Military personnel as a share of total population in United States
United States: Military personnel as a share of total population was 0.3945 in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
0.3945
Change on year
down 2.9%
World rank
55th
of 194 countries
All-time high
8.66
in 1945
All-time low
0.0582
in 1893
Years of data
207
1816–2022
Military personnel as a share of total population in United States, 1816–2022
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military personnel as a share of total population in United States is 0.3945, measured in 2022.
The figure is down 2.9% on the previous year and down 20.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel as a share of total population in United States peaked at 8.66 in 1945 and was at its lowest, 0.0582, in 1893.
United States ranks 55th of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military personnel as a share of total population in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1816 | 0.1963 | — |
| 1817 | 0.1686 | -14.1% |
| 1818 | 0.1532 | -9.1% |
| 1819 | 0.1386 | -9.5% |
| 1820 | 0.156 | +12.5% |
| 1821 | 0.1107 | -29.0% |
| 1822 | 0.0974 | -12.0% |
| 1823 | 0.1038 | +6.6% |
| 1824 | 0.1007 | -3.0% |
| 1825 | 0.0978 | -2.9% |
| 1826 | 0.1036 | +6.0% |
| 1827 | 0.1008 | -2.8% |
| 1828 | 0.0899 | -10.8% |
| 1829 | 0.0955 | +6.2% |
| 1830 | 0.093 | -2.6% |
| 1831 | 0.0826 | -11.2% |
| 1832 | 0.0873 | +5.7% |
| 1833 | 0.0918 | +5.1% |
| 1834 | 0.0892 | -2.9% |
| 1835 | 0.0933 | +4.7% |
| 1836 | 0.1102 | +18.1% |
| 1837 | 0.1389 | +26.0% |
| 1838 | 0.1107 | -20.3% |
| 1839 | 0.1139 | +2.9% |
| 1840 | 0.1285 | +12.8% |
| 1841 | 0.1184 | -7.8% |
| 1842 | 0.1254 | +5.9% |
| 1843 | 0.1108 | -11.6% |
| 1844 | 0.1073 | -3.1% |
| 1845 | 0.1041 | -3.0% |
| 1846 | 0.1876 | +80.2% |
| 1847 | 0.271 | +44.5% |
| 1848 | 0.2725 | +0.6% |
| 1849 | 0.1016 | -62.7% |
| 1850 | 0.0903 | -11.2% |
| 1851 | 0.0872 | -3.4% |
| 1852 | 0.0843 | -3.3% |
| 1853 | 0.0816 | -3.2% |
| 1854 | 0.0791 | -3.1% |
| 1855 | 0.0949 | +20.1% |
| 1856 | 0.0922 | -2.9% |
| 1857 | 0.093 | +0.9% |
| 1858 | 0.0971 | +4.4% |
| 1859 | 0.0945 | -2.7% |
| 1860 | 0.0889 | -6.0% |
| 1861 | 0.6708 | +654.9% |
| 1862 | 2.03 | +202.3% |
| 1863 | 2.82 | +39.1% |
| 1864 | 2.96 | +4.9% |
| 1865 | 2.98 | +0.6% |
| 1866 | 0.2107 | -92.9% |
| 1867 | 0.2007 | -4.8% |
| 1868 | 0.1727 | -13.9% |
| 1869 | 0.1332 | -22.9% |
| 1870 | 0.1253 | -5.9% |
| 1871 | 0.1026 | -18.1% |
| 1872 | 0.1001 | -2.5% |
| 1873 | 0.1 | -0.1% |
| 1874 | 0.0999 | -0.1% |
| 1875 | 0.0843 | -15.6% |
| 1876 | 0.0889 | +5.5% |
| 1877 | 0.0721 | -18.9% |
| 1878 | 0.0747 | +3.6% |
| 1879 | 0.0772 | +3.3% |
| 1880 | 0.0756 | -2.1% |
| 1881 | 0.0737 | -2.5% |
| 1882 | 0.0719 | -2.4% |
| 1883 | 0.0684 | -4.9% |
| 1884 | 0.0704 | +3.0% |
| 1885 | 0.0688 | -2.3% |
| 1886 | 0.0673 | -2.2% |
| 1887 | 0.0659 | -2.2% |
| 1888 | 0.0645 | -2.1% |
| 1889 | 0.0631 | -2.1% |
| 1890 | 0.0618 | -2.0% |
| 1891 | 0.059 | -4.5% |
| 1892 | 0.0594 | +0.6% |
| 1893 | 0.0582 | -1.9% |
| 1894 | 0.0615 | +5.6% |
| 1895 | 0.0604 | -1.9% |
| 1896 | 0.0593 | -1.8% |
| 1897 | 0.061 | +2.9% |
| 1898 | 0.3211 | +426.8% |
| 1899 | 0.1337 | -58.4% |
| 1900 | 0.1656 | +23.9% |
| 1901 | 0.1444 | -12.8% |
| 1902 | 0.1402 | -2.9% |
| 1903 | 0.1315 | -6.2% |
| 1904 | 0.1339 | +1.8% |
| 1905 | 0.1288 | -3.8% |
| 1906 | 0.1311 | +1.7% |
| 1907 | 0.1241 | -5.3% |
| 1908 | 0.1454 | +17.2% |
| 1909 | 0.1569 | +7.9% |
| 1910 | 0.1504 | -4.1% |
| 1911 | 0.1545 | +2.7% |
| 1912 | 0.1605 | +3.9% |
| 1913 | 0.1594 | -0.7% |
| 1914 | 0.1675 | +5.1% |
| 1915 | 0.1731 | +3.3% |
| 1916 | 0.1756 | +1.4% |
| 1917 | 0.6236 | +255.2% |
| 1918 | 2.81 | +350.1% |
| 1919 | 1.12 | -60.0% |
| 1920 | 0.3222 | -71.3% |
| 1921 | 0.3566 | +10.7% |
| 1922 | 0.2453 | -31.2% |
| 1923 | 0.2206 | -10.1% |
| 1924 | 0.2287 | +3.7% |
| 1925 | 0.2176 | -4.9% |
| 1926 | 0.2104 | -3.3% |
| 1927 | 0.2092 | -0.6% |
| 1928 | 0.2083 | -0.4% |
| 1929 | 0.2094 | +0.5% |
| 1930 | 0.2078 | -0.8% |
| 1931 | 0.2038 | -1.9% |
| 1932 | 0.1961 | -3.8% |
| 1933 | 0.1941 | -1.0% |
| 1934 | 0.1953 | +0.6% |
| 1935 | 0.1979 | +1.3% |
| 1936 | 0.227 | +14.7% |
| 1937 | 0.2419 | +6.6% |
| 1938 | 0.2485 | +2.7% |
| 1939 | 0.2549 | +2.6% |
| 1940 | 0.3466 | +36.0% |
| 1941 | 1.35 | +289.5% |
| 1942 | 2.86 | +112.0% |
| 1943 | 6.61 | +131.2% |
| 1944 | 8.27 | +25.1% |
| 1945 | 8.66 | +4.7% |
| 1946 | 2.14 | -75.3% |
| 1947 | 1.1 | -48.7% |
| 1948 | 0.9823 | -10.6% |
| 1949 | 1.08 | +9.8% |
| 1950 | 0.9588 | -11.1% |
| 1951 | 2.1 | +118.8% |
| 1952 | 2.31 | +10.0% |
| 1953 | 2.22 | -3.8% |
| 1954 | 2.03 | -8.7% |
| 1955 | 1.77 | -12.7% |
| 1956 | 1.66 | -6.1% |
| 1957 | 1.63 | -2.1% |
| 1958 | 1.38 | -15.2% |
| 1959 | 1.31 | -5.0% |
| 1960 | 1.28 | -2.5% |
| 1961 | 1.26 | -1.6% |
| 1962 | 1.5 | +19.8% |
| 1963 | 1.43 | -5.2% |
| 1964 | 1.4 | -1.9% |
| 1965 | 1.37 | -2.2% |
| 1966 | 1.57 | +14.8% |
| 1967 | 1.7 | +8.2% |
| 1968 | 1.77 | +4.0% |
| 1969 | 1.71 | -3.5% |
| 1970 | 1.5 | -12.3% |
| 1971 | 1.31 | -12.5% |
| 1972 | 1.11 | -15.5% |
| 1973 | 1.04 | -5.9% |
| 1974 | 1 | -3.6% |
| 1975 | 0.9714 | -3.2% |
| 1976 | 0.9517 | -2.0% |
| 1977 | 0.9353 | -1.7% |
| 1978 | 0.9255 | -1.1% |
| 1979 | 0.9033 | -2.4% |
| 1980 | 0.9002 | -0.3% |
| 1981 | 0.9136 | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 0.9337 | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 0.9394 | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 0.9401 | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 0.941 | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 0.9429 | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 0.939 | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 0.9183 | -2.2% |
| 1989 | 0.9056 | -1.4% |
| 1990 | 0.8723 | -3.7% |
| 1991 | 0.8353 | -4.2% |
| 1992 | 0.7518 | -10.0% |
| 1993 | 0.7012 | -6.7% |
| 1994 | 0.6562 | -6.4% |
| 1995 | 0.6165 | -6.0% |
| 1996 | 0.5918 | -4.0% |
| 1997 | 0.5711 | -3.5% |
| 1998 | 0.551 | -3.5% |
| 1999 | 0.5394 | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 0.4907 | -9.0% |
| 2001 | 0.4798 | -2.2% |
| 2002 | 0.4871 | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 0.4872 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.4907 | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 0.4944 | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 0.5137 | +3.9% |
| 2007 | 0.4957 | -3.5% |
| 2008 | 0.4885 | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 0.4976 | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 0.506 | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 0.4966 | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 0.4942 | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 0.4817 | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 0.4696 | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 0.4479 | -4.6% |
| 2016 | 0.4286 | -4.3% |
| 2017 | 0.4014 | -6.4% |
| 2018 | 0.3984 | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 0.3984 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.3968 | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 0.4062 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 0.3945 | -2.9% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 0.3945 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.3016, 1.3× the median. (64 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military personnel as a share of total population 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1861 | +654.9% | 0.0889 | 0.6708 |
| 1898 | +426.8% | 0.061 | 0.3211 |
| 1918 | +350.1% | 0.6236 | 2.81 |
| 1941 | +289.5% | 0.3466 | 1.35 |
| 1917 | +255.2% | 0.1756 | 0.6236 |
| 1862 | +202.3% | 0.6708 | 2.03 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1810s | 0.1642 | 0.1386 | 0.1963 | 4 |
| 1820s | 0.1056 | 0.0899 | 0.156 | 10 |
| 1830s | 0.1011 | 0.0826 | 0.1389 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0.1527 | 0.1016 | 0.2725 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.0894 | 0.0791 | 0.0971 | 10 |
| 1860s | 1.23 | 0.0889 | 2.98 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.0925 | 0.0721 | 0.1253 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.069 | 0.0631 | 0.0756 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.0935 | 0.0582 | 0.3211 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.1402 | 0.1241 | 0.1656 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.5694 | 0.1504 | 2.81 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.2428 | 0.2083 | 0.3566 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.2167 | 0.1941 | 0.2549 | 10 |
| 1940s | 3.34 | 0.3466 | 8.66 | 10 |
| 1950s | 1.74 | 0.9588 | 2.31 | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.5 | 1.26 | 1.77 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.06 | 0.9033 | 1.5 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.9274 | 0.9002 | 0.9429 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6687 | 0.5394 | 0.8723 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4926 | 0.4798 | 0.5137 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4523 | 0.3984 | 0.506 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3992 | 0.3945 | 0.4062 | 3 |
Countries ranked near United States
More population data for United States
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.1369 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.8 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.1369 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.0241 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 375,392 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.4762 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.1565 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.129 (2100)
- Population density 46.05 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 19.91 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel as a share of total population in United States?
- Military personnel as a share of total population in United States was 0.3945 in 2022, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 8.66 in 1945.
- What is the lowest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0582 in 1893.
- How does United States rank for military personnel as a share of total population?
- United States ranks 55th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.2%. 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 Military personnel as a share of total population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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