Cropland area in United States
United States: Cropland area was 154.73 million hectares in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
154.73 million hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
3rd
of 224 countries
All-time high
191.01 million hectares
in 1969
All-time low
154.73 million hectares
in 2022
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Cropland area in United States, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for cropland area in United States is 154.73 million hectares, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is down 2.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cropland area in United States peaked at 191.01 million hectares in 1969 and was at its lowest, 154.73 million hectares, in 2022.
United States ranks 3rd of 224 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Cropland area in United States, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 182.51 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 178.99 million hectares | -1.9% |
| 1963 | 181.44 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1964 | 179.84 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 1965 | 178.87 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1966 | 177.55 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1967 | 176.31 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1968 | 182.79 million hectares | +3.7% |
| 1969 | 191.01 million hectares | +4.5% |
| 1970 | 190.50 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1971 | 189.90 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 189.30 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1973 | 188.80 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1974 | 188.22 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1975 | 188.22 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 188.22 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 188.29 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 190.62 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 190.62 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 190.62 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 190.62 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 189.80 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 189.80 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 189.80 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 189.80 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 189.80 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 187.78 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 187.78 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 187.78 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 187.78 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 187.78 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 186.18 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 184.95 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 184.14 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 184.14 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 181.31 million hectares | -1.5% |
| 1997 | 180.09 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 179.28 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 178.07 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 178.07 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 178.10 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 175.71 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 173.46 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 171.22 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 168.97 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 166.72 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 164.48 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 163.13 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 161.77 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 160.42 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 159.06 million hectares | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 157.71 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 158.25 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 158.80 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 159.34 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 159.89 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 160.44 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 159.30 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 158.16 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 157.01 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 155.88 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 154.73 million hectares | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 154.73 million hectares | +0.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 154.73 million hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 303,040 hectares, 510.6× the median. (78 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 181.04 million hectares | 176.31 million hectares | 191.01 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 189.27 million hectares | 188.22 million hectares | 190.62 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 189.36 million hectares | 187.78 million hectares | 190.62 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 183.37 million hectares | 178.07 million hectares | 187.78 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 170.16 million hectares | 161.77 million hectares | 178.10 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 159.14 million hectares | 157.71 million hectares | 160.44 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 155.59 million hectares | 154.73 million hectares | 157.01 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 cropland area in United States?
- Cropland area in United States was 154.73 million hectares in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest cropland area recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 191.01 million hectares in 1969.
- What is the lowest cropland area recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 154.73 million hectares in 2022.
- How does United States rank for cropland area?
- United States ranks 3rd out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is cropland area rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Cropland area. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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