Significant earthquakes in United States
United States: Significant earthquakes was 1 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
1
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
21st
of 97 countries
All-time high
7
in 2011
All-time low
1
in 1500
Years of data
138
1500–2024
Significant earthquakes in United States, 1500–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
United States recorded 1 for 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, significant earthquakes in United States peaked at 7 in 2011 and was at its lowest, 1, 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.
Significant earthquakes in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1500 | 1 | — |
| 1668 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1700 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1727 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1755 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1788 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1792 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1806 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1811 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1812 | 4 | +100.0% |
| 1817 | 1 | -75.0% |
| 1820 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1836 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1838 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1839 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1851 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1852 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1853 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1855 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1857 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1861 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1866 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1868 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1869 | 2 | -33.3% |
| 1871 | 3 | +50.0% |
| 1872 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1877 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1879 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1880 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1884 | 3 | +50.0% |
| 1886 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1891 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1895 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 3 | +50.0% |
| 1899 | 4 | +33.3% |
| 1900 | 2 | -50.0% |
| 1901 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 3 | +50.0% |
| 1903 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1904 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1907 | 2 | -33.3% |
| 1908 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1912 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1916 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1918 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1926 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1927 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1929 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1932 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1933 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1934 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1935 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1940 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1941 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1944 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1947 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1948 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1951 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 3 | +50.0% |
| 1954 | 4 | +33.3% |
| 1955 | 1 | -75.0% |
| 1957 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1958 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1959 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1964 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1965 | 4 | +300.0% |
| 1969 | 1 | -75.0% |
| 1970 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1972 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1973 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1975 | 4 | +100.0% |
| 1978 | 1 | -75.0% |
| 1979 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1980 | 5 | +150.0% |
| 1981 | 1 | -80.0% |
| 1983 | 4 | +300.0% |
| 1984 | 2 | -50.0% |
| 1986 | 5 | +150.0% |
| 1987 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 1 | -80.0% |
| 1989 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1990 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1991 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1992 | 5 | +150.0% |
| 1993 | 2 | -60.0% |
| 1994 | 5 | +150.0% |
| 1995 | 1 | -80.0% |
| 1996 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1999 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 2000 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 2002 | 3 | +50.0% |
| 2003 | 5 | +66.7% |
| 2004 | 1 | -80.0% |
| 2005 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 2006 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 2007 | 6 | +500.0% |
| 2008 | 4 | -33.3% |
| 2010 | 3 | -25.0% |
| 2011 | 7 | +133.3% |
| 2013 | 2 | -71.4% |
| 2014 | 6 | +200.0% |
| 2015 | 1 | -83.3% |
| 2016 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 2018 | 4 | +100.0% |
| 2019 | 2 | -50.0% |
| 2020 | 4 | +100.0% |
| 2021 | 1 | -75.0% |
| 2022 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 1 | +0.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 1 is above the median for high income countries, which is 1, 1.0× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where 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 | 6 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1500s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1660s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1700s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1720s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1750s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1780s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 1790s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1800s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1810s | 2.33 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| 1820s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1830s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 1840s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1850s | 1.56 | 1 | 3 | 9 |
| 1860s | 1.83 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 1870s | 1.83 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 1880s | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| 1890s | 2.4 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| 1900s | 1.9 | 1 | 3 | 10 |
| 1910s | 1.33 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 1920s | 1.86 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| 1930s | 1.67 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 1940s | 1.57 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| 1950s | 2.14 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| 1960s | 1.8 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| 1970s | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| 1980s | 3.25 | 1 | 5 | 8 |
| 1990s | 2.38 | 1 | 5 | 8 |
| 2000s | 2.78 | 1 | 6 | 9 |
| 2010s | 3.38 | 1 | 7 | 8 |
| 2020s | 1.6 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
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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 significant earthquakes in United States?
- Significant earthquakes in United States was 1 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest significant earthquakes recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 7 in 2011.
- What is the lowest significant earthquakes recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 in 1500.
- How does United States rank for significant earthquakes?
- United States ranks 21st out of 97 countries with data for 2024.
- Is 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 Our World in Data, published as part 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).