Health spending as a share of total government spending in United States of America
United States of America: Health spending as a share of total government spending was 23.0% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Health spending as a share of total government spending in United States of America, 2000–2023
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for health spending as a share of total government spending in United States of America is 23.0%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.2% on the previous year and up 13.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, health spending as a share of total government spending in United States of America peaked at 23.8% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 16.2%, in 2000.
United States of America ranks 4th of 195 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Health spending as a share of total government spending in United States of America, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 16.2% | — |
| 2001 | 16.8% | +3.7% |
| 2002 | 17.2% | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 17.5% | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 17.9% | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 17.9% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 18.6% | +3.5% |
| 2007 | 18.5% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 18.2% | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 18.2% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 18.4% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 18.9% | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 19.6% | +3.8% |
| 2013 | 20.4% | +3.7% |
| 2014 | 21.5% | +5.5% |
| 2015 | 22.3% | +3.9% |
| 2016 | 22.5% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 22.6% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 22.6% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 22.5% | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 22.3% | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 21.2% | -4.7% |
| 2022 | 23.8% | +11.9% |
| 2023 | 23.0% | -3.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 17.7% | 16.2% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.1% | 18.4% | 22.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.6% | 21.2% | 23.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
More health data for United States of America
- 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)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,069 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,015 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 50-54, male, annual growth rate -1.54 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per capita 0.03 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, annual growth rate -0.6615 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per capita 0.0296 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is health spending as a share of total government spending in United States of America?
- Health spending as a share of total government spending in United States of America was 23.0% in 2023, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest health spending as a share of total government spending recorded in United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 23.8% in 2022.
- What is the lowest health spending as a share of total government spending recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.2% in 2000.
- How does United States of America rank for health spending as a share of total government spending?
- United States of America ranks 4th out of 195 countries with data for 2023.
- Is health spending as a share of total government spending rising or falling in United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States of America data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Health spending as a share of total government spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Domestic general government health expenditure expressed as a percentage of total expenditure of the general government.