Back when the USCF posted ratings of all members in a database, you could download and chart that data to tell you the average adult playing strength.
You can still do that if you'd like with the latest data.
Was around 1600ish back in 2002. Much lower for scholastic (non-adult) players though can't remmber what.
I up & down around 1700!
The USCF ratings distribution charts from 2004 are still available online.
As of then, the average rating was 1068. The average for non-scholastic players was 1198 and the average scholastic player rating was 668.
I believe the FIDE Elo system is set up in such a way that the average of all ELOs together is exactly 1500. USCF might be the same.
An earlier answer from the same source provided averages. Among active players, 1316 was the average and 1390 was the median.
I took the following data from the September 2013 Golden Database1 and "active" players are players with a USCF membership expiration date later than January 1, 20132. All ratings are regular ratings. Note that players have an established rating after completing 25 games.
Established Ratings
Source: 46,574 Players 1315.99 Mean Rating 1390 Median Rating Provisional Ratings
33,692 Players 537.09 Mean Rating 410 Median Rating Established Ratings
252,989 Players 1165.77 Mean Rating 1148 Median Rating Provisional Ratings
303,153 Players 631.46 Mean Rating 576 Median Rating
I imagine the average ELO has gone down a lot recently because of the massive amount of new players from the Queen's Gambit and other examples of chess suddenly becoming mainstream. With lots of new players, which will probably start with low ELO's, it will drive the average down, and slowly it will go up over the years as these new players either get better, or give up.
Hello
I beat a maximum bot twice. Even though I sort of struggle with 1000+ bots,my rating in lichess is 1496
bossboy2002 yoo same 1250 in my first 5 months
now 1600
What would an average uscf rating be? Just wondering im a 1300 and i started 6 months ago