Average annual surface temperature in United States
United States: Average annual surface temperature was 10.43 °C in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
10.43 °C
Change on year
down 2.7%
World rank
158th
of 193 countries
All-time high
10.82 °C
in 2016
All-time low
7.85 °C
in 1942
Years of data
86
1940–2025
Average annual surface temperature in United States, 1940–2025
Source: Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in °C.
Analysis
United States recorded 10.43 °C for average annual surface temperature in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.7% on the previous year and up 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual surface temperature in United States peaked at 10.82 °C in 2016 and was at its lowest, 7.85 °C, in 1942.
That places United States 158th out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 86 years of available data.
Average annual surface temperature in United States, year by year
| Year | °C | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 8.05 °C | — |
| 1941 | 8.02 °C | -0.4% |
| 1942 | 7.85 °C | -2.1% |
| 1943 | 8.38 °C | +6.7% |
| 1944 | 8.49 °C | +1.3% |
| 1945 | 8.09 °C | -4.7% |
| 1946 | 8.38 °C | +3.6% |
| 1947 | 7.85 °C | -6.3% |
| 1948 | 8.27 °C | +5.3% |
| 1949 | 8.71 °C | +5.4% |
| 1950 | 8.48 °C | -2.7% |
| 1951 | 8.27 °C | -2.5% |
| 1952 | 8.89 °C | +7.4% |
| 1953 | 9.4 °C | +5.8% |
| 1954 | 9.22 °C | -1.9% |
| 1955 | 8.39 °C | -8.9% |
| 1956 | 8.55 °C | +1.8% |
| 1957 | 8.99 °C | +5.2% |
| 1958 | 8.82 °C | -1.9% |
| 1959 | 8.67 °C | -1.7% |
| 1960 | 8.54 °C | -1.5% |
| 1961 | 8.43 °C | -1.4% |
| 1962 | 8.74 °C | +3.7% |
| 1963 | 8.87 °C | +1.5% |
| 1964 | 8.35 °C | -5.8% |
| 1965 | 8.44 °C | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 8.33 °C | -1.3% |
| 1967 | 8.69 °C | +4.3% |
| 1968 | 8.37 °C | -3.7% |
| 1969 | 8.6 °C | +2.8% |
| 1970 | 8.54 °C | -0.7% |
| 1971 | 8.29 °C | -2.9% |
| 1972 | 8.24 °C | -0.6% |
| 1973 | 8.81 °C | +6.9% |
| 1974 | 8.74 °C | -0.8% |
| 1975 | 8.32 °C | -4.8% |
| 1976 | 8.5 °C | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 9.14 °C | +7.5% |
| 1978 | 8.61 °C | -5.8% |
| 1979 | 8.52 °C | -1.0% |
| 1980 | 9.02 °C | +5.8% |
| 1981 | 9.59 °C | +6.3% |
| 1982 | 8.4 °C | -12.3% |
| 1983 | 8.82 °C | +5.0% |
| 1984 | 8.66 °C | -1.8% |
| 1985 | 8.48 °C | -2.1% |
| 1986 | 9.37 °C | +10.6% |
| 1987 | 9.49 °C | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 9.21 °C | -2.9% |
| 1989 | 8.79 °C | -4.5% |
| 1990 | 9.47 °C | +7.7% |
| 1991 | 9.4 °C | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 8.92 °C | -5.1% |
| 1993 | 8.79 °C | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 9.26 °C | +5.3% |
| 1995 | 9.29 °C | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 8.59 °C | -7.5% |
| 1997 | 8.89 °C | +3.5% |
| 1998 | 9.86 °C | +11.0% |
| 1999 | 9.38 °C | -4.9% |
| 2000 | 9.44 °C | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 9.54 °C | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 9.62 °C | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 9.54 °C | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 9.54 °C | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 9.85 °C | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 9.97 °C | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 9.86 °C | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 8.99 °C | -8.9% |
| 2009 | 9.11 °C | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 9.51 °C | +4.4% |
| 2011 | 9.55 °C | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 10.39 °C | +8.8% |
| 2013 | 9.2 °C | -11.5% |
| 2014 | 9.45 °C | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 10.34 °C | +9.4% |
| 2016 | 10.82 °C | +4.6% |
| 2017 | 10.46 °C | -3.3% |
| 2018 | 10.08 °C | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 9.85 °C | -2.3% |
| 2020 | 10.27 °C | +4.3% |
| 2021 | 10.22 °C | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 9.87 °C | -3.4% |
| 2023 | 10.35 °C | +4.9% |
| 2024 | 10.71 °C | +3.5% |
| 2025 | 10.43 °C | -2.7% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 10.43 °C is below the median for high income countries, which is 12.86 °C, 81% of the median. (65 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 8.21 °C | 7.85 °C | 8.71 °C | 10 |
| 1950s | 8.77 °C | 8.27 °C | 9.4 °C | 10 |
| 1960s | 8.53 °C | 8.33 °C | 8.87 °C | 10 |
| 1970s | 8.57 °C | 8.24 °C | 9.14 °C | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.98 °C | 8.4 °C | 9.59 °C | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.19 °C | 8.59 °C | 9.86 °C | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.55 °C | 8.99 °C | 9.97 °C | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.96 °C | 9.2 °C | 10.82 °C | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.31 °C | 9.87 °C | 10.71 °C | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 155 Montenegro 10.86 °C compare
- 156 Ireland 10.75 °C compare
- 157 Ukraine 10.49 °C compare
- 159 Luxembourg 10.39 °C compare
- 160 United Kingdom 10.37 °C compare
- 161 Germany 10.08 °C compare
More reference data data for United States
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 19.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 24.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 20.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 64.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 52.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 133.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 589.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 112.69 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual surface temperature in United States?
- Average annual surface temperature in United States was 10.43 °C in 2025, according to Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average annual surface temperature recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 10.82 °C in 2016.
- What is the lowest average annual surface temperature recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.85 °C in 1942.
- How does United States rank for average annual surface temperature?
- United States ranks 158th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is average annual surface temperature rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average annual surface temperature. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 86 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Temperature of the air measured 2 meters above the ground, encompassing land, sea, and in-land water surfaces.