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.
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 compare
- 138 Armenia 0 people compare
- 138 Australia 0 people compare
- 138 Austria 0 people compare
- 138 Belgium 0 people compare
- 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 compare
- 138 Estonia 0 people compare
- 138 Finland 0 people compare
- 138 France 0 people compare
- 138 Germany 0 people compare
- 138 Greece 0 people compare
- 138 Greenland 0 people compare
- 138 Hungary 0 people compare
- 138 Iceland 0 people compare
- 138 Israel 0 people compare
- 138 Maldives 0 people compare
- 138 Netherlands 0 people compare
- 138 New Zealand 0 people compare
- 138 Norway 0 people compare
- 138 Palestine 0 people compare
- 138 Paraguay 0 people compare
- 138 Romania 0 people compare
- 138 Saint Lucia 0 people compare
- 138 San Marino 0 people compare
- 138 Slovakia 0 people compare
- 138 Spain 0 people compare
- 138 Switzerland 0 people compare
- 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 compare
- 138 Uruguay 0 people compare
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 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.