Number of significant earthquakes in United States
United States: Number of significant earthquakes was 1 events in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
1 events
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
21st
of 97 countries
All-time high
7 events
in 2011
All-time low
1 events
in 1500
Years of data
138
1500–2024
Number of significant earthquakes in United States, 1500–2024
Source: National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in events.
Analysis
United States recorded 1 events for number of significant earthquakes in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 138 years on record.
That represents a change of down 83.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of significant earthquakes in United States peaked at 7 events in 2011 and was at its lowest, 1 events, in 1500.
That places United States 21st out of 97 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of significant earthquakes in United States, year by year
| Year | events | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1500 | 1 events | — |
| 1668 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1700 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1727 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1755 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1788 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1792 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1806 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1811 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1812 | 4 events | +100.0% |
| 1817 | 1 events | -75.0% |
| 1820 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1836 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1838 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1839 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1851 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1852 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1853 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1855 | 3 events | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1857 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1861 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1866 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1868 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1869 | 2 events | -33.3% |
| 1871 | 3 events | +50.0% |
| 1872 | 3 events | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1877 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1879 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1880 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1884 | 3 events | +50.0% |
| 1886 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1891 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1895 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 3 events | +50.0% |
| 1899 | 4 events | +33.3% |
| 1900 | 2 events | -50.0% |
| 1901 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 3 events | +50.0% |
| 1903 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1904 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1907 | 2 events | -33.3% |
| 1908 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1912 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1916 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1918 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1926 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1927 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1929 | 3 events | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1932 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1933 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1934 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1935 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1940 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1941 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1944 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1947 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1948 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1951 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 3 events | +50.0% |
| 1954 | 4 events | +33.3% |
| 1955 | 1 events | -75.0% |
| 1957 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1958 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1959 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1964 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1965 | 4 events | +300.0% |
| 1969 | 1 events | -75.0% |
| 1970 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1972 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1973 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1975 | 4 events | +100.0% |
| 1978 | 1 events | -75.0% |
| 1979 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1980 | 5 events | +150.0% |
| 1981 | 1 events | -80.0% |
| 1983 | 4 events | +300.0% |
| 1984 | 2 events | -50.0% |
| 1986 | 5 events | +150.0% |
| 1987 | 5 events | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 1 events | -80.0% |
| 1989 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1990 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1991 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1992 | 5 events | +150.0% |
| 1993 | 2 events | -60.0% |
| 1994 | 5 events | +150.0% |
| 1995 | 1 events | -80.0% |
| 1996 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1999 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 2000 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 2002 | 3 events | +50.0% |
| 2003 | 5 events | +66.7% |
| 2004 | 1 events | -80.0% |
| 2005 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 2006 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 2007 | 6 events | +500.0% |
| 2008 | 4 events | -33.3% |
| 2010 | 3 events | -25.0% |
| 2011 | 7 events | +133.3% |
| 2013 | 2 events | -71.4% |
| 2014 | 6 events | +200.0% |
| 2015 | 1 events | -83.3% |
| 2016 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 2018 | 4 events | +100.0% |
| 2019 | 2 events | -50.0% |
| 2020 | 4 events | +100.0% |
| 2021 | 1 events | -75.0% |
| 2022 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 1 events | +0.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 1 events is above the median for high income countries, which is 1 events, 1.0× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of significant earthquakes in United States changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | +500.0% | 1 events | 6 events |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1500s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1660s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1700s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1720s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1750s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1780s | 2 events | 2 events | 2 events | 1 |
| 1790s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1800s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1810s | 2.33 events | 1 events | 4 events | 3 |
| 1820s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1830s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 3 |
| 1840s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1850s | 1.56 events | 1 events | 3 events | 9 |
| 1860s | 1.83 events | 1 events | 3 events | 6 |
| 1870s | 1.83 events | 1 events | 3 events | 6 |
| 1880s | 2 events | 1 events | 3 events | 3 |
| 1890s | 2.4 events | 1 events | 4 events | 5 |
| 1900s | 1.9 events | 1 events | 3 events | 10 |
| 1910s | 1.33 events | 1 events | 2 events | 6 |
| 1920s | 1.86 events | 1 events | 3 events | 7 |
| 1930s | 1.67 events | 1 events | 3 events | 6 |
| 1940s | 1.57 events | 1 events | 3 events | 7 |
| 1950s | 2.14 events | 1 events | 4 events | 7 |
| 1960s | 1.8 events | 1 events | 4 events | 5 |
| 1970s | 2 events | 1 events | 4 events | 7 |
| 1980s | 3.25 events | 1 events | 5 events | 8 |
| 1990s | 2.38 events | 1 events | 5 events | 8 |
| 2000s | 2.78 events | 1 events | 6 events | 9 |
| 2010s | 3.38 events | 1 events | 7 events | 8 |
| 2020s | 1.6 events | 1 events | 4 events | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 21 Albania 1 events compare
- 21 Algeria 1 events compare
- 21 Antarctica 1 events compare
- 21 Argentina 1 events compare
- 21 Armenia 1 events compare
- 21 Australia 1 events compare
- 21 Austria 1 events compare
- 21 Azerbaijan 1 events compare
- 21 Bangladesh 1 events compare
- 21 Bolivia 1 events compare
- 21 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 events compare
- 21 Brazil 1 events compare
- 21 Bulgaria 1 events compare
- 21 Canada 1 events compare
- 21 Chile 1 events compare
- 21 China 1 events compare
- 21 Colombia 1 events compare
- 21 Congo 1 events compare
- 21 Costa Rica 1 events compare
- 21 Cuba 1 events compare
- 21 Ecuador 1 events compare
- 21 Egypt 1 events compare
- 21 El Salvador 1 events compare
- 21 Eritrea 1 events compare
- 21 Ethiopia 1 events compare
- 21 France 1 events compare
- 21 Georgia 1 events compare
- 21 Germany 1 events compare
- 21 Ghana 1 events compare
- 21 Guadeloupe 1 events compare
- 21 Guatemala 1 events compare
- 21 Haiti 1 events compare
- 21 Honduras 1 events compare
- 21 Iceland 1 events compare
- 21 Iraq 1 events compare
- 21 Israel 1 events compare
- 21 Jamaica 1 events compare
- 21 Kazakhstan 1 events compare
- 21 Kyrgyzstan 1 events compare
- 21 Lebanon 1 events compare
- 21 Martinique 1 events compare
- 21 Mongolia 1 events compare
- 21 Montenegro 1 events compare
- 21 Morocco 1 events compare
- 21 Myanmar 1 events compare
- 21 Nepal 1 events compare
- 21 North Korea 1 events compare
- 21 North Macedonia 1 events compare
- 21 Pakistan 1 events compare
- 21 Panama 1 events compare
- 21 Papua New Guinea 1 events compare
- 21 Poland 1 events compare
- 21 Portugal 1 events compare
- 21 Romania 1 events compare
- 21 Russia 1 events compare
- 21 Rwanda 1 events compare
- 21 Samoa 1 events compare
- 21 Serbia 1 events compare
- 21 Slovenia 1 events compare
- 21 Solomon Islands 1 events compare
- 21 South Africa 1 events compare
- 21 South Korea 1 events compare
- 21 Spain 1 events compare
- 21 Switzerland 1 events compare
- 21 Syria 1 events compare
- 21 Taiwan 1 events compare
- 21 Tajikistan 1 events compare
- 21 Tanzania 1 events compare
- 21 Tonga 1 events compare
- 21 Tunisia 1 events compare
- 21 Turkmenistan 1 events compare
- 21 United Kingdom 1 events compare
- 21 Uzbekistan 1 events compare
- 21 Vanuatu 1 events compare
- 21 Vietnam 1 events compare
- 21 Yemen 1 events 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 number of significant earthquakes in United States?
- Number of significant earthquakes in United States was 1 events in 2024, according to National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of significant earthquakes recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 7 events in 2011.
- What is the lowest number of significant earthquakes recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 events in 1500.
- How does United States rank for number of significant earthquakes?
- United States ranks 21st out of 97 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of significant earthquakes rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 83.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of significant earthquakes. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 138 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
A significant earthquake meets at least one of the following: caused deaths, moderate damage ($1 million or more), a magnitude 7.5 or greater, Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) X or greater, or generated a tsunami. Due to data availability, recent data will be more complete than older historical estimates.