Democracy Index in United States
United States: Democracy Index was 5 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
5
Change on year
down 28.6%
World rank
98th
of 168 countries
All-time high
10
in 1829
All-time low
0
in 1776
Years of data
245
1776–2020
Democracy Index in United States, 1776–2020
Source: Polity 5 (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for democracy index in United States is 5, measured in 2020.
The figure is down 28.6% on the previous year and down 50.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy index in United States peaked at 10 in 1829 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1776.
That places United States 98th out of 168 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 245 years of available data.
Democracy Index in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1776 | 0 | — |
| 1777 | 0 | — |
| 1778 | 0 | — |
| 1779 | 0 | — |
| 1780 | 0 | — |
| 1781 | 0 | — |
| 1782 | 0 | — |
| 1783 | 0 | — |
| 1784 | 0 | — |
| 1785 | 0 | — |
| 1786 | 0 | — |
| 1787 | 0 | — |
| 1788 | 0 | — |
| 1789 | 0 | — |
| 1790 | 0 | — |
| 1791 | 0 | — |
| 1792 | 0 | — |
| 1793 | 0 | — |
| 1794 | 0 | — |
| 1795 | 0 | — |
| 1796 | 0 | — |
| 1797 | 5 | — |
| 1798 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 1799 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 1800 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 6 | +20.0% |
| 1802 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1803 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1804 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1805 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1806 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1807 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1809 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1810 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1811 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1812 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1813 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1814 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1815 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1816 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1817 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1818 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1819 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1820 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1821 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1822 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1823 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1824 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1825 | 7 | +16.7% |
| 1826 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1827 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1828 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1829 | 10 | +42.9% |
| 1830 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1831 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1832 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1833 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1834 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1836 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1837 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1838 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1839 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1841 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1842 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1843 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1849 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1850 | 9 | -10.0% |
| 1851 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1852 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 8 | -11.1% |
| 1855 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1861 | 0 | — |
| 1862 | 0 | — |
| 1863 | 0 | — |
| 1864 | 0 | — |
| 1865 | 7 | — |
| 1866 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1869 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1871 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 8 | +14.3% |
| 1873 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 9 | +12.5% |
| 1878 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1887 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1897 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1899 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1901 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 8 | -11.1% |
| 1968 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 10 | +25.0% |
| 1975 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 8 | -20.0% |
| 2017 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 7 | -12.5% |
| 2020 | 5 | -28.6% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 5 is below the median for high income countries, which is 10, 50% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1770s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 1780s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1790s | 1.5 | 0 | 5 | 10 |
| 1800s | 5.9 | 5 | 6 | 10 |
| 1810s | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 |
| 1820s | 6.8 | 6 | 10 | 10 |
| 1830s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 1840s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 1850s | 8.4 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 1860s | 3.5 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| 1870s | 8.1 | 7 | 9 | 10 |
| 1880s | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
| 1890s | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
| 1900s | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
| 1910s | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
| 1920s | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
| 1930s | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
| 1940s | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
| 1950s | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
| 1960s | 8.7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 1970s | 9.2 | 8 | 10 | 10 |
| 1980s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 1990s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 2000s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.1 | 7 | 10 | 10 |
| 2020s | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
Countries ranked near United States
More social development data for United States
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 457,647 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 3,667 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 3,667 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0013 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is democracy index in United States?
- Democracy index in United States was 5 in 2020, according to Polity 5 (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest democracy index recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 10 in 1829.
- What is the lowest democracy index recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1776.
- How does United States rank for democracy index?
- United States ranks 98th out of 168 countries with data for 2020.
- Is democracy index rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 50.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Polity 5 (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 245 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
It combines information on the extent to which open, multi-party, and competitive elections choose a chief executive who faces comprehensive institutional constraints, and political participation is competitive. It ranges from -10 to 10 (fully democratic).