Military spending, per capita in United States
United States: Military spending, per capita was 2,719 constant 2024 US$ per person in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
2,719 constant 2024 US$ per person
Change on year
down 8.0%
World rank
6th
of 161 countries
All-time high
3,789 constant 2024 US$ per person
in 1968
All-time low
2,012 constant 2024 US$ per person
in 1999
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Military spending, per capita in United States, 1960–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in constant 2024 US$ per person.
Analysis
In 2025, military spending, per capita in United States stood at 2,719 constant 2024 US$ per person.
The figure is down 8.0% on the previous year and up 4.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending, per capita in United States peaked at 3,789 constant 2024 US$ per person in 1968 and was at its lowest, 2,012 constant 2024 US$ per person, in 1999.
That places United States 6th out of 161 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Military spending, per capita in United States, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2,778 constant 2024 US$ per person | — |
| 1961 | 2,848 constant 2024 US$ per person | +2.5% |
| 1962 | 3,038 constant 2024 US$ per person | +6.7% |
| 1963 | 2,954 constant 2024 US$ per person | -2.8% |
| 1964 | 2,816 constant 2024 US$ per person | -4.7% |
| 1965 | 2,794 constant 2024 US$ per person | -0.8% |
| 1966 | 3,265 constant 2024 US$ per person | +16.9% |
| 1967 | 3,708 constant 2024 US$ per person | +13.6% |
| 1968 | 3,789 constant 2024 US$ per person | +2.2% |
| 1969 | 3,587 constant 2024 US$ per person | -5.3% |
| 1970 | 3,286 constant 2024 US$ per person | -8.4% |
| 1971 | 2,919 constant 2024 US$ per person | -11.2% |
| 1972 | 2,884 constant 2024 US$ per person | -1.2% |
| 1973 | 2,715 constant 2024 US$ per person | -5.9% |
| 1974 | 2,655 constant 2024 US$ per person | -2.2% |
| 1975 | 2,485 constant 2024 US$ per person | -6.4% |
| 1976 | 2,394 constant 2024 US$ per person | -3.6% |
| 1977 | 2,460 constant 2024 US$ per person | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 2,449 constant 2024 US$ per person | -0.4% |
| 1979 | 2,436 constant 2024 US$ per person | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 2,407 constant 2024 US$ per person | -1.2% |
| 1981 | 2,655 constant 2024 US$ per person | +10.3% |
| 1982 | 3,110 constant 2024 US$ per person | +17.1% |
| 1983 | 3,010 constant 2024 US$ per person | -3.2% |
| 1984 | 3,139 constant 2024 US$ per person | +4.3% |
| 1985 | 3,335 constant 2024 US$ per person | +6.3% |
| 1986 | 3,523 constant 2024 US$ per person | +5.6% |
| 1987 | 3,463 constant 2024 US$ per person | -1.7% |
| 1988 | 3,360 constant 2024 US$ per person | -3.0% |
| 1989 | 3,300 constant 2024 US$ per person | -1.8% |
| 1990 | 3,127 constant 2024 US$ per person | -5.2% |
| 1991 | 2,726 constant 2024 US$ per person | -12.8% |
| 1992 | 2,833 constant 2024 US$ per person | +3.9% |
| 1993 | 2,646 constant 2024 US$ per person | -6.6% |
| 1994 | 2,478 constant 2024 US$ per person | -6.4% |
| 1995 | 2,287 constant 2024 US$ per person | -7.7% |
| 1996 | 2,138 constant 2024 US$ per person | -6.5% |
| 1997 | 2,101 constant 2024 US$ per person | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 2,030 constant 2024 US$ per person | -3.4% |
| 1999 | 2,012 constant 2024 US$ per person | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 2,066 constant 2024 US$ per person | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 2,063 constant 2024 US$ per person | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 2,295 constant 2024 US$ per person | +11.2% |
| 2003 | 2,589 constant 2024 US$ per person | +12.8% |
| 2004 | 2,796 constant 2024 US$ per person | +8.0% |
| 2005 | 2,898 constant 2024 US$ per person | +3.6% |
| 2006 | 2,912 constant 2024 US$ per person | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 2,961 constant 2024 US$ per person | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 3,147 constant 2024 US$ per person | +6.3% |
| 2009 | 3,365 constant 2024 US$ per person | +6.9% |
| 2010 | 3,432 constant 2024 US$ per person | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 3,364 constant 2024 US$ per person | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 3,152 constant 2024 US$ per person | -6.3% |
| 2013 | 2,888 constant 2024 US$ per person | -8.4% |
| 2014 | 2,689 constant 2024 US$ per person | -6.9% |
| 2015 | 2,607 constant 2024 US$ per person | -3.0% |
| 2016 | 2,578 constant 2024 US$ per person | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 2,534 constant 2024 US$ per person | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 2,595 constant 2024 US$ per person | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 2,729 constant 2024 US$ per person | +5.1% |
| 2020 | 2,845 constant 2024 US$ per person | +4.3% |
| 2021 | 2,810 constant 2024 US$ per person | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 2,762 constant 2024 US$ per person | -1.7% |
| 2023 | 2,800 constant 2024 US$ per person | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 2,956 constant 2024 US$ per person | +5.5% |
| 2025 | 2,719 constant 2024 US$ per person | -8.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 2,719 constant 2024 US$ per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 883.8 constant 2024 US$ per person, 3.1× the median. (54 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3,158 constant 2024 US$ per person | 2,778 constant 2024 US$ per person | 3,789 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 2,668 constant 2024 US$ per person | 2,394 constant 2024 US$ per person | 3,286 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 3,130 constant 2024 US$ per person | 2,407 constant 2024 US$ per person | 3,523 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 2,438 constant 2024 US$ per person | 2,012 constant 2024 US$ per person | 3,127 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,709 constant 2024 US$ per person | 2,063 constant 2024 US$ per person | 3,365 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,857 constant 2024 US$ per person | 2,534 constant 2024 US$ per person | 3,432 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,815 constant 2024 US$ per person | 2,719 constant 2024 US$ per person | 2,956 constant 2024 US$ per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 3 United Arab Emirates 3,450 constant 2024 US$ per person compare
- 4 Norway 2,867 constant 2024 US$ per person compare
- 5 Singapore 2,766 constant 2024 US$ per person compare
- 7 Denmark 2,344 constant 2024 US$ per person compare
- 8 Saudi Arabia 2,203 constant 2024 US$ per person compare
- 9 Ukraine 1,990 constant 2024 US$ per person 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 military spending, per capita in United States?
- Military spending, per capita in United States was 2,719 constant 2024 US$ per person in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest military spending, per capita recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 3,789 constant 2024 US$ per person in 1968.
- What is the lowest military spending, per capita recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,012 constant 2024 US$ per person in 1999.
- How does United States rank for military spending, per capita?
- United States ranks 6th out of 161 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending, per capita rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Military spending, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Military spending divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Military spending ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Military spending Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- 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 spending divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.