Freedom Score in El Salvador
El Salvador: Freedom Score was 42 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Freedom Score in El Salvador, 2002–2025
Source: Freedom House (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for freedom score in El Salvador is 42, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 10.6% on the previous year and down 39.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, freedom score in El Salvador peaked at 77 in 2012 and was at its lowest, 42, in 2025.
El Salvador ranks 125th of 197 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Freedom Score in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 75 | — |
| 2003 | 73 | -2.7% |
| 2004 | 73 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 75 | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 74 | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 73 | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 73 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 74 | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 75 | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 76 | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 77 | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 77 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 75 | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 69 | -8.0% |
| 2016 | 70 | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 70 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 67 | -4.3% |
| 2019 | 66 | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 63 | -4.5% |
| 2021 | 59 | -6.3% |
| 2022 | 56 | -5.1% |
| 2023 | 53 | -5.4% |
| 2024 | 47 | -11.3% |
| 2025 | 42 | -10.6% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's 42 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 61.5, 68% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's 42 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 81, 52% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 73.75 | 73 | 75 | 8 |
| 2010s | 72.2 | 66 | 77 | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.33 | 42 | 63 | 6 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
More social development data for El Salvador
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 182 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 68,182 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 5 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 5 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0107 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 68,182 (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 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is freedom score in El Salvador?
- Freedom score in El Salvador was 42 in 2025, according to Freedom House (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest freedom score recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 77 in 2012.
- What is the lowest freedom score recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 42 in 2025.
- How does El Salvador rank for freedom score?
- El Salvador ranks 125th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is freedom score rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from Freedom House (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Freedom House’s freedom score captures the extent of free and fair elections, political pluralism and participation, a functioning government, freedom of expression and association, the rule of law, and personal autonomy. Higher scores indicate more freedom.