Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — Northern America

Urban population share in Northern America in 2025 — 80.5%. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 10.6 pp.

2025 80.5% +0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 80.7%2011
Period minimum 69.9%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — Northern America, 1960–2025657075808519601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 69.9%1962: 70.9%1964: 71.9%1966: 72.8%1968: 73.4%1970: 73.7%1972: 73.8%1974: 73.8%1976: 73.8%1978: 73.9%1980: 73.9%1982: 74.1%1984: 74.4%1986: 74.7%1988: 75%1990: 75.4%1992: 76%1994: 76.8%1996: 77.7%1998: 78.5%2000: 79%2002: 79.5%2004: 80%2006: 80.4%2008: 80.6%2010: 80.7%2012: 80.7%2014: 80.7%2016: 80.6%2018: 80.4%2020: 80.2%2022: 80.3%2024: 80.4%2025: 80.5%
Change over the period: +10.6 pp Annual average: 0.16 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Northern America 80.5%
World 57.8%
Urban population share — Northern America, by year Northern America All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 80.5 +0.1 pp
2024 80.4 +0.1 pp
2023 80.3 +0.1 pp
2022 80.3 +0 pp
2021 80.2 +0 pp
2020 80.2 −0.1 pp
2019 80.3 −0.1 pp
2018 80.4 −0.1 pp
2017 80.5 −0.1 pp
2016 80.6 −0.1 pp
2015 80.6 −0 pp
2014 80.7 −0 pp
2013 80.7 −0 pp
2012 80.7 −0 pp
2011 80.7 +0 pp
2010 80.7 +0 pp
2009 80.7 +0.1 pp
2008 80.6 +0.1 pp
2007 80.5 +0.2 pp
2006 80.4 +0.2 pp
2005 80.2 +0.2 pp
2004 80 +0.2 pp
2003 79.7 +0.2 pp
2002 79.5 +0.2 pp
2001 79.3 +0.2 pp
2000 79 +0.3 pp
1999 78.8 +0.3 pp
1998 78.5 +0.4 pp
1997 78.1 +0.4 pp
1996 77.7 +0.4 pp
1995 77.2 +0.4 pp
1994 76.8 +0.4 pp
1993 76.4 +0.4 pp
1992 76 +0.3 pp
1991 75.7 +0.3 pp
1990 75.4 +0.2 pp
1989 75.2 +0.2 pp
1988 75 +0.2 pp
1987 74.8 +0.2 pp
1986 74.7 +0.2 pp
1985 74.5 +0.2 pp
1984 74.4 +0.1 pp
1983 74.2 +0.1 pp
1982 74.1 +0.1 pp
1981 74 +0.1 pp
1980 73.9 +0 pp
1979 73.9 +0 pp
1978 73.9 +0 pp
1977 73.8 +0 pp
1976 73.8 +0 pp
1975 73.8 +0 pp
1974 73.8 +0 pp
1973 73.8 +0 pp
1972 73.8 +0 pp
1971 73.8 +0.1 pp
1970 73.7 +0.1 pp
1969 73.6 +0.2 pp
1968 73.4 +0.3 pp
1967 73.1 +0.4 pp
1966 72.8 +0.4 pp
1965 72.3 +0.5 pp
1964 71.9 +0.5 pp
1963 71.4 +0.5 pp
1962 70.9 +0.5 pp
1961 70.4 +0.5 pp
1960 69.9

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.