisingly strong fourth quarter. The gross domestic product grew at a robust 6.9% annualized rate to close out the year, which was far stronger than the growth in the third quarter and better than forecasters had expected.