Medical doctors per 1,000 people in United States
United States: Medical doctors per 1,000 people was 3.68 per 1,000 people in 2022. ▲ Rising
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in United States, 1960–2022
Source: World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 1,000 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for medical doctors per 1,000 people in United States is 3.68 per 1,000 people, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.0% on the previous year and up 44.5% over five years.
Over the whole period, medical doctors per 1,000 people in United States peaked at 3.68 per 1,000 people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 1.1 per 1,000 people, in 1960.
That places United States 39th out of 194 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in United States, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.1 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1965 | 1.2 per 1,000 people | +9.1% |
| 1970 | 1.2 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 1.3 per 1,000 people | +8.3% |
| 1976 | 1.3 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 1.3 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 1.4 per 1,000 people | +7.7% |
| 1979 | 1.4 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 1.5 per 1,000 people | +7.1% |
| 1981 | 1.5 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 1.6 per 1,000 people | +6.7% |
| 1983 | 1.6 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 1.7 per 1,000 people | +6.2% |
| 1987 | 1.8 per 1,000 people | +5.9% |
| 1988 | 1.8 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 1.8 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 1.8 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 1.9 per 1,000 people | +5.6% |
| 1992 | 1.9 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1.9 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 2.41 per 1,000 people | +26.9% |
| 2000 | 2.6 per 1,000 people | +7.7% |
| 2004 | 2.71 per 1,000 people | +4.4% |
| 2018 | 2.55 per 1,000 people | -6.0% |
| 2019 | 3.48 per 1,000 people | +36.7% |
| 2020 | 3.52 per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 3.58 per 1,000 people | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 3.68 per 1,000 people | +3.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 3.68 per 1,000 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.59 per 1,000 people, 1.0× the median. (66 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Medical doctors per 1,000 people 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +36.7% | 2.55 per 1,000 people | 3.48 per 1,000 people |
| 1995 | +26.9% | 1.9 per 1,000 people | 2.41 per 1,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.15 per 1,000 people | 1.1 per 1,000 people | 1.2 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 1.32 per 1,000 people | 1.2 per 1,000 people | 1.4 per 1,000 people | 6 |
| 1980s | 1.66 per 1,000 people | 1.5 per 1,000 people | 1.8 per 1,000 people | 8 |
| 1990s | 1.98 per 1,000 people | 1.8 per 1,000 people | 2.41 per 1,000 people | 5 |
| 2000s | 2.65 per 1,000 people | 2.6 per 1,000 people | 2.71 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 2010s | 3.02 per 1,000 people | 2.55 per 1,000 people | 3.48 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 2020s | 3.59 per 1,000 people | 3.52 per 1,000 people | 3.68 per 1,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 36 Israel 3.8 per 1,000 people compare
- 37 Kazakhstan 3.75 per 1,000 people compare
- 38 Slovakia 3.7 per 1,000 people compare
- 40 North Korea 3.63 per 1,000 people compare
- 41 Romania 3.62 per 1,000 people compare
- 42 New Zealand 3.61 per 1,000 people 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)
- 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)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is medical doctors per 1,000 people in United States?
- Medical doctors per 1,000 people in United States was 3.68 per 1,000 people in 2022, according to World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest medical doctors per 1,000 people recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 3.68 per 1,000 people in 2022.
- What is the lowest medical doctors per 1,000 people recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.1 per 1,000 people in 1960.
- How does United States rank for medical doctors per 1,000 people?
- United States ranks 39th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Medical doctors per 1,000 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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