People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in United States
United States: People not using safely managed sanitation facilities was 10.33 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in United States, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in United States is 10.33 million people, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and up 4.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in United States peaked at 10.38 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 9.38 million people, in 2000.
United States ranks 44th of 150 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in United States, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 9.38 million people | — |
| 2001 | 9.40 million people | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 9.41 million people | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 9.42 million people | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 9.44 million people | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 9.45 million people | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 9.46 million people | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 9.48 million people | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 9.49 million people | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 9.50 million people | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 9.53 million people | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 9.63 million people | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 9.72 million people | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 9.81 million people | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 9.90 million people | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 9.99 million people | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 10.08 million people | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 10.16 million people | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 10.23 million people | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 10.30 million people | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 10.33 million people | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 10.34 million people | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 10.35 million people | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 10.38 million people | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 10.33 million people | -0.5% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 10.33 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 481,577 people, 21.5× the median. (60 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 9.44 million people | 9.38 million people | 9.50 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.94 million people | 9.53 million people | 10.30 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.35 million people | 10.33 million people | 10.38 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
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 people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in United States?
- People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in United States was 10.33 million people in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest people not using safely managed sanitation facilities recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 10.38 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest people not using safely managed sanitation facilities recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.38 million people in 2000.
- How does United States rank for people not using safely managed sanitation facilities?
- United States ranks 44th out of 150 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using safely managed sanitation facilities 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 rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of People not using safely managed sanitation facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
People not using safely managed sanitation services might practice open defecation, use unimproved sanitation facilities, or use improved facilities that do not safely manage human waste.