Energy intensity in United States
United States: Energy intensity was 1.31 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
1.31 kilowatt-hours per dollar
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
44th
of 166 countries
All-time high
3.61 kilowatt-hours per dollar
in 1970
All-time low
1.31 kilowatt-hours per dollar
in 2022
Years of data
58
1965–2022
Energy intensity in United States, 1965–2022
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilowatt-hours per dollar.
Analysis
In 2022, energy intensity in United States stood at 1.31 kilowatt-hours per dollar. That is the lowest value across all 58 years on record.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 15.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, energy intensity in United States peaked at 3.61 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 1970 and was at its lowest, 1.31 kilowatt-hours per dollar, in 2022.
United States ranks 44th of 166 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 58 years of available data.
Energy intensity in United States, year by year
| Year | kilowatt-hours per dollar | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 3.38 kilowatt-hours per dollar | — |
| 1966 | 3.35 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.8% |
| 1967 | 3.38 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +0.7% |
| 1968 | 3.42 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 3.48 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +1.8% |
| 1970 | 3.61 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +3.5% |
| 1971 | 3.57 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.1% |
| 1972 | 3.56 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.2% |
| 1973 | 3.52 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.2% |
| 1974 | 3.43 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.5% |
| 1975 | 3.35 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.3% |
| 1976 | 3.37 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 3.33 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.2% |
| 1978 | 3.2 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.8% |
| 1979 | 3.13 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.2% |
| 1980 | 3.01 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.9% |
| 1981 | 2.85 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -5.2% |
| 1982 | 2.77 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.8% |
| 1983 | 2.64 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -4.5% |
| 1984 | 2.6 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.7% |
| 1985 | 2.51 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.5% |
| 1986 | 2.45 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.4% |
| 1987 | 2.46 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 2.47 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 2.44 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.3% |
| 1990 | 2.41 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.5% |
| 1991 | 2.41 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 2.37 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 2.35 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 2.31 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 2.28 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 2.27 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 2.19 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.7% |
| 1998 | 2.11 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.3% |
| 1999 | 2.06 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.7% |
| 2000 | 2.03 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 1.97 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.8% |
| 2002 | 1.96 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 1.91 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.5% |
| 2004 | 1.88 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 1.82 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.2% |
| 2006 | 1.76 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.5% |
| 2007 | 1.76 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 1.72 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 1.67 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 1.69 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 1.64 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.9% |
| 2012 | 1.56 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -4.7% |
| 2013 | 1.58 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 1.56 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 1.5 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.6% |
| 2016 | 1.47 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 1.44 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 1.45 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 1.4 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 1.33 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -5.2% |
| 2021 | 1.32 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 1.31 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.4% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 1.31 kilowatt-hours per dollar is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.01 kilowatt-hours per dollar, 1.3× the median. (55 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.4 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 3.35 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 3.48 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 5 |
| 1970s | 3.41 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 3.13 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 3.61 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.62 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 2.44 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 3.01 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.28 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 2.06 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 2.41 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.85 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.67 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 2.03 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.53 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.4 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.69 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.32 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.31 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.33 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 3 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 41 Lebanon 1.36 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 42 Czechia 1.35 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 43 Bolivia 1.32 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 45 Mauritania 1.29 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 46 Finland 1.29 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 47 Vietnam 1.27 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
More energy & mining data for United States
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 1.94 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0.0001 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 7.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is energy intensity in United States?
- Energy intensity in United States was 1.31 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2022, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest energy intensity recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 3.61 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 1970.
- What is the lowest energy intensity recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.31 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2022.
- How does United States rank for energy intensity?
- United States ranks 44th out of 166 countries with data for 2022.
- Is energy intensity rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Energy intensity. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Measured in kilowatt-hours of total energy supply per international-$ of GDP.