Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — High-income countries

Urban population share in high-income countries in 2025 — 80.3%. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 18.5 pp.

2025 80.3% +0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 80.3%2025
Period minimum 61.8%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — High-income countries, 1960–202560657075808519601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 61.8%1962: 63%1964: 64.2%1966: 65.5%1968: 66.7%1970: 67.7%1972: 68.6%1974: 69.6%1976: 70.3%1978: 70.8%1980: 71.4%1982: 72%1984: 72.5%1986: 73%1988: 73.6%1990: 74.1%1992: 74.4%1994: 74.9%1996: 75.3%1998: 75.8%2000: 76.2%2002: 76.8%2004: 77.5%2006: 78.1%2008: 78.5%2010: 78.9%2012: 79.1%2014: 79.3%2016: 79.5%2018: 79.7%2020: 79.8%2022: 80%2024: 80.2%2025: 80.3%
Change over the period: +18.5 pp Annual average: 0.28 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: High-income countries

High-income countries 80.3%
World 57.8%
Urban population share — High-income countries, by year High-income countries All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 80.3 +0.1 pp
2024 80.2 +0.1 pp
2023 80.1 +0.1 pp
2022 80 +0.1 pp
2021 79.9 +0.1 pp
2020 79.8 +0.1 pp
2019 79.7 +0.1 pp
2018 79.7 +0.1 pp
2017 79.6 +0.1 pp
2016 79.5 +0.1 pp
2015 79.4 +0.1 pp
2014 79.3 +0.1 pp
2013 79.2 +0.1 pp
2012 79.1 +0.1 pp
2011 79 +0.1 pp
2010 78.9 +0.2 pp
2009 78.7 +0.2 pp
2008 78.5 +0.2 pp
2007 78.3 +0.3 pp
2006 78.1 +0.3 pp
2005 77.8 +0.3 pp
2004 77.5 +0.3 pp
2003 77.1 +0.4 pp
2002 76.8 +0.3 pp
2001 76.5 +0.3 pp
2000 76.2 +0.2 pp
1999 76 +0.2 pp
1998 75.8 +0.2 pp
1997 75.6 +0.3 pp
1996 75.3 +0.3 pp
1995 75.1 +0.2 pp
1994 74.9 +0.2 pp
1993 74.6 +0.2 pp
1992 74.4 +0.2 pp
1991 74.3 +0.2 pp
1990 74.1 +0.2 pp
1989 73.8 +0.3 pp
1988 73.6 +0.3 pp
1987 73.3 +0.3 pp
1986 73 +0.3 pp
1985 72.7 +0.3 pp
1984 72.5 +0.3 pp
1983 72.2 +0.3 pp
1982 72 +0.3 pp
1981 71.7 +0.3 pp
1980 71.4 +0.3 pp
1979 71.1 +0.3 pp
1978 70.8 +0.3 pp
1977 70.6 +0.3 pp
1976 70.3 +0.3 pp
1975 69.9 +0.4 pp
1974 69.6 +0.4 pp
1973 69.1 +0.5 pp
1972 68.6 +0.5 pp
1971 68.2 +0.5 pp
1970 67.7 +0.5 pp
1969 67.2 +0.6 pp
1968 66.7 +0.6 pp
1967 66.1 +0.6 pp
1966 65.5 +0.6 pp
1965 64.9 +0.6 pp
1964 64.2 +0.6 pp
1963 63.6 +0.6 pp
1962 63 +0.6 pp
1961 62.4 +0.6 pp
1960 61.8

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.