What is human rights index in United States?

Human rights index in United States was 0.826 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest human rights index recorded in United States?

The highest recorded value was 0.953 in 2013.

What is the lowest human rights index recorded in United States?

The lowest recorded value was 0.555 in 1838.

How does United States rank for human rights index?

United States ranks 66th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is human rights index rising or falling in United States?

Over the last ten years it is down 13.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this United States data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Human Rights Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Human Rights Index in United States

Name: Human Rights Index in United States
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

United States: Human Rights Index was 0.826 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

0.826

Change on year

down 10.9%

World rank

66th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.953

in 2013

All-time low

0.555

in 1838

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Human Rights Index in United States, 1789–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

United States recorded 0.826 for human rights index in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 10.9% on the previous year and down 13.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, human rights index in United States peaked at 0.953 in 2013 and was at its lowest, 0.555, in 1838.

United States ranks 66th of 176 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 237 years of available data.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.603	0.603	0.603	1
1790s	0.5984	0.575	0.603	10
1800s	0.5948	0.575	0.597	10
1810s	0.597	0.597	0.597	10
1820s	0.5982	0.597	0.603	10
1830s	0.5922	0.555	0.603	10
1840s	0.5583	0.555	0.588	10
1850s	0.588	0.588	0.588	10
1860s	0.6957	0.629	0.728	10
1870s	0.728	0.728	0.728	10
1880s	0.727	0.721	0.733	10
1890s	0.733	0.733	0.733	10
1900s	0.7327	0.732	0.735	10
1910s	0.7233	0.701	0.732	10
1920s	0.7299	0.721	0.732	10
1930s	0.7512	0.732	0.762	10
1940s	0.7431	0.723	0.773	10
1950s	0.7736	0.769	0.784	10
1960s	0.8141	0.794	0.862	10
1970s	0.903	0.881	0.921	10
1980s	0.9379	0.926	0.943	10
1990s	0.947	0.946	0.948	10
2000s	0.9289	0.906	0.952	10
2010s	0.9469	0.931	0.953	10
2020s	0.9138	0.826	0.944	6

Countries ranked near United States

63 Benin 0.836 compare
63 Portugal 0.836 compare
65 Lesotho 0.835 compare
67 Argentina 0.821 compare
68 Honduras 0.819 compare
69 Sri Lanka 0.816 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for United States

Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 457,647 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 3,667 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Key features of democracy 0.735 (2025)
Freedom of Expression Index 0.729 (2025)
Freedom of Association Index 0.913 (2025)
Electoral Democracy Index 0.735 (2025)
Participatory Democracy Index 0.51 (2025)
Liberal Democracy Index 0.571 (2025)

All data for United States →

Frequently asked questions

What is human rights index in United States?: Human rights index in United States was 0.826 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest human rights index recorded in United States?: The highest recorded value was 0.953 in 2013.
What is the lowest human rights index recorded in United States?: The lowest recorded value was 0.555 in 1838.
How does United States rank for human rights index?: United States ranks 66th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is human rights index rising or falling in United States?: Over the last ten years it is down 13.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United States data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Human Rights Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 237 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Human Rights Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,202 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which people are free from government torture, political killings, and forced labor, they have property rights, and enjoy the freedoms of movement, religion, expression, and association.