People using at least a basic drinking water source in United States
United States: People using at least a basic drinking water source was 345.36 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People using at least a basic drinking water source in United States, 2005–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, people using at least a basic drinking water source in United States stood at 345.36 million people. That is the highest value across all 20 years on record.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people using at least a basic drinking water source in United States peaked at 345.36 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 292.45 million people, in 2005.
United States ranks 3rd of 231 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 20 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 298.57 million people | 292.45 million people | 304.71 million people | 5 |
| 2010s | 322.61 million people | 307.99 million people | 336.93 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 341.76 million people | 338.83 million people | 345.36 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
More environment data for United States
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 5,913 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 17.39 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 257.35 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 9.47 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 418.87 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 1.54 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 843.36 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 2 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 3.59 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 149.52 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people using at least a basic drinking water source in United States?
- People using at least a basic drinking water source in United States was 345.36 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 using at least a basic drinking water source recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 345.36 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people using at least a basic drinking water source recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 292.45 million people in 2005.
- How does United States rank for people using at least a basic drinking water source?
- United States ranks 3rd out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people using at least a basic drinking water source rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.6%. 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 using at least a basic drinking water source. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 20 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people using an improved drinking water source, which is either available on premises, or collection time is no more than 30 minutes for a roundtrip.