Current health expenditure (% of GDP) (Global Health) in United States
United States: Current health expenditure (% of GDP) (Global Health) was 16.7% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Current health expenditure in United States, 2000–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2023, current health expenditure in United States stood at 16.7%.
That represents a change of up 1.0% on the previous year and up 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, current health expenditure in United States peaked at 18.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 12.5%, in 2000.
United States ranks 3rd of 193 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Current health expenditure (% of GDP) (Global Health) in United States, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 12.5% | — |
| 2001 | 13.2% | +5.4% |
| 2002 | 14.0% | +6.3% |
| 2003 | 14.5% | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 14.6% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 14.6% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 14.7% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 14.9% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 15.2% | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 16.2% | +6.5% |
| 2010 | 16.2% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 16.1% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 16.1% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 16.0% | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 16.1% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 16.4% | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 16.7% | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 16.6% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 16.5% | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 16.5% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 18.5% | +11.9% |
| 2021 | 17.4% | -6.3% |
| 2022 | 16.5% | -4.7% |
| 2023 | 16.7% | +1.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 16.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 8.0%, 2.1× the median. (64 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 14.4% | 12.5% | 16.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.3% | 16.0% | 16.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.3% | 16.5% | 18.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 1 Tuvalu 27.1% compare
- 2 Nauru 18.2% compare
- 4 Afghanistan 15.0% compare
- 5 Marshall Islands 13.4% compare
- 6 Liberia 13.0% compare
More health data for United States
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.67 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1867 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 4,015 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2023)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.056 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0261 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.1919 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0274 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is current health expenditure in United States?
- Current health expenditure in United States was 16.7% in 2023, according to Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest current health expenditure recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 18.5% in 2020.
- What is the lowest current health expenditure recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.5% in 2000.
- How does United States rank for current health expenditure?
- United States ranks 3rd out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is current health expenditure rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Current health expenditure (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Level of current health expenditure expressed as a percentage of GDP. Estimates of current health expenditures include healthcare goods and services consumed during each year. This indicator does not include capital health expenditures such as buildings, machinery, IT and stocks of vaccines for emergency or outbreaks.