Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita in United States
United States: Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita was 1.15 units per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita in United States, 1980–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per person.
Analysis
In 2024, mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita in United States stood at 1.15 units per person. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 13.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita in United States peaked at 1.15 units per person in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 units per person, in 1980.
United States ranks 104th of 212 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita in United States, year by year
| Year | units per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1984 | 0.0004 units per person | — |
| 1985 | 0.0014 units per person | +268.1% |
| 1986 | 0.0028 units per person | +98.6% |
| 1987 | 0.0051 units per person | +78.9% |
| 1988 | 0.0085 units per person | +66.6% |
| 1989 | 0.0142 units per person | +68.0% |
| 1990 | 0.0212 units per person | +48.9% |
| 1991 | 0.0299 units per person | +41.1% |
| 1992 | 0.043 units per person | +44.0% |
| 1993 | 0.0616 units per person | +43.2% |
| 1994 | 0.0917 units per person | +48.9% |
| 1995 | 0.1269 units per person | +38.3% |
| 1996 | 0.1635 units per person | +28.9% |
| 1997 | 0.2029 units per person | +24.1% |
| 1998 | 0.2509 units per person | +23.7% |
| 1999 | 0.3084 units per person | +22.9% |
| 2000 | 0.388 units per person | +25.8% |
| 2001 | 0.4509 units per person | +16.2% |
| 2002 | 0.493 units per person | +9.3% |
| 2003 | 0.5537 units per person | +12.3% |
| 2004 | 0.6312 units per person | +14.0% |
| 2005 | 0.6893 units per person | +9.2% |
| 2006 | 0.7695 units per person | +11.6% |
| 2007 | 0.8276 units per person | +7.6% |
| 2008 | 0.8593 units per person | +3.8% |
| 2009 | 0.8941 units per person | +4.1% |
| 2010 | 0.9216 units per person | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 0.9537 units per person | +3.5% |
| 2012 | 0.9698 units per person | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 0.981 units per person | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 1.01 units per person | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 1.03 units per person | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 1.04 units per person | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 1.04 units per person | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 1.06 units per person | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 1.08 units per person | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 1.06 units per person | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 1.09 units per person | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 1.11 units per person | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 1.15 units per person | +3.1% |
| 2024 | 1.15 units per person | +0.3% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 1.15 units per person is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.25 units per person, 92% of the median. (82 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | +268.1% | 0.0004 units per person | 0.0014 units per person |
| 1986 | +98.6% | 0.0014 units per person | 0.0028 units per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.0046 units per person | 0 units per person | 0.0142 units per person | 7 |
| 1990s | 0.13 units per person | 0.0212 units per person | 0.3084 units per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6557 units per person | 0.388 units per person | 0.8941 units per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.01 units per person | 0.9216 units per person | 1.08 units per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.11 units per person | 1.06 units per person | 1.15 units per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
More science & technology data for United States
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 113.19 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 390.99 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 42.21 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 0.693 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 1.26 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 430,843 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0013 units per person (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita in United States?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita in United States was 1.15 units per person in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 1.15 units per person in 2024.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 units per person in 1980.
- How does United States rank for mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita?
- United States ranks 104th out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 42 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Mobile phone subscriptions International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.