Land use in United States
United States: Land use was 154.73 million hectares in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
154.73 million hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
3rd
of 224 countries
All-time high
191.01 million hectares
in 1969
All-time low
154.73 million hectares
in 2022
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land use in United States, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2023, land use in United States stood at 154.73 million hectares. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use in United States peaked at 191.01 million hectares in 1969 and was at its lowest, 154.73 million hectares, in 2022.
United States ranks 3rd of 224 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Land use in United States, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 182.51 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 178.99 million hectares | -1.9% |
| 1963 | 181.44 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1964 | 179.84 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 1965 | 178.87 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1966 | 177.55 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1967 | 176.31 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1968 | 182.79 million hectares | +3.7% |
| 1969 | 191.01 million hectares | +4.5% |
| 1970 | 190.50 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1971 | 189.90 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 189.30 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1973 | 188.80 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1974 | 188.22 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1975 | 188.22 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 188.22 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 188.29 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 190.62 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 190.62 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 190.62 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 190.62 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 189.80 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 189.80 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 189.80 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 189.80 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 189.80 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 187.78 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 187.78 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 187.78 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 187.78 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 187.78 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 186.18 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 184.95 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 184.14 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 184.14 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 181.31 million hectares | -1.5% |
| 1997 | 180.09 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 179.28 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 178.07 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 178.07 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 178.10 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 175.71 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 173.46 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 171.22 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 168.97 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 166.72 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 164.48 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 163.13 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 161.77 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 160.42 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 159.06 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 157.71 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 158.25 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 158.80 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 159.34 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 159.89 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 160.44 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 159.30 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 158.16 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 157.01 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 155.88 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 154.73 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 154.73 million hectares | +0.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 154.73 million hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 303,040 hectares, 510.6× the median. (78 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 181.04 million hectares | 176.31 million hectares | 191.01 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 189.27 million hectares | 188.22 million hectares | 190.62 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 189.36 million hectares | 187.78 million hectares | 190.62 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 183.37 million hectares | 178.07 million hectares | 187.78 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 170.16 million hectares | 161.77 million hectares | 178.10 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 159.14 million hectares | 157.71 million hectares | 160.44 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 155.59 million hectares | 154.73 million hectares | 157.01 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near United States
More environment data for United States
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.64 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -2.16 Percentage change (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.3672 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.624 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0.1269 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is land use in United States?
- Land use in United States was 154.73 million hectares in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest land use recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 191.01 million hectares in 1969.
- What is the lowest land use recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 154.73 million hectares in 2022.
- How does United States rank for land use?
- United States ranks 3rd out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land use rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Land use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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