What is liberal democracy index in United States?

Liberal democracy index in United States was 0.571 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest liberal democracy index recorded in United States?

The highest recorded value was 0.852 in 2013.

What is the lowest liberal democracy index recorded in United States?

The lowest recorded value was 0.274 in 1799.

How does United States rank for liberal democracy index?

United States ranks 51st out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is liberal democracy index rising or falling in United States?

Over the last ten years it is down 32.7%. 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 Liberal Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Liberal Democracy Index in United States

Name: Liberal Democracy 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: Liberal Democracy Index was 0.571 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

0.571

Change on year

down 24.0%

World rank

51st

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.852

in 2013

All-time low

0.274

in 1799

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Liberal Democracy Index in United States, 1789–2025

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

Analysis

In 2025, liberal democracy index in United States stood at 0.571.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 24.0% on the previous year and down 32.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, liberal democracy index in United States peaked at 0.852 in 2013 and was at its lowest, 0.274, in 1799.

That places United States 51st 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.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.284	0.284	0.284	1
1790s	0.2832	0.274	0.286	10
1800s	0.2868	0.282	0.29	10
1810s	0.2873	0.285	0.289	10
1820s	0.2862	0.283	0.297	10
1830s	0.3103	0.3	0.316	10
1840s	0.298	0.294	0.306	10
1850s	0.2934	0.293	0.295	10
1860s	0.3074	0.295	0.32	10
1870s	0.318	0.314	0.323	10
1880s	0.316	0.312	0.318	10
1890s	0.3365	0.312	0.367	10
1900s	0.3669	0.366	0.368	10
1910s	0.3684	0.358	0.374	10
1920s	0.4399	0.428	0.446	10
1930s	0.4635	0.446	0.471	10
1940s	0.4802	0.456	0.517	10
1950s	0.518	0.502	0.527	10
1960s	0.578	0.544	0.607	10
1970s	0.7071	0.639	0.768	10
1980s	0.7916	0.778	0.798	10
1990s	0.807	0.8	0.811	10
2000s	0.8071	0.769	0.848	10
2010s	0.8141	0.739	0.852	10
2020s	0.7283	0.571	0.789	6

Countries ranked near United States

48 Israel 0.588 compare
49 Panama 0.575 compare
50 Slovakia 0.573 compare
52 Greece 0.568 compare
53 Colombia 0.555 compare
54 East Timor 0.549 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)
Liberal democracy 2 (2025)
Electoral democracy 2 (2025)
Human Rights Index 0.826 (2025)
Participatory Democracy Index 0.51 (2025)
Key features of human rights 0.826 (2025)
Key features of electoral democracy 0.735 (2025)

All data for United States →

Frequently asked questions

What is liberal democracy index in United States?: Liberal democracy index in United States was 0.571 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest liberal democracy index recorded in United States?: The highest recorded value was 0.852 in 2013.
What is the lowest liberal democracy index recorded in United States?: The lowest recorded value was 0.274 in 1799.
How does United States rank for liberal democracy index?: United States ranks 51st out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is liberal democracy index rising or falling in United States?: Over the last ten years it is down 32.7%. 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 Liberal Democracy 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: Liberal Democracy Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 28,671 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Central estimate of the extent of suffrage, the freedom and fairness of elections, freedoms of association and expression, individual and minority rights, equality before the law, and executive constraints.