United States: Patent applications, residents

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, United States' patent applications, residents fell 2.9% on 2023 (from 278,446 to 270,295).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +3.6% and a typical year strayed about 6% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 15.6% in 1995 and the biggest yearly fall was 13.8% in 1996. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is downward, about 3,591 a year. A straight line explains 77% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, United States had the 2nd highest value of the 113 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to United States in the 2024 ranking

• China — 1st of 113: 1.67 million
• Japan — 3rd of 113: 237,169
• Korea, Rep. — 4th of 113: 195,786
• India — 5th of 113: 63,217

What this measures

Patent applications are worldwide patent applications filed through the Patent Cooperation Treaty procedure or with a national patent office for exclusive rights for an invention--a product or process that provides a new way of doing something or offers a new technical solution to a problem. A patent provides protection for the invention to the owner of the patent for a limited period, generally 20 years.

Limitations: Data are based on information supplied to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) by IP offices in annual surveys, supplemented by data in national IP office reports. Data may be missing for some offices or periods.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 45 values

Patent applications, residents in nearby economies

• Canada — 4,304 (2024)

More infrastructure data for United States

• Fixed telephone subscriptions — 81.55 million (2024)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions (per 100 people) — 23.61 (2024)
• ICT service exports (BoP, current US$) — US$101.73 billion (2025)
• ICT service exports (% of service exports, BoP) — 8.22% (2025)
• Air transport, registered carrier departures worldwide — 9.27 million (2023)
• Air transport, freight (million ton-km) — 42,763 (2023)
• Air transport, passengers carried — 941.56 million (2023)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions — 390.99 million (2024)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) — 113.19 (2024)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is United States's patent applications, residents?

270,295 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1980?

It is up 335.27% from 62,098 in 1980 (3.4% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 302,991 in 2016 and the lowest 59,391 in 1983.

How does United States rank?

2nd highest of 113 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in patent applications, residents unusual for United States?

In 2024, United States' patent applications, residents fell 2.9% on 2023 (from 278,446 to 270,295). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +3.6% and a typical year strayed about 6% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator IP.PAT.RESD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: WIPO Patent Report: Statistics on Worldwide Patent Activity, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), note: The International Bureau of WIPO assumes no responsibility with respect to the transformation of these data. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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