What is varieties of democracy in United States?

Varieties of democracy in United States was 0.735 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest varieties of democracy recorded in United States?

The highest recorded value was 0.905 in 2013.

What is the lowest varieties of democracy recorded in United States?

The lowest recorded value was 0.323 in 1889.

How does United States rank for varieties of democracy?

United States ranks 46th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is varieties of democracy rising or falling in United States?

Over the last ten years it is down 18.3%. 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 Varieties of democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Varieties of democracy in United States

Name: Varieties of democracy in United States
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

United States: Varieties of democracy was 0.735 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

0.735

Change on year

down 12.8%

World rank

46th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.905

in 2013

All-time low

0.323

in 1889

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Varieties of democracy in United States, 1789–2025

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for varieties of democracy in United States is 0.735, measured in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 12.8% on the previous year and down 18.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, varieties of democracy in United States peaked at 0.905 in 2013 and was at its lowest, 0.323, in 1889.

United States ranks 46th 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.

Varieties of democracy in United States, year by year

Annual values for Varieties of democracy in United States, 1789 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1789	0.346	—
1790	0.347	+0.3%
1791	0.347	+0.0%
1792	0.351	+1.2%
1793	0.351	+0.0%
1794	0.351	+0.0%
1795	0.352	+0.3%
1796	0.353	+0.3%
1797	0.355	+0.6%
1798	0.347	-2.3%
1799	0.344	-0.9%
1800	0.343	-0.3%
1801	0.356	+3.8%
1802	0.361	+1.4%
1803	0.361	+0.0%
1804	0.354	-1.9%
1805	0.351	-0.8%
1806	0.352	+0.3%
1807	0.352	+0.0%
1808	0.353	+0.3%
1809	0.353	+0.0%
1810	0.352	-0.3%
1811	0.352	+0.0%
1812	0.352	+0.0%
1813	0.352	+0.0%
1814	0.356	+1.1%
1815	0.356	+0.0%
1816	0.355	-0.3%
1817	0.355	+0.0%
1818	0.357	+0.6%
1819	0.358	+0.3%
1820	0.352	-1.7%
1821	0.346	-1.7%
1822	0.345	-0.3%
1823	0.345	+0.0%
1824	0.345	+0.0%
1825	0.346	+0.3%
1826	0.346	+0.0%
1827	0.346	+0.0%
1828	0.353	+2.0%
1829	0.353	+0.0%
1830	0.358	+1.4%
1831	0.363	+1.4%
1832	0.362	-0.3%
1833	0.362	+0.0%
1834	0.367	+1.4%
1835	0.368	+0.3%
1836	0.368	+0.0%
1837	0.368	+0.0%
1838	0.368	+0.0%
1839	0.369	+0.3%
1840	0.355	-3.8%
1841	0.342	-3.7%
1842	0.342	+0.0%
1843	0.343	+0.3%
1844	0.342	-0.3%
1845	0.341	-0.3%
1846	0.337	-1.2%
1847	0.331	-1.8%
1848	0.331	+0.0%
1849	0.331	+0.0%
1850	0.33	-0.3%
1851	0.33	+0.0%
1852	0.331	+0.3%
1853	0.332	+0.3%
1854	0.33	-0.6%
1855	0.327	-0.9%
1856	0.327	+0.0%
1857	0.327	+0.0%
1858	0.327	+0.0%
1859	0.328	+0.3%
1860	0.328	+0.0%
1861	0.331	+0.9%
1862	0.337	+1.8%
1863	0.339	+0.6%
1864	0.337	-0.6%
1865	0.336	-0.3%
1866	0.336	+0.0%
1867	0.337	+0.3%
1868	0.338	+0.3%
1869	0.339	+0.3%
1870	0.342	+0.9%
1871	0.335	-2.0%
1872	0.335	+0.0%
1873	0.334	-0.3%
1874	0.334	+0.0%
1875	0.333	-0.3%
1876	0.332	-0.3%
1877	0.326	-1.8%
1878	0.327	+0.3%
1879	0.334	+2.1%
1880	0.333	-0.3%
1881	0.334	+0.3%
1882	0.333	-0.3%
1883	0.331	-0.6%
1884	0.33	-0.3%
1885	0.327	-0.9%
1886	0.325	-0.6%
1887	0.332	+2.2%
1888	0.33	-0.6%
1889	0.323	-2.1%
1890	0.323	+0.0%
1891	0.329	+1.9%
1892	0.329	+0.0%
1893	0.331	+0.6%
1894	0.335	+1.2%
1895	0.37	+10.4%
1896	0.395	+6.8%
1897	0.412	+4.3%
1898	0.413	+0.2%
1899	0.419	+1.5%
1900	0.419	+0.0%
1901	0.421	+0.5%
1902	0.421	+0.0%
1903	0.421	+0.0%
1904	0.421	+0.0%
1905	0.418	-0.7%
1906	0.418	+0.0%
1907	0.42	+0.5%
1908	0.42	+0.0%
1909	0.419	-0.2%
1910	0.421	+0.5%
1911	0.427	+1.4%
1912	0.426	-0.2%
1913	0.424	-0.5%
1914	0.418	-1.4%
1915	0.422	+1.0%
1916	0.419	-0.7%
1917	0.402	-4.1%
1918	0.403	+0.2%
1919	0.415	+3.0%
1920	0.51	+22.9%
1921	0.512	+0.4%
1922	0.514	+0.4%
1923	0.527	+2.5%
1924	0.528	+0.2%
1925	0.53	+0.4%
1926	0.533	+0.6%
1927	0.533	+0.0%
1928	0.532	-0.2%
1929	0.53	-0.4%
1930	0.53	+0.0%
1931	0.545	+2.8%
1932	0.549	+0.7%
1933	0.554	+0.9%
1934	0.553	-0.2%
1935	0.559	+1.1%
1936	0.562	+0.5%
1937	0.562	+0.0%
1938	0.562	+0.0%
1939	0.554	-1.4%
1940	0.57	+2.9%
1941	0.562	-1.4%
1942	0.548	-2.5%
1943	0.548	+0.0%
1944	0.548	+0.0%
1945	0.56	+2.2%
1946	0.602	+7.5%
1947	0.611	+1.5%
1948	0.603	-1.3%
1949	0.58	-3.8%
1950	0.585	+0.9%
1951	0.612	+4.6%
1952	0.611	-0.2%
1953	0.606	-0.8%
1954	0.608	+0.3%
1955	0.609	+0.2%
1956	0.616	+1.1%
1957	0.62	+0.6%
1958	0.625	+0.8%
1959	0.625	+0.0%
1960	0.649	+3.8%
1961	0.666	+2.6%
1962	0.668	+0.3%
1963	0.679	+1.6%
1964	0.678	-0.1%
1965	0.672	-0.9%
1966	0.693	+3.1%
1967	0.7	+1.0%
1968	0.7	+0.0%
1969	0.689	-1.6%
1970	0.718	+4.2%
1971	0.724	+0.8%
1972	0.736	+1.7%
1973	0.758	+3.0%
1974	0.765	+0.9%
1975	0.782	+2.2%
1976	0.791	+1.2%
1977	0.831	+5.1%
1978	0.834	+0.4%
1979	0.832	-0.2%
1980	0.844	+1.4%
1981	0.855	+1.3%
1982	0.856	+0.1%
1983	0.861	+0.6%
1984	0.86	-0.1%
1985	0.856	-0.5%
1986	0.857	+0.1%
1987	0.863	+0.7%
1988	0.862	-0.1%
1989	0.859	-0.3%
1990	0.863	+0.5%
1991	0.867	+0.5%
1992	0.872	+0.6%
1993	0.867	-0.6%
1994	0.867	+0.0%
1995	0.868	+0.1%
1996	0.869	+0.1%
1997	0.871	+0.2%
1998	0.871	+0.0%
1999	0.868	-0.3%
2000	0.867	-0.1%
2001	0.828	-4.5%
2002	0.829	+0.1%
2003	0.86	+3.7%
2004	0.862	+0.2%
2005	0.856	-0.7%
2006	0.862	+0.7%
2007	0.897	+4.1%
2008	0.9	+0.3%
2009	0.9	+0.0%
2010	0.9	+0.0%
2011	0.896	-0.4%
2012	0.896	+0.0%
2013	0.905	+1.0%
2014	0.901	-0.4%
2015	0.9	-0.1%
2016	0.885	-1.7%
2017	0.834	-5.8%
2018	0.824	-1.2%
2019	0.818	-0.7%
2020	0.815	-0.4%
2021	0.821	+0.7%
2022	0.833	+1.5%
2023	0.857	+2.9%
2024	0.843	-1.6%
2025	0.735	-12.8%

United States compared with similar countries

United States's 0.735 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.786, 94% of the median. (55 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.346	0.346	0.346	1
1790s	0.3498	0.344	0.355	10
1800s	0.3536	0.343	0.361	10
1810s	0.3545	0.352	0.358	10
1820s	0.3477	0.345	0.353	10
1830s	0.3653	0.358	0.369	10
1840s	0.3395	0.331	0.355	10
1850s	0.3289	0.327	0.332	10
1860s	0.3358	0.328	0.339	10
1870s	0.3332	0.326	0.342	10
1880s	0.3298	0.323	0.334	10
1890s	0.3656	0.323	0.419	10
1900s	0.4198	0.418	0.421	10
1910s	0.4177	0.402	0.427	10
1920s	0.5249	0.51	0.533	10
1930s	0.553	0.53	0.562	10
1940s	0.5732	0.548	0.611	10
1950s	0.6117	0.585	0.625	10
1960s	0.6794	0.649	0.7	10
1970s	0.7771	0.718	0.834	10
1980s	0.8573	0.844	0.863	10
1990s	0.8683	0.863	0.872	10
2000s	0.8661	0.828	0.9	10
2010s	0.8759	0.818	0.905	10
2020s	0.8173	0.735	0.857	6

Countries ranked near United States

43 Greece 0.741 compare
44 Mauritius 0.738 compare
45 East Timor 0.736 compare
46 Dominican Republic 0.735 compare
48 Slovakia 0.733 compare
49 Vanuatu 0.729 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 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)

All data for United States →

Frequently asked questions

What is varieties of democracy in United States?: Varieties of democracy in United States was 0.735 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest varieties of democracy recorded in United States?: The highest recorded value was 0.905 in 2013.
What is the lowest varieties of democracy recorded in United States?: The lowest recorded value was 0.323 in 1889.
How does United States rank for varieties of democracy?: United States ranks 46th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is varieties of democracy rising or falling in United States?: Over the last ten years it is down 18.3%. 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 Varieties of democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Varieties of democracy in United States. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 11 October 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/varieties-democracy-vdem/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator: Varieties of democracy
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 29,649 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 09 October 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which political leaders are elected under comprehensive suffrage in free and fair elections, and freedoms of association and expression are guaranteed.