Military expenditure (current USD), per capita in United States
United States: Military expenditure (current USD), per capita was 2,933 current USD per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Military expenditure (current USD), per capita in United States, 1960–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in current USD per person.
Analysis
United States recorded 2,933 current USD per person for military expenditure (current usd), per capita in 2024. That is the highest value across all 65 years on record.
That represents a change of up 7.8% on the previous year and up 44.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure (current usd), per capita in United States peaked at 2,933 current USD per person in 2024 and was at its lowest, 262.06 current USD per person, in 1960.
That places United States 3rd out of 167 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military expenditure (current USD), per capita in United States, year by year
| Year | current USD per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 262.06 current USD per person | — |
| 1961 | 271.54 current USD per person | +3.6% |
| 1962 | 292.98 current USD per person | +7.9% |
| 1963 | 288.31 current USD per person | -1.6% |
| 1964 | 278.45 current USD per person | -3.4% |
| 1965 | 280.81 current USD per person | +0.8% |
| 1966 | 338.03 current USD per person | +20.4% |
| 1967 | 394.53 current USD per person | +16.7% |
| 1968 | 420.16 current USD per person | +6.5% |
| 1969 | 419.34 current USD per person | -0.2% |
| 1970 | 406.76 current USD per person | -3.0% |
| 1971 | 376.76 current USD per person | -7.4% |
| 1972 | 384.51 current USD per person | +2.1% |
| 1973 | 384.46 current USD per person | -0.0% |
| 1974 | 417.48 current USD per person | +8.6% |
| 1975 | 426.35 current USD per person | +2.1% |
| 1976 | 434.4 current USD per person | +1.9% |
| 1977 | 475.23 current USD per person | +9.4% |
| 1978 | 509.39 current USD per person | +7.2% |
| 1979 | 563.77 current USD per person | +10.7% |
| 1980 | 632.36 current USD per person | +12.2% |
| 1981 | 769.43 current USD per person | +21.7% |
| 1982 | 956.88 current USD per person | +24.4% |
| 1983 | 955.67 current USD per person | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 1,040 current USD per person | +8.8% |
| 1985 | 1,144 current USD per person | +10.0% |
| 1986 | 1,231 current USD per person | +7.6% |
| 1987 | 1,255 current USD per person | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 1,267 current USD per person | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 1,304 current USD per person | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 1,302 current USD per person | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 1,183 current USD per person | -9.1% |
| 1992 | 1,267 current USD per person | +7.1% |
| 1993 | 1,219 current USD per person | -3.8% |
| 1994 | 1,171 current USD per person | -3.9% |
| 1995 | 1,111 current USD per person | -5.1% |
| 1996 | 1,069 current USD per person | -3.8% |
| 1997 | 1,075 current USD per person | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 1,055 current USD per person | -1.9% |
| 1999 | 1,068 current USD per person | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 1,134 current USD per person | +6.2% |
| 2001 | 1,164 current USD per person | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 1,316 current USD per person | +13.0% |
| 2003 | 1,519 current USD per person | +15.4% |
| 2004 | 1,684 current USD per person | +10.9% |
| 2005 | 1,804 current USD per person | +7.2% |
| 2006 | 1,871 current USD per person | +3.7% |
| 2007 | 1,957 current USD per person | +4.6% |
| 2008 | 2,160 current USD per person | +10.3% |
| 2009 | 2,301 current USD per person | +6.5% |
| 2010 | 2,385 current USD per person | +3.7% |
| 2011 | 2,412 current USD per person | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 2,307 current USD per person | -4.4% |
| 2013 | 2,145 current USD per person | -7.0% |
| 2014 | 2,029 current USD per person | -5.4% |
| 2015 | 1,970 current USD per person | -2.9% |
| 2016 | 1,973 current USD per person | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 1,980 current USD per person | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 2,077 current USD per person | +4.9% |
| 2019 | 2,224 current USD per person | +7.0% |
| 2020 | 2,348 current USD per person | +5.6% |
| 2021 | 2,428 current USD per person | +3.4% |
| 2022 | 2,577 current USD per person | +6.1% |
| 2023 | 2,720 current USD per person | +5.6% |
| 2024 | 2,933 current USD per person | +7.8% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 2,933 current USD per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 755.22 current USD per person, 3.9× the median. (54 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 324.62 current USD per person | 262.06 current USD per person | 420.16 current USD per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 437.91 current USD per person | 376.76 current USD per person | 563.77 current USD per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 1,055 current USD per person | 632.36 current USD per person | 1,304 current USD per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,152 current USD per person | 1,055 current USD per person | 1,302 current USD per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,691 current USD per person | 1,134 current USD per person | 2,301 current USD per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,150 current USD per person | 1,970 current USD per person | 2,412 current USD per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,601 current USD per person | 2,348 current USD per person | 2,933 current USD per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 1 Qatar 5,800 current USD per person compare
- 2 Israel 4,650 current USD per person compare
- 4 United Arab Emirates 2,823 current USD per person compare
- 5 Singapore 2,495 current USD per person compare
- 6 Saudi Arabia 2,276 current USD per person compare
More public sector data for United States
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Democracy 7 (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected 1 (2025)
- Elected parliament 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure (current usd), per capita in United States?
- Military expenditure (current usd), per capita in United States was 2,933 current USD per person in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest military expenditure (current usd), per capita recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 2,933 current USD per person in 2024.
- What is the lowest military expenditure (current usd), per capita recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 262.06 current USD per person in 1960.
- How does United States rank for military expenditure (current usd), per capita?
- United States ranks 3rd out of 167 countries with data for 2024.
- Is military expenditure (current usd), per capita rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 44.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Military expenditure (current USD), per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Military expenditure (current USD) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Military expenditure (current USD) ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Military expenditure SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Military expenditure (current USD) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.