Number of people employed in agriculture in United States of America
United States of America: Number of people employed in agriculture was 2.59 million people in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
2.59 million people
Change on year
down 2.6%
World rank
48th
of 186 countries
All-time high
11.77 million people
in 1910
All-time low
2.50 million people
in 2009
Years of data
101
1840–2025
Number of people employed in agriculture in United States of America, 1840–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2025, number of people employed in agriculture in United States of America stood at 2.59 million people.
That represents a change of down 2.6% on the previous year and down 12.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people employed in agriculture in United States of America peaked at 11.77 million people in 1910 and was at its lowest, 2.50 million people, in 2009.
United States of America ranks 48th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 101 years of available data.
Number of people employed in agriculture in United States of America, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1840 | 3.57 million people | — |
| 1850 | 4.52 million people | +26.6% |
| 1860 | 5.88 million people | +30.1% |
| 1870 | 6.79 million people | +15.5% |
| 1880 | 8.92 million people | +31.4% |
| 1890 | 9.96 million people | +11.7% |
| 1900 | 11.68 million people | +17.3% |
| 1910 | 11.77 million people | +0.8% |
| 1920 | 10.79 million people | -8.3% |
| 1929 | 8.63 million people | -20.0% |
| 1930 | 8.44 million people | -2.2% |
| 1931 | 8.47 million people | +0.4% |
| 1932 | 8.37 million people | -1.2% |
| 1933 | 8.44 million people | +0.8% |
| 1934 | 8.52 million people | +1.0% |
| 1935 | 8.65 million people | +1.5% |
| 1936 | 8.54 million people | -1.2% |
| 1937 | 8.37 million people | -2.1% |
| 1938 | 8.07 million people | -3.6% |
| 1939 | 7.81 million people | -3.2% |
| 1940 | 7.59 million people | -2.8% |
| 1941 | 7.49 million people | -1.4% |
| 1942 | 7.34 million people | -1.9% |
| 1943 | 7.15 million people | -2.5% |
| 1944 | 6.93 million people | -3.1% |
| 1945 | 6.77 million people | -2.4% |
| 1946 | 6.71 million people | -0.8% |
| 1947 | 6.66 million people | -0.8% |
| 1948 | 6.62 million people | -0.5% |
| 1949 | 6.44 million people | -2.8% |
| 1950 | 6.40 million people | -0.6% |
| 1951 | 6.02 million people | -5.9% |
| 1952 | 5.88 million people | -2.4% |
| 1953 | 5.70 million people | -3.1% |
| 1954 | 5.71 million people | +0.3% |
| 1955 | 5.53 million people | -3.3% |
| 1956 | 5.25 million people | -5.0% |
| 1957 | 5.01 million people | -4.6% |
| 1958 | 4.85 million people | -3.2% |
| 1959 | 4.70 million people | -3.0% |
| 1960 | 4.53 million people | -3.7% |
| 1961 | 4.44 million people | -2.0% |
| 1962 | 4.31 million people | -3.0% |
| 1963 | 4.08 million people | -5.4% |
| 1964 | 3.86 million people | -5.3% |
| 1965 | 3.71 million people | -3.9% |
| 1966 | 3.43 million people | -7.6% |
| 1967 | 3.34 million people | -2.7% |
| 1968 | 3.30 million people | -1.0% |
| 1969 | 3.19 million people | -3.3% |
| 1970 | 3.12 million people | -2.3% |
| 1971 | 3.06 million people | -1.7% |
| 1972 | 3.12 million people | +1.7% |
| 1973 | 3.18 million people | +2.1% |
| 1974 | 3.25 million people | +2.3% |
| 1975 | 3.19 million people | -2.0% |
| 1976 | 3.21 million people | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 3.10 million people | -3.3% |
| 1978 | 3.16 million people | +1.7% |
| 1979 | 3.18 million people | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 3.27 million people | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 3.26 million people | -0.5% |
| 1982 | 3.14 million people | -3.7% |
| 1983 | 3.17 million people | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 3.07 million people | -2.9% |
| 1985 | 2.89 million people | -6.0% |
| 1991 | 3.57 million people | +23.6% |
| 1992 | 3.56 million people | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 3.42 million people | -3.9% |
| 1994 | 3.74 million people | +9.4% |
| 1995 | 3.78 million people | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 3.79 million people | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 3.74 million people | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 3.71 million people | -0.8% |
| 1999 | 3.61 million people | -2.6% |
| 2000 | 3.38 million people | -6.5% |
| 2001 | 3.15 million people | -6.7% |
| 2002 | 2.92 million people | -7.4% |
| 2003 | 2.71 million people | -6.9% |
| 2004 | 2.66 million people | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 2.62 million people | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 2.63 million people | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 2.51 million people | -4.6% |
| 2008 | 2.57 million people | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 2.50 million people | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 2.66 million people | +6.6% |
| 2011 | 2.72 million people | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 2.67 million people | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 2.59 million people | -2.9% |
| 2014 | 2.70 million people | +4.3% |
| 2015 | 2.95 million people | +9.1% |
| 2016 | 3.00 million people | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 3.03 million people | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 2.98 million people | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 2.98 million people | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 2.74 million people | -8.0% |
| 2021 | 2.69 million people | -1.6% |
| 2022 | 2.71 million people | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 2.66 million people | -1.8% |
| 2024 | 2.66 million people | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 2.59 million people | -2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1840s | 3.57 million people | 3.57 million people | 3.57 million people | 1 |
| 1850s | 4.52 million people | 4.52 million people | 4.52 million people | 1 |
| 1860s | 5.88 million people | 5.88 million people | 5.88 million people | 1 |
| 1870s | 6.79 million people | 6.79 million people | 6.79 million people | 1 |
| 1880s | 8.92 million people | 8.92 million people | 8.92 million people | 1 |
| 1890s | 9.96 million people | 9.96 million people | 9.96 million people | 1 |
| 1900s | 11.68 million people | 11.68 million people | 11.68 million people | 1 |
| 1910s | 11.77 million people | 11.77 million people | 11.77 million people | 1 |
| 1920s | 9.71 million people | 8.63 million people | 10.79 million people | 2 |
| 1930s | 8.37 million people | 7.81 million people | 8.65 million people | 10 |
| 1940s | 6.97 million people | 6.44 million people | 7.59 million people | 10 |
| 1950s | 5.50 million people | 4.70 million people | 6.40 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.82 million people | 3.19 million people | 4.53 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.16 million people | 3.06 million people | 3.25 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.13 million people | 2.89 million people | 3.27 million people | 6 |
| 1990s | 3.66 million people | 3.42 million people | 3.79 million people | 9 |
| 2000s | 2.77 million people | 2.50 million people | 3.38 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.83 million people | 2.59 million people | 3.03 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.68 million people | 2.59 million people | 2.74 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
More agriculture & rural data for United States of America
- 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 number of people employed in agriculture in United States of America?
- Number of people employed in agriculture in United States of America was 2.59 million people in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people employed in agriculture recorded in United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 11.77 million people in 1910.
- What is the lowest number of people employed in agriculture recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.50 million people in 2009.
- How does United States of America rank for number of people employed in agriculture?
- United States of America ranks 48th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people employed in agriculture rising or falling in United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States of America data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people employed in agriculture. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people working in agriculture, including hunting, forestry and fishing.