Press Freedom Index in Austria
Austria: Press Freedom Index was 16.34 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Press Freedom Index in Austria, 2013–2021
Source: Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2021, press freedom index in Austria stood at 16.34. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.5% on the previous year and up 73.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, press freedom index in Austria peaked at 16.34 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 9.4, in 2013.
Austria ranks 161st of 177 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Press Freedom Index in Austria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 9.4 | — |
| 2014 | 10.01 | +6.5% |
| 2015 | 10.85 | +8.4% |
| 2016 | 13.18 | +21.5% |
| 2017 | 13.47 | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 14.04 | +4.2% |
| 2019 | 15.33 | +9.2% |
| 2020 | 15.78 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 16.34 | +3.5% |
Austria compared with similar countries
- Austria's 16.34 is below the median for high income countries, which is 23.1, 71% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Austria's 16.34 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 23.38, 70% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 12.33 | 9.4 | 15.33 | 7 |
| 2020s | 16.06 | 15.78 | 16.34 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Austria
More social development data for Austria
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 286,651 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 33 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (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 33 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0311 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 press freedom index in Austria?
- Press freedom index in Austria was 16.34 in 2021, according to Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest press freedom index recorded in Austria?
- The highest recorded value was 16.34 in 2021.
- What is the lowest press freedom index recorded in Austria?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.4 in 2013.
- How does Austria rank for press freedom index?
- Austria ranks 161st out of 177 countries with data for 2021.
- Is press freedom index rising or falling in Austria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 73.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Austria data come from?
- The figures come from Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Press Freedom Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The index combines expert estimates with data on violence against journalists. It ranges from 0-100 (no freedom).