What is participatory democracy index in United States?

Participatory democracy index in United States was 0.51 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

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

The highest recorded value was 0.657 in 2013.

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

The lowest recorded value was 0.214 in 1799.

How does United States rank for participatory democracy index?

United States ranks 36th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is participatory democracy index rising or falling in United States?

Over the last ten years it is down 21.9%. 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 Participatory Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Participatory Democracy Index in United States

Name: Participatory 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: Participatory Democracy Index was 0.51 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

0.51

Change on year

down 15.3%

World rank

36th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.657

in 2013

All-time low

0.214

in 1799

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Participatory Democracy Index in United States, 1789–2025

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

Analysis

In 2025, participatory democracy index in United States stood at 0.51.

The figure is down 15.3% on the previous year and down 21.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, participatory democracy index in United States peaked at 0.657 in 2013 and was at its lowest, 0.214, in 1799.

United States ranks 36th of 176 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

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

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.219	0.219	0.219	1
1790s	0.2183	0.214	0.22	10
1800s	0.2187	0.215	0.222	10
1810s	0.2187	0.217	0.22	10
1820s	0.2171	0.215	0.223	10
1830s	0.2294	0.225	0.232	10
1840s	0.2198	0.216	0.226	10
1850s	0.2156	0.214	0.217	10
1860s	0.2374	0.232	0.242	10
1870s	0.2393	0.237	0.243	10
1880s	0.2378	0.235	0.239	10
1890s	0.254	0.235	0.279	10
1900s	0.2795	0.278	0.281	10
1910s	0.2813	0.274	0.285	10
1920s	0.3427	0.334	0.348	10
1930s	0.3669	0.346	0.376	10
1940s	0.3826	0.366	0.407	10
1950s	0.4091	0.393	0.418	10
1960s	0.46	0.434	0.476	10
1970s	0.5436	0.493	0.592	10
1980s	0.613	0.602	0.618	10
1990s	0.6254	0.621	0.628	10
2000s	0.6242	0.593	0.653	10
2010s	0.6328	0.584	0.657	10
2020s	0.5807	0.51	0.614	6

Countries ranked near United States

33 Jamaica 0.524 compare
34 Sri Lanka 0.52 compare
35 Poland 0.519 compare
37 Suriname 0.509 compare
38 Slovakia 0.508 compare
39 Slovenia 0.506 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for United States

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)
Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
Key features of liberal democracy 0.571 (2025)
Varieties 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)
Liberal democracy 2 (2025)

All data for United States →

Frequently asked questions

What is participatory democracy index in United States?: Participatory democracy index in United States was 0.51 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest participatory democracy index recorded in United States?: The highest recorded value was 0.657 in 2013.
What is the lowest participatory democracy index recorded in United States?: The lowest recorded value was 0.214 in 1799.
How does United States rank for participatory democracy index?: United States ranks 36th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is participatory democracy index rising or falling in United States?: Over the last ten years it is down 21.9%. 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 Participatory 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: Participatory Democracy Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 29,363 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, as well as the extent to which citizens can engage in regional and local government, civil society organizations, and direct democracy.