Physicians per 1,000 people — all countries

Physicians per 1,000 people — United States

Physicians per 1,000 people in the United States in 2022 — 3.68 per 1,000. Ranked 31 in the world out of 125. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 234.6%.

2022 3.68 per 1,000 +2.97% vs 2021
World rank 31of 125
Period maximum 3.68 per 1,0002022
Period minimum 1.1 per 1,0001960

Trend over time

1960–2022 · per 1,000 people

Physicians per 1,000 people — United States, 1960–20220123419601967197419811988199520022009201620221960: 1.1 per 1,0001965: 1.2 per 1,0001970: 1.2 per 1,0001975: 1.3 per 1,0001976: 1.3 per 1,0001977: 1.3 per 1,0001978: 1.4 per 1,0001979: 1.4 per 1,0001980: 1.5 per 1,0001981: 1.5 per 1,0001982: 1.6 per 1,0001983: 1.6 per 1,0001986: 1.7 per 1,0001987: 1.8 per 1,0001988: 1.8 per 1,0001989: 1.8 per 1,0001990: 1.8 per 1,0001991: 1.9 per 1,0001992: 1.9 per 1,0001993: 1.9 per 1,0001995: 2.41 per 1,0002000: 2.6 per 1,0002004: 2.71 per 1,0002018: 2.55 per 1,0002019: 3.48 per 1,0002020: 3.52 per 1,0002021: 3.58 per 1,0002022: 3.68 per 1,000
Change over the period: +2.58 (+234.64%) Average annual rate: 1.97 %

Comparison, 2022

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: United States

United States 3.68 per 1,000
World 1.86 per 1,000
North America 3.59 per 1,000
Physicians per 1,000 people — United States, by year United States All countries CSV XLSX
Year per 1,000 Change Change, %
2022 3.68 +0.11 +2.97%
2021 3.58 +0.06 +1.62%
2020 3.52 +0.04 +1.03%
2019 3.48 +0.93 +36.66%
2018 2.55
2004 2.71
2000 2.6
1995 2.41
1993 1.9 +0 +0%
1992 1.9 +0 +0%
1991 1.9 +0.1 +5.56%
1990 1.8 +0 +0%
1989 1.8 +0 +0%
1988 1.8 +0 +0%
1987 1.8 +0.1 +5.88%
1986 1.7
1983 1.6 +0 +0%
1982 1.6 +0.1 +6.67%
1981 1.5 +0 +0%
1980 1.5 +0.1 +7.14%
1979 1.4 +0 +0%
1978 1.4 +0.1 +7.69%
1977 1.3 +0 +0%
1976 1.3 +0 +0%
1975 1.3
1970 1.2
1965 1.2
1960 1.1

Northern America, 2022

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

US United States 3.68 CA Canada 2.81

About the indicator

The number of practicing physicians (general practitioners and specialists alike) per 1,000 people. WHO treats a level below 2.3 health workers per 1,000 people as the critical threshold of health workforce provision — below it, basic coverage of health services cannot be secured.

Important: The data are not collected every year; countries differ in whether they count only practicing physicians or all licensed ones.

Source: Global Health Observatory (WHO), license CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.