People in rural areas not using an improved water source in United States
United States: People in rural areas not using an improved water source was 0 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
People in rural areas not using an improved 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
The most recent figure for people in rural areas not using an improved water source in United States is 0 people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 20 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 100.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using an improved water source in United States peaked at 2.57 million people in 2009 and was at its lowest, 0 people, in 2022.
United States ranks 138th of 178 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in United States, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 2.55 million people | — |
| 2006 | 2.56 million people | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 2.56 million people | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 2.56 million people | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 2.57 million people | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 2.37 million people | -7.6% |
| 2011 | 2.18 million people | -8.3% |
| 2012 | 1.98 million people | -9.1% |
| 2013 | 1.78 million people | -10.1% |
| 2014 | 1.58 million people | -11.2% |
| 2015 | 1.38 million people | -12.7% |
| 2016 | 1.18 million people | -14.5% |
| 2017 | 976,862 people | -17.0% |
| 2018 | 776,662 people | -20.5% |
| 2019 | 576,994 people | -25.7% |
| 2020 | 377,337 people | -34.6% |
| 2021 | 179,838 people | -52.3% |
| 2022 | 0 people | -100.0% |
| 2023 | 0 people | — |
| 2024 | 0 people | — |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where People in rural areas not using an improved water source 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -100.0% | 179,838 people | 0 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.56 million people | 2.55 million people | 2.57 million people | 5 |
| 2010s | 1.48 million people | 576,994 people | 2.37 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 111,435 people | 0 people | 377,337 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 135 Palau 27.5 people compare
- 136 Cook Islands 6.09 people compare
- 137 Tuvalu 3.29 people compare
- 138 Andorra 0 people
- 138 Armenia 0 people compare
- 138 Australia 0 people compare
- 138 Austria 0 people
- 138 Belgium 0 people
- 138 Bhutan 0 people compare
- 138 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 people compare
- 138 Brazil 0 people compare
- 138 Costa Rica 0 people compare
- 138 Denmark 0 people
- 138 Estonia 0 people compare
- 138 Finland 0 people
- 138 France 0 people
- 138 Germany 0 people
- 138 Greece 0 people compare
- 138 Greenland 0 people
- 138 Hungary 0 people compare
- 138 Iceland 0 people
- 138 Israel 0 people
- 138 Luxembourg 0 people
- 138 Maldives 0 people compare
- 138 Malta 0 people
- 138 Netherlands 0 people
- 138 New Zealand 0 people
- 138 Norway 0 people
- 138 Palestine 0 people compare
- 138 Paraguay 0 people compare
- 138 Romania 0 people
- 138 Saint Lucia 0 people compare
- 138 San Marino 0 people
- 138 Slovakia 0 people
- 138 Spain 0 people
- 138 Switzerland 0 people
- 138 Syria 0 people compare
- 138 Thailand 0 people compare
- 138 Tokelau 0 people compare
- 138 Turkmenistan 0 people compare
- 138 United Arab Emirates 0 people compare
- 138 United Kingdom 0 people
- 138 Uruguay 0 people compare
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 people in rural areas not using an improved water source in United States?
- People in rural areas not using an improved water source in United States was 0 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 in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 2.57 million people in 2009.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 people in 2022.
- How does United States rank for people in rural areas not using an improved water source?
- United States ranks 138th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using an improved water source rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 in rural areas not using an improved 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 not using improved drinking water sources. These people might use surface water sources or unprotected springs or wells, as no safe and reliable improved drinking water source is available to them.