Armed forces personnel in United States
United States: Armed forces personnel was 1.40 million in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel in United States, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2020, armed forces personnel in United States stood at 1.40 million.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and down 11.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in United States peaked at 2.24 million in 1989 and was at its lowest, 1.35 million, in 2015.
United States ranks 5th of 173 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.20 million | 2.15 million | 2.24 million | 2 |
| 1990s | 1.77 million | 1.53 million | 2.18 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.50 million | 1.42 million | 1.56 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.42 million | 1.35 million | 1.57 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.40 million | 1.40 million | 1.40 million | 1 |
Countries ranked near United States
More reference data data for United States
- Spring temperature anomalies 2.51 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.5014 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.0594 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.8696 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.9189 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 143.86 2010 = 100 (2024)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel in United States?
- Armed forces personnel in United States was 1.40 million in 2020, according to The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 2.24 million in 1989.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.35 million in 2015.
- How does United States rank for armed forces personnel?
- United States ranks 5th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Armed forces personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if their training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces.