Proportion of total government spending on essential services, social in United States of America

United States of America: Proportion of total government spending on essential services, social was 20.2% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
20.2%
Change on year
down 7.2%
Rank
4th
of 4 groups
All-time high
26.5%
in 2021
All-time low
17.9%
in 2007
Years of data
24
2000–2023

Proportion of total government spending on essential services, social in United States of America, 2000–2023

01020302000201120232000: 192001: 18.82002: 19.32003: 192004: 18.62005: 18.32006: 18.32007: 17.92008: 19.42009: 202010: 20.92011: 20.52012: 20.32013: 20.62014: 20.42015: 20.52016: 20.22017: 202018: 19.82019: 19.82020: 25.42021: 26.52022: 21.72023: 20.2

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

The most recent figure for proportion of total government spending on essential services, social in United States of America is 20.2%, measured in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.2% on the previous year and down 2.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of total government spending on essential services, social in United States of America peaked at 26.5% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 17.9%, in 2007.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.

Proportion of total government spending on essential services, social in United States of America, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of total government spending on essential services, social protection (%) in United States of America, 2000 to 2023.
Year Value Change
2000 19.0%
2001 18.8% -1.5%
2002 19.3% +2.8%
2003 19.0% -1.2%
2004 18.6% -2.2%
2005 18.3% -1.5%
2006 18.3% -0.3%
2007 17.9% -1.9%
2008 19.4% +8.3%
2009 20.0% +3.0%
2010 20.9% +4.4%
2011 20.5% -1.8%
2012 20.3% -1.1%
2013 20.6% +1.8%
2014 20.4% -1.2%
2015 20.5% +0.6%
2016 20.2% -1.5%
2017 20.0% -0.8%
2018 19.8% -1.2%
2019 19.8% -0.2%
2020 25.4% +28.2%
2021 26.5% +4.4%
2022 21.7% -18.0%
2023 20.2% -7.2%

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Proportion of total government spending on essential services, social in United States of America 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.

YearChange FromTo
2020 +28.2% 19.8% 25.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 18.9% 17.9% 20.0% 10
2010s 20.3% 19.8% 20.9% 10
2020s 23.4% 20.2% 26.5% 4

Countries ranked near United States of America

  1. 1 Argentina 50.5% compare
  2. 2 Finland 46.1% compare
  3. 3 Luxembourg 42.6% compare
  4. 4 Spain 41.8% compare
  5. 5 San Marino 41.6% compare
  6. 6 Denmark 41.5% compare
  7. 7 Austria 41.3% compare

See the full ranking of 131 places →

More poverty & inequality data for United States of America

All data for United States of America →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of total government spending on essential services, social in United States of America?
Proportion of total government spending on essential services, social in United States of America was 20.2% in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest proportion of total government spending on essential services, social recorded in United States of America?
The highest recorded value was 26.5% in 2021.
What is the lowest proportion of total government spending on essential services, social recorded in United States of America?
The lowest recorded value was 17.9% in 2007.
How does United States of America rank for proportion of total government spending on essential services, social?
United States of America ranks 4th out of 4 groups with data for 2023.
Is proportion of total government spending on essential services, social rising or falling in United States of America?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United States of America data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of total government spending on essential services, social protection (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of total government spending on essential services, social in United States of America. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://poverty.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-total-government-spending-on-essential-services-social-protection-percent/united-states-of-america/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of total government spending on essential services, social protection (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
131 places, 2,404 data points, 2000–2025
Last refreshed