Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — Australia

Urban population share in Australia in 2025 — 87.7%. Ranked 41 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 6.1 pp.

2025 87.7% +0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank 41of 217
Period maximum 87.7%2025
Period minimum 81.6%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — Australia, 1960–2025808284868819601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 81.6%1962: 82.2%1964: 82.7%1966: 83.2%1968: 84.2%1970: 85.3%1972: 85.7%1974: 85.9%1976: 86%1978: 85.9%1980: 85.8%1982: 85.6%1984: 85.4%1986: 85.4%1988: 85.4%1990: 85.4%1992: 85.4%1994: 85.3%1996: 85.2%1998: 85.2%2000: 85.1%2002: 85.3%2004: 85.5%2006: 85.7%2008: 86%2010: 86.2%2012: 86.4%2014: 86.7%2016: 87%2018: 87.2%2020: 87.3%2022: 87.3%2024: 87.6%2025: 87.7%
Change over the period: +6.1 pp Annual average: 0.09 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Australia

Australia 87.7%
World 57.8%
Australia and New Zealand computed 87.1%
High-income countries computed 80.3%
Urban population share — Australia, by year Australia All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 87.7 +0.1 pp
2024 87.6 +0.1 pp
2023 87.5 +0.2 pp
2022 87.3 +0.1 pp
2021 87.2 −0 pp
2020 87.3 −0 pp
2019 87.3 +0.1 pp
2018 87.2 +0.1 pp
2017 87.1 +0.1 pp
2016 87 +0.1 pp
2015 86.9 +0.2 pp
2014 86.7 +0.1 pp
2013 86.6 +0.1 pp
2012 86.4 +0.1 pp
2011 86.3 +0.1 pp
2010 86.2 +0.1 pp
2009 86.1 +0.1 pp
2008 86 +0.1 pp
2007 85.9 +0.1 pp
2006 85.7 +0.1 pp
2005 85.6 +0.1 pp
2004 85.5 +0.1 pp
2003 85.4 +0.1 pp
2002 85.3 +0.1 pp
2001 85.1 +0 pp
2000 85.1 −0 pp
1999 85.1 −0 pp
1998 85.2 −0 pp
1997 85.2 −0 pp
1996 85.2 −0 pp
1995 85.3 −0 pp
1994 85.3 −0 pp
1993 85.4 −0 pp
1992 85.4 −0 pp
1991 85.4 +0 pp
1990 85.4 +0 pp
1989 85.4 +0 pp
1988 85.4 +0 pp
1987 85.4 +0 pp
1986 85.4 −0 pp
1985 85.4 −0.1 pp
1984 85.4 −0.1 pp
1983 85.5 −0.1 pp
1982 85.6 −0.1 pp
1981 85.7 −0.1 pp
1980 85.8 −0.1 pp
1979 85.9 −0.1 pp
1978 85.9 −0.1 pp
1977 86 −0 pp
1976 86 +0 pp
1975 86 +0.1 pp
1974 85.9 +0.1 pp
1973 85.8 +0.1 pp
1972 85.7 +0.1 pp
1971 85.6 +0.3 pp
1970 85.3 +0.5 pp
1969 84.8 +0.6 pp
1968 84.2 +0.6 pp
1967 83.6 +0.4 pp
1966 83.2 +0.3 pp
1965 82.9 +0.2 pp
1964 82.7 +0.2 pp
1963 82.5 +0.2 pp
1962 82.2 +0.3 pp
1961 81.9 +0.3 pp
1960 81.6

Australia and New Zealand, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

AU Australia 87.7 NZ New Zealand 84

About the indicator

The share of population living in urban settlements, as a percent of the total. One caveat is central: each country sets the criteria for a city itself — in some places it is a settlement of 2,000 residents or more, in others 20,000, in others administrative status. Cross-country comparisons of urbanization are therefore always approximate, while the trend within a single country is informative.

Important: Sharp jumps in individual years are usually explained not by people moving but by changes in the administrative boundaries of cities.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.