Average HDL cholesterol levels in United States
United States: Average HDL cholesterol levels was 1.4 in 2018. ▬ Flat
Latest (2018)
1.4
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
16th
of 191 countries
All-time high
1.4
in 1980
All-time low
1.3
in 1985
Years of data
39
1980–2018
Average HDL cholesterol levels in United States, 1980–2018
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
United States recorded 1.4 for average hdl cholesterol levels in 2018. That is the highest value across all 39 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, average hdl cholesterol levels in United States peaked at 1.4 in 1980 and was at its lowest, 1.3, in 1985.
United States ranks 16th of 191 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Average HDL cholesterol levels in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.4 | — |
| 1981 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 1.3 | -7.1% |
| 1986 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 1.4 | +7.7% |
| 2009 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 1.4 is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.4, 1.0× the median. (61 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.35 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.32 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 9 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 16 Albania 1.4 compare
- 16 Andorra 1.4 compare
- 16 Belarus 1.4 compare
- 16 Bulgaria 1.4 compare
- 16 Canada 1.4 compare
- 16 Croatia 1.4 compare
- 16 Cyprus 1.4 compare
- 16 Denmark 1.4 compare
- 16 Estonia 1.4 compare
- 16 Greece 1.4 compare
- 16 Hungary 1.4 compare
- 16 Italy 1.4 compare
- 16 Lithuania 1.4 compare
- 16 Malta 1.4 compare
- 16 Mongolia 1.4 compare
- 16 Montenegro 1.4 compare
- 16 Netherlands 1.4 compare
- 16 New Zealand 1.4 compare
- 16 North Macedonia 1.4 compare
- 16 Norway 1.4 compare
- 16 Poland 1.4 compare
- 16 Portugal 1.4 compare
- 16 Romania 1.4 compare
- 16 Russia 1.4 compare
- 16 Serbia 1.4 compare
- 16 Singapore 1.4 compare
- 16 Slovakia 1.4 compare
- 16 Slovenia 1.4 compare
- 16 South Korea 1.4 compare
- 16 Spain 1.4 compare
- 16 Ukraine 1.4 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 hdl cholesterol levels in United States?
- Average hdl cholesterol levels in United States was 1.4 in 2018, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average hdl cholesterol levels recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 1.4 in 1980.
- What is the lowest average hdl cholesterol levels recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3 in 1985.
- How does United States rank for average hdl cholesterol levels?
- United States ranks 16th out of 191 countries with data for 2018.
- Is average hdl cholesterol levels rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average HDL cholesterol levels. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 39 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The estimated average level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, commonly known as "good cholesterol". Healthy levels are considered to be 1mmol/L or above for men or 1.2mmol/L or above for women.