Fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel in United States
United States: Fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel was 26,303 kilowatt-hours per person in 2025. ▬ Flat
Fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel in United States, 1965–2025
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 person.
Analysis
In 2025, fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel in United States stood at 26,303 kilowatt-hours per person.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 15.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel in United States peaked at 28,164 kilowatt-hours per person in 1971 and was at its lowest, 17,939 kilowatt-hours per person, in 1986.
That places United States 13th out of 219 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
Fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel in United States, year by year
| Year | kilowatt-hours per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 21,258 kilowatt-hours per person | — |
| 1966 | 22,610 kilowatt-hours per person | +6.4% |
| 1967 | 23,583 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.3% |
| 1968 | 24,958 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.8% |
| 1969 | 26,566 kilowatt-hours per person | +6.4% |
| 1970 | 27,665 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.1% |
| 1971 | 28,164 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.8% |
| 1972 | 28,129 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.1% |
| 1973 | 27,618 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.8% |
| 1974 | 26,407 kilowatt-hours per person | -4.4% |
| 1975 | 24,011 kilowatt-hours per person | -9.1% |
| 1976 | 24,264 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.1% |
| 1977 | 23,546 kilowatt-hours per person | -3.0% |
| 1978 | 23,405 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 23,952 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.3% |
| 1980 | 23,220 kilowatt-hours per person | -3.1% |
| 1981 | 22,432 kilowatt-hours per person | -3.4% |
| 1982 | 20,640 kilowatt-hours per person | -8.0% |
| 1983 | 19,167 kilowatt-hours per person | -7.1% |
| 1984 | 20,269 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.8% |
| 1985 | 19,320 kilowatt-hours per person | -4.7% |
| 1986 | 17,939 kilowatt-hours per person | -7.2% |
| 1987 | 18,901 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.4% |
| 1988 | 19,590 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.6% |
| 1989 | 20,625 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.3% |
| 1990 | 20,407 kilowatt-hours per person | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 20,603 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 21,045 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 21,320 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 21,588 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 22,296 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.3% |
| 1996 | 22,480 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 22,399 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 21,809 kilowatt-hours per person | -2.6% |
| 1999 | 21,675 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 22,324 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 21,129 kilowatt-hours per person | -5.4% |
| 2002 | 21,600 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 20,772 kilowatt-hours per person | -3.8% |
| 2004 | 20,651 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 20,127 kilowatt-hours per person | -2.5% |
| 2006 | 19,636 kilowatt-hours per person | -2.4% |
| 2007 | 20,678 kilowatt-hours per person | +5.3% |
| 2008 | 20,621 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 20,051 kilowatt-hours per person | -2.8% |
| 2010 | 20,838 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.9% |
| 2011 | 20,955 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 21,699 kilowatt-hours per person | +3.6% |
| 2013 | 22,087 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 22,353 kilowatt-hours per person | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 22,800 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 22,757 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 22,270 kilowatt-hours per person | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 24,532 kilowatt-hours per person | +10.2% |
| 2019 | 25,193 kilowatt-hours per person | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 24,609 kilowatt-hours per person | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 24,589 kilowatt-hours per person | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 25,778 kilowatt-hours per person | +4.8% |
| 2023 | 25,860 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 26,099 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 26,303 kilowatt-hours per person | +0.8% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 26,303 kilowatt-hours per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 5,144 kilowatt-hours per person, 5.1× the median. (76 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 23,795 kilowatt-hours per person | 21,258 kilowatt-hours per person | 26,566 kilowatt-hours per person | 5 |
| 1970s | 25,716 kilowatt-hours per person | 23,405 kilowatt-hours per person | 28,164 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 20,210 kilowatt-hours per person | 17,939 kilowatt-hours per person | 23,220 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 21,562 kilowatt-hours per person | 20,407 kilowatt-hours per person | 22,480 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 20,759 kilowatt-hours per person | 19,636 kilowatt-hours per person | 22,324 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 22,548 kilowatt-hours per person | 20,838 kilowatt-hours per person | 25,193 kilowatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 25,540 kilowatt-hours per person | 24,589 kilowatt-hours per person | 26,303 kilowatt-hours per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 10 Russia 33,337 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 11 Canada 32,977 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 12 Iran 27,730 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 14 Singapore 22,694 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 15 USSR 18,324 kilowatt-hours per person compare
- 16 Belarus 17,717 kilowatt-hours per person 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 fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel in United States?
- Fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel in United States was 26,303 kilowatt-hours per person in 2025, 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 fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 28,164 kilowatt-hours per person in 1971.
- What is the lowest fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 17,939 kilowatt-hours per person in 1986.
- How does United States rank for fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel?
- United States ranks 13th out of 219 countries with data for 2025.
- Is fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- 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 Fossil fuel consumption per person, by fuel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Measured in kilowatt-hours per person.