Women's Political Participation Index in United States
United States: Women's Political Participation Index was 0.961 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.961
Change on year
down 1.5%
World rank
79th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.989
in 2020
All-time low
0.144
in 1900
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Women's Political Participation Index in United States, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for women's political participation index in United States is 0.961, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 1.5% on the previous year and down 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, women's political participation index in United States peaked at 0.989 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.144, in 1900.
That places United States 79th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Women's Political Participation Index in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 0.144 | — |
| 1901 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.322 | +123.6% |
| 1921 | 0.349 | +8.4% |
| 1922 | 0.349 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.349 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.349 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.349 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.349 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.349 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.349 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.349 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.349 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.349 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.349 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.349 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.349 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.349 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.349 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.349 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.349 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.349 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.39 | +11.7% |
| 1941 | 0.39 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.39 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.39 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.39 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.439 | +12.6% |
| 1946 | 0.439 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 0.439 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.421 | -4.1% |
| 1949 | 0.421 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.431 | +2.4% |
| 1951 | 0.431 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.435 | +0.9% |
| 1953 | 0.435 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.443 | +1.8% |
| 1955 | 0.443 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.467 | +5.4% |
| 1957 | 0.467 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.457 | -2.1% |
| 1959 | 0.457 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.548 | +19.9% |
| 1961 | 0.548 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.552 | +0.7% |
| 1963 | 0.552 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.542 | -1.8% |
| 1965 | 0.542 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.558 | +3.0% |
| 1967 | 0.558 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.558 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.558 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.578 | +3.6% |
| 1971 | 0.578 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.592 | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 0.607 | +2.5% |
| 1974 | 0.62 | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 0.62 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.634 | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 0.634 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.628 | -0.9% |
| 1979 | 0.628 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.74 | +17.8% |
| 1981 | 0.74 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.758 | +2.4% |
| 1983 | 0.758 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.761 | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 0.761 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.766 | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.787 | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 0.804 | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 0.816 | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 0.816 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.871 | +6.7% |
| 1993 | 0.906 | +4.0% |
| 1994 | 0.906 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.906 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.912 | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 0.912 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.924 | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 0.924 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.929 | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 0.922 | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 0.924 | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 0.924 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.929 | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 0.929 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.937 | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 0.937 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.949 | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 0.958 | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 0.959 | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 0.959 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.964 | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 0.965 | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 0.965 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.965 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.964 | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 0.95 | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 0.968 | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 0.967 | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 0.989 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 0.979 | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 0.986 | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 0.983 | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 0.976 | -0.7% |
| 2025 | 0.961 | -1.5% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 0.961 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.987, 97% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0.144 | 0.144 | 0.144 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.144 | 0.144 | 0.144 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.3463 | 0.322 | 0.349 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.349 | 0.349 | 0.349 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.4109 | 0.39 | 0.439 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.4466 | 0.431 | 0.467 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.5516 | 0.542 | 0.558 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.6119 | 0.578 | 0.634 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.7641 | 0.74 | 0.804 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.8893 | 0.816 | 0.924 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.9338 | 0.922 | 0.958 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9626 | 0.95 | 0.968 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.979 | 0.961 | 0.989 | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
More gender data for United States
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 57,835 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.4626 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 297,814 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 297,814 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.6312 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 1.79 million (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 1.88 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 1.80 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 1.89 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 1.83 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is women's political participation index in United States?
- Women's political participation index in United States was 0.961 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest women's political participation index recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 0.989 in 2020.
- What is the lowest women's political participation index recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.144 in 1900.
- How does United States rank for women's political participation index?
- United States ranks 79th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is women's political participation index rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Women's Political Participation Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which women are represented in the legislature and have an equal share of political power.