Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in United States
United States: Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities was 0.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of population not using improved 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 %.
Analysis
In 2024, share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in United States stood at 0.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.8% on the previous year and up 75.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in United States peaked at 0.4% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 2000.
United States ranks 153rd of 232 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.
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in United States, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 0.1% | — |
| 2001 | 0.1% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 0.1% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 0.1% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 0.1% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 0.1% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 0.1% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 0.1% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 0.1% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 0.1% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 0.1% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 0.2% | +17.4% |
| 2012 | 0.2% | +14.5% |
| 2013 | 0.2% | +12.4% |
| 2014 | 0.2% | +10.8% |
| 2015 | 0.2% | +9.6% |
| 2016 | 0.3% | +8.5% |
| 2017 | 0.3% | +7.6% |
| 2018 | 0.3% | +6.9% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | +6.3% |
| 2020 | 0.3% | +5.8% |
| 2021 | 0.4% | +5.3% |
| 2022 | 0.4% | +4.9% |
| 2023 | 0.4% | +4.5% |
| 2024 | 0.4% | -0.8% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 0.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.1%, 6.5× the median. (85 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 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 share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in United States?
- Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in United States was 0.4% 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 share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 0.4% in 2023.
- What is the lowest share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 2000.
- How does United States rank for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities?
- United States ranks 153rd out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 75.9%. 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 Share of population not using improved 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
If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.