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How many US presidents have only been in power for one term? Complete list

Not all United States presidents seek or win re-election. Here is the list of the country’s leaders who were in power for only one term or less.

Not all United States presidents seek or win re-election. Here is the list of the country’s leaders who were in power for only one term or less.
Mark CardwellREUTERS

Many presidents of the United States have sought to stay in power by seeking a second term, and many are successful because there is a high chance for an incumbent to once again win the ballot.

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Only a handful of them have chosen not to run for re-election because they earlier promised voters that they would not do so, or due to some unfortunate event.

Aside from those who did not campaign to extend their stay at the White House, other presidents have been limited to serving only once either because they did not win on their second attempt, or they died while still in office.

Complete list of one-term presidents

The United States has elected 46 presidents in all. 21 of them served a second term, eight of them died in office, while the rest lost their re-election bid or did not run a second time.

Here is the list of presidents who stayed at the White House for only a single term, or less.

PRESIDENTTERMREASON FOR SINGLE TERM
John AdamsMarch 4, 1797-March 4, 1801Lost re-election bid
John Quincy AdamsMarch 4, 1825-March 4, 1829Lost re-election bid
Martin Van BurenMarch 4, 1837-March 4, 1841Lost re-election bid
William Henry HarrisonMarch 4, 1841-April 4, 1841Died from pneumonia
John TylerApril 4, 1841-March 4, 1845Lost re-election bid
James K. PolkMarch 4, 1845-March 4, 1849Did not run for re-election
Zachary TaylorMarch 4, 1849-July 9, 1850Died from suspected gastroenteritis
Millard FillmoreJuly 9, 1850-March 4, 1853Lost re-election bid
Franklin PierceMarch 4, 1853-March 4, 1857Lost re-election bid
James BuchananMarch 4, 1857-March 4, 1861Did not run for re-election
Andrew JohnsonApril 15, 1865-March 4, 1869Did not run for re-election
Rutherford B. HayesMarch 4, 1877-March 4, 1881Did not run for re-election
James A. GarfieldMarch 4, 1881-Sept. 19, 1881Died from complications of assassination attempt
Chester A. ArthurSept. 19, 1881-March 4, 1885Did not run for re-election
Benjamin HarrisonMarch 4, 1889-March 4, 1893Lost re-election bid
William Howard TaftMarch 4, 1909-March 4, 1913Lost re-election bid
Warren G. HardingMarch 4, 1921-Aug. 2, 1923Died of a heart attack
Herbert HooverMarch 4, 1929-March 4, 1933Lost re-election bid
John F. KennedyJan. 20, 1961-Nov. 22, 1963Assassinated
Gerald FordAug. 9, 1974-Jan. 20, 1977Lost re-election bid
Jimmy CarterJan. 20, 1977-Jan. 20, 1981Lost re-election bid
George H. W. BushJan. 20, 1989-Jan. 20, 1993Lost re-election bid
Donald TrumpJan. 20, 2017-Jan. 20, 2021Lost re-election bid
Joseph BidenJan. 20, 2021-July.21, 2024Did not run for re-election
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