Share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in India
India: Share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities was 89.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in India, 2010–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
India recorded 89.7% for share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in 2024. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 64.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in India peaked at 89.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 54.2%, in 2010.
India ranks 34th of 120 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in India, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 54.2% | — |
| 2011 | 54.3% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 54.4% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 54.5% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 54.6% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 58.6% | +7.2% |
| 2016 | 62.5% | +6.7% |
| 2017 | 66.5% | +6.3% |
| 2018 | 70.4% | +5.9% |
| 2019 | 74.3% | +5.5% |
| 2020 | 78.1% | +5.2% |
| 2021 | 82.0% | +4.9% |
| 2022 | 85.8% | +4.7% |
| 2023 | 89.6% | +4.4% |
| 2024 | 89.7% | +0.1% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 89.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 45.5%, 2.0× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- India's 89.7% is above the median for South Asia, which is 88.7%, 1.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 60.4% | 54.2% | 74.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 85.1% | 78.1% | 89.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
More population data for India
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.4607 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.5076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.2494 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.5076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.5% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 66.77 million people (2100)
- Population density 506.27 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7604 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.7665 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in India?
- Share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in India was 89.7% 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 share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 89.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 54.2% in 2010.
- How does India rank for share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities?
- India ranks 34th out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 64.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India 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 Share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Proportion of people with access to a handwashing facility with soap and water available at home.