Hospital beds in North America
North America: Hospital beds was 2.67 per 1,000 people in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
2.67 per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 0.8%
Rank
23rd
of 35 groups
All-time high
8.93 per 1,000 people
in 1960
All-time low
2.67 per 1,000 people
in 2022
Years of data
55
1960–2022
Hospital beds in North America, 1960–2022
Source: WHO data, supplemented by country data, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in per 1,000 people.
Analysis
In 2022, hospital beds in North America stood at 2.67 per 1,000 people. That is the lowest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 7.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, hospital beds in North America peaked at 8.93 per 1,000 people in 1960 and was at its lowest, 2.67 per 1,000 people, in 2022.
North America ranks 23rd of 35 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Hospital beds in North America, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 8.93 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1965 | 8.8 per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1970 | 7.82 per 1,000 people | -11.2% |
| 1971 | 7.5 per 1,000 people | -4.0% |
| 1972 | 7.4 per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1973 | 7.2 per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1974 | 7.1 per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1975 | 6.8 per 1,000 people | -4.2% |
| 1976 | 6.63 per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1977 | 6.45 per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1978 | 6.27 per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1979 | 6.17 per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1980 | 6.08 per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1981 | 6 per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1982 | 5.99 per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 5.9 per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 5.81 per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1985 | 5.63 per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1986 | 5.53 per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1987 | 5.34 per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 1988 | 5.24 per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1989 | 5.13 per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1990 | 5.01 per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1991 | 4.9 per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1992 | 4.69 per 1,000 people | -4.3% |
| 1993 | 4.59 per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1994 | 4.3 per 1,000 people | -6.3% |
| 1995 | 4.19 per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 3.97 per 1,000 people | -5.2% |
| 1997 | 3.86 per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1998 | 3.75 per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 3.63 per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 2000 | 3.52 per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 2001 | 3.49 per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 3.42 per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 2003 | 3.34 per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 3.28 per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 3.19 per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 2006 | 3.15 per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 3.11 per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 3.09 per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 3.04 per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 3 per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 2.92 per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 2.89 per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 2.84 per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 2.78 per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 2.74 per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 2.71 per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 2.77 per 1,000 people | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 2.74 per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 2.7 per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 2.69 per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 2.69 per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 2.67 per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 8.86 per 1,000 people | 8.8 per 1,000 people | 8.93 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 6.93 per 1,000 people | 6.17 per 1,000 people | 7.82 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.66 per 1,000 people | 5.13 per 1,000 people | 6.08 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.29 per 1,000 people | 3.63 per 1,000 people | 5.01 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.26 per 1,000 people | 3.04 per 1,000 people | 3.52 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.81 per 1,000 people | 2.7 per 1,000 people | 3 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.68 per 1,000 people | 2.67 per 1,000 people | 2.69 per 1,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near North America
More health data for North America
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female, per capita 0.3155 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, annual growth rate 0.2266 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita 0.0253 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, per capita 0.3299 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, total, annual growth rate 0.1915 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, per capita 0.1004 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, annual growth rate 2.95 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is hospital beds in North America?
- Hospital beds in North America was 2.67 per 1,000 people in 2022, according to WHO data, supplemented by country data, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest hospital beds recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 8.93 per 1,000 people in 1960.
- What is the lowest hospital beds recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.67 per 1,000 people in 2022.
- How does North America rank for hospital beds?
- North America ranks 23rd out of 35 groups with data for 2022.
- Is hospital beds rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North America data come from?
- The figures come from WHO data, supplemented by country data, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Hospital beds (per 1,000 people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Hospital beds include inpatient beds available in public, private, general, and specialized hospitals and rehabilitation centers. In most cases beds for both acute and chronic care are included.