Democracy in United States
United States: Democracy was 7 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
7
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
1st
of 198 countries
All-time high
7
in 1965
All-time low
4
in 1789
Years of data
237
1789–2025
Democracy in United States, 1789–2025
Source: Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for democracy in United States is 7, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 237 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy in United States peaked at 7 in 1965 and was at its lowest, 4, in 1789.
United States ranks 1st of 198 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 237 years of available data.
Democracy in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | 4 | — |
| 1790 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1791 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1792 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1793 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1794 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1795 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1796 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1797 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1798 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1799 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1800 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1802 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1803 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1804 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1805 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1806 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1807 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1809 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1810 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1811 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1812 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1813 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1814 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1815 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1816 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1817 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1818 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1819 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1820 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1821 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1822 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1823 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1824 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1825 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1826 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1827 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1828 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1829 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1830 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1831 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1832 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1833 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1834 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1836 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1837 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1838 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1839 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1841 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1842 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1843 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1849 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1850 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1851 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1852 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1861 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1866 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1869 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1871 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1887 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1897 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1899 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1901 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 7 | +75.0% |
| 1966 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 7 | +0.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 7 is above the median for high income countries, which is 7, 1.0× the median. (64 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| 1790s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1800s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1810s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1820s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1830s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1840s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1850s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1860s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1870s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1880s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1890s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1900s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1910s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1920s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1930s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1940s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1950s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1960s | 5.5 | 4 | 7 | 10 |
| 1970s | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 |
| 1980s | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 |
| 1990s | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 |
| 2000s | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 |
| 2010s | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 |
| 2020s | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 1 Andorra 7 compare
- 1 Antigua and Barbuda 7 compare
- 1 Argentina 7 compare
- 1 Australia 7 compare
- 1 Austria 7 compare
- 1 Bahamas 7 compare
- 1 Barbados 7 compare
- 1 Belgium 7 compare
- 1 Belize 7 compare
- 1 Brazil 7 compare
- 1 Bulgaria 7 compare
- 1 Canada 7 compare
- 1 Cape Verde 7 compare
- 1 Chile 7 compare
- 1 Costa Rica 7 compare
- 1 Croatia 7 compare
- 1 Cyprus 7 compare
- 1 Czechia 7 compare
- 1 Denmark 7 compare
- 1 Dominica 7 compare
- 1 Dominican Republic 7 compare
- 1 Estonia 7 compare
- 1 Fiji 7 compare
- 1 Finland 7 compare
- 1 France 7 compare
- 1 Germany 7 compare
- 1 Ghana 7 compare
- 1 Greece 7 compare
- 1 Grenada 7 compare
- 1 Guyana 7 compare
- 1 Iceland 7 compare
- 1 Ireland 7 compare
- 1 Italy 7 compare
- 1 Jamaica 7 compare
- 1 Japan 7 compare
- 1 Kiribati 7 compare
- 1 Latvia 7 compare
- 1 Lithuania 7 compare
- 1 Luxembourg 7 compare
- 1 Malta 7 compare
- 1 Marshall Islands 7 compare
- 1 Mauritius 7 compare
- 1 Micronesia (country) 7 compare
- 1 Mongolia 7 compare
- 1 Namibia 7 compare
- 1 Nauru 7 compare
- 1 Netherlands 7 compare
- 1 New Zealand 7 compare
- 1 Norway 7 compare
- 1 Palau 7 compare
- 1 Panama 7 compare
- 1 Papua New Guinea 7 compare
- 1 Poland 7 compare
- 1 Portugal 7 compare
- 1 Romania 7 compare
- 1 Saint Kitts and Nevis 7 compare
- 1 Saint Lucia 7 compare
- 1 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7 compare
- 1 Samoa 7 compare
- 1 San Marino 7 compare
- 1 Sao Tome and Principe 7 compare
- 1 Seychelles 7 compare
- 1 Slovenia 7 compare
- 1 South Africa 7 compare
- 1 South Korea 7 compare
- 1 Spain 7 compare
- 1 Suriname 7 compare
- 1 Sweden 7 compare
- 1 Switzerland 7 compare
- 1 Taiwan 7 compare
- 1 Tonga 7 compare
- 1 Trinidad and Tobago 7 compare
- 1 Tuvalu 7 compare
- 1 United Kingdom 7 compare
- 1 Uruguay 7 compare
- 1 Vanuatu 7 compare
More public sector data for United States
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, 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)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected 1 (2025)
- Elected parliament 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is democracy in United States?
- Democracy in United States was 7 in 2025, according to Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest democracy recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 7 in 1965.
- What is the lowest democracy recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 4 in 1789.
- How does United States rank for democracy?
- United States ranks 1st out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is democracy rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Democracy. 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
Identifies the political regime of a country. It distinguishes between non-electoral autocracies (score 0), one-party autocracies (score 1), multi-party autocracies without elected executive (score 2), multi-party autocracies (score 3), exclusive democracies (score 4), male democracies (score 5), electoral democracies (score 6), and full democracies (score 7).