Key features of human rights in United States
United States: Key features of human rights was 0.826 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Key features of human rights in United States, 1789–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, key features of human rights in United States stood at 0.826.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 10.9% on the previous year and down 13.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key features of human rights in United States peaked at 0.953 in 2013 and was at its lowest, 0.555, in 1838.
That places United States 66th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 237 years of available data.
Key features of human rights in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | 0.603 | — |
| 1790 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1791 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1792 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1793 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1794 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1795 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1796 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1797 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1798 | 0.585 | -3.0% |
| 1799 | 0.575 | -1.7% |
| 1800 | 0.575 | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 0.597 | +3.8% |
| 1802 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1803 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1804 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1805 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1806 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1807 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1809 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1810 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1811 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1812 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1813 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1814 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1815 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1816 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1817 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1818 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1819 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1820 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1821 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1822 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1823 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1824 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1825 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1826 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1827 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 1828 | 0.603 | +1.0% |
| 1829 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1830 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1831 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1832 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1833 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1834 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 0.599 | -0.7% |
| 1836 | 0.599 | +0.0% |
| 1837 | 0.599 | +0.0% |
| 1838 | 0.555 | -7.3% |
| 1839 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 1841 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 1842 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 1843 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 1849 | 0.588 | +5.9% |
| 1850 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1851 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1852 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 0.629 | +7.0% |
| 1861 | 0.672 | +6.8% |
| 1862 | 0.686 | +2.1% |
| 1863 | 0.686 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 0.686 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 0.686 | +0.0% |
| 1866 | 0.728 | +6.1% |
| 1867 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1869 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1871 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 0.721 | -1.0% |
| 1887 | 0.721 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 0.727 | +0.8% |
| 1889 | 0.733 | +0.8% |
| 1890 | 0.733 | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 0.733 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 0.733 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 0.733 | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 0.733 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 0.733 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 0.733 | +0.0% |
| 1897 | 0.733 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 0.733 | +0.0% |
| 1899 | 0.733 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.733 | +0.0% |
| 1901 | 0.735 | +0.3% |
| 1902 | 0.735 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.732 | -0.4% |
| 1904 | 0.732 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.732 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.732 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.732 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.732 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.732 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.732 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.732 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.732 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.732 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.73 | -0.3% |
| 1915 | 0.73 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.725 | -0.7% |
| 1917 | 0.711 | -1.9% |
| 1918 | 0.701 | -1.4% |
| 1919 | 0.708 | +1.0% |
| 1920 | 0.722 | +2.0% |
| 1921 | 0.721 | -0.1% |
| 1922 | 0.732 | +1.5% |
| 1923 | 0.732 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.732 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.732 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.732 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.732 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.732 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.732 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.732 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.738 | +0.8% |
| 1932 | 0.74 | +0.3% |
| 1933 | 0.759 | +2.6% |
| 1934 | 0.762 | +0.4% |
| 1935 | 0.761 | -0.1% |
| 1936 | 0.756 | -0.7% |
| 1937 | 0.756 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.756 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.752 | -0.5% |
| 1940 | 0.74 | -1.6% |
| 1941 | 0.726 | -1.9% |
| 1942 | 0.724 | -0.3% |
| 1943 | 0.723 | -0.1% |
| 1944 | 0.723 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.724 | +0.1% |
| 1946 | 0.758 | +4.7% |
| 1947 | 0.771 | +1.7% |
| 1948 | 0.769 | -0.3% |
| 1949 | 0.773 | +0.5% |
| 1950 | 0.769 | -0.5% |
| 1951 | 0.769 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.769 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.769 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.769 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.772 | +0.4% |
| 1956 | 0.773 | +0.1% |
| 1957 | 0.778 | +0.6% |
| 1958 | 0.784 | +0.8% |
| 1959 | 0.784 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.794 | +1.3% |
| 1961 | 0.795 | +0.1% |
| 1962 | 0.796 | +0.1% |
| 1963 | 0.797 | +0.1% |
| 1964 | 0.802 | +0.6% |
| 1965 | 0.812 | +1.2% |
| 1966 | 0.823 | +1.4% |
| 1967 | 0.821 | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 0.839 | +2.2% |
| 1969 | 0.862 | +2.7% |
| 1970 | 0.884 | +2.6% |
| 1971 | 0.881 | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 0.89 | +1.0% |
| 1973 | 0.896 | +0.7% |
| 1974 | 0.9 | +0.4% |
| 1975 | 0.907 | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 0.914 | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 0.917 | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 0.92 | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 0.921 | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 0.926 | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 0.937 | +1.2% |
| 1982 | 0.937 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.936 | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 0.936 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.936 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.942 | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 0.943 | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 0.943 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.943 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.948 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 0.946 | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 0.947 | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 0.947 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.947 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.947 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.947 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.947 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.947 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.947 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.948 | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 0.946 | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 0.934 | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 0.906 | -3.0% |
| 2004 | 0.906 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.921 | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 0.914 | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 0.922 | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 0.94 | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 0.952 | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 0.951 | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 0.95 | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 0.949 | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 0.953 | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.951 | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 0.943 | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 0.935 | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 0.931 | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 0.917 | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 0.938 | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 0.944 | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 0.931 | -1.4% |
| 2024 | 0.927 | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 0.826 | -10.9% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 0.826 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.906, 91% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
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
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 key features of human rights in United States?
- Key features of human rights in United States was 0.826 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key features of human rights recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 0.953 in 2013.
- What is the lowest key features of human rights recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.555 in 1838.
- How does United States rank for key features of human rights?
- United States ranks 66th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key features of human rights 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 Key features of human rights. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
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.