Arable land in United States
United States: Arable land was 151.56 million hectares in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
151.56 million hectares
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
2nd
of 206 countries
All-time high
189.24 million hectares
in 1969
All-time low
151.55 million hectares
in 2022
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Arable land in United States, 1961–2023
Source: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for arable land in United States is 151.56 million hectares, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 2.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arable land in United States peaked at 189.24 million hectares in 1969 and was at its lowest, 151.55 million hectares, in 2022.
That places United States 2nd out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Arable land in United States, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 180.63 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 177.09 million hectares | -2.0% |
| 1963 | 179.57 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1964 | 177.97 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 1965 | 177.00 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1966 | 175.71 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1967 | 174.49 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1968 | 181.00 million hectares | +3.7% |
| 1969 | 189.24 million hectares | +4.6% |
| 1970 | 188.74 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1971 | 188.14 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 187.54 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1973 | 187.05 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1974 | 186.47 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1975 | 186.47 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 186.47 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 186.55 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 188.75 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 188.75 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 188.75 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 188.75 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 187.76 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1983 | 187.76 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 187.76 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 187.76 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 187.76 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 185.74 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 185.74 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 185.70 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1990 | 185.65 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1991 | 185.60 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 183.96 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 182.68 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 181.83 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 181.78 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 178.90 million hectares | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 177.64 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 176.78 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 175.52 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 175.48 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 175.46 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 172.98 million hectares | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 170.73 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 168.51 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 166.28 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 164.12 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 161.79 million hectares | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 160.43 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 159.04 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 157.66 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 156.30 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 154.90 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 155.42 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 155.96 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 156.45 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 156.91 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 157.43 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 156.31 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 155.09 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 153.90 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 152.71 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 151.55 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 151.56 million hectares | +0.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 151.56 million hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 178,890 hectares, 847.2× the median. (77 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 179.19 million hectares | 174.49 million hectares | 189.24 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 187.49 million hectares | 186.47 million hectares | 188.75 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 187.35 million hectares | 185.70 million hectares | 188.75 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 181.03 million hectares | 175.52 million hectares | 185.65 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 167.48 million hectares | 159.04 million hectares | 175.48 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 156.24 million hectares | 154.90 million hectares | 157.66 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 152.43 million hectares | 151.55 million hectares | 153.90 million hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near United States
More agriculture & rural data for United States
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 11.96 % change on previous year (2021)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0094 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2021)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 673.66 current US$ per person (2021)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.1831 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1981 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 0.9% (2021)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 0.9% (2021)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.6% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.8% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arable land in United States?
- Arable land in United States was 151.56 million hectares in 2023, according to FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest arable land recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 189.24 million hectares in 1969.
- What is the lowest arable land recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 151.55 million hectares in 2022.
- How does United States rank for arable land?
- United States ranks 2nd out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is arable land rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Arable land (hectares). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Arable land (in hectares) includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded.