A- blood is rare , but not extremely rare: about 6% of people have it, which is roughly 1 in 16 in the U.S.

Quick Scoop

  • A- is one of the rarer common blood types.
  • Stanford Blood Center lists it at 6.3% of the U.S. population.
  • Other sources round it to 6% or 1 in 17.
  • It’s much more common than very rare types like AB- or Rhnull.

What that means

A- matters in hospitals because fewer donors can give that type, so blood banks try to keep supplies steady.

It can be given to A and AB recipients, and A- donors are especially useful for certain blood products.

Bottom line

If you have A-, you’re in a relatively uncommon group, but not a super-rare one.