Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — Sweden

Urban population share in Sweden in 2025 — 89.1%. Ranked 35 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 16.6 pp.

2025 89.1% +0.2 pp vs 2024
World rank 35of 217
Period maximum 89.1%2025
Period minimum 72.5%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — Sweden, 1960–2025707580859019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 72.5%1962: 74.3%1964: 76.2%1966: 78%1968: 79.8%1970: 81.2%1972: 82%1974: 82.5%1976: 82.8%1978: 83%1980: 83.1%1982: 83.1%1984: 83.1%1986: 83.1%1988: 83.2%1990: 83.4%1992: 83.6%1994: 83.8%1996: 83.9%1998: 84%2000: 84%2002: 84.1%2004: 84.3%2006: 84.5%2008: 84.8%2010: 85.1%2012: 85.6%2014: 86.3%2016: 87%2018: 87.5%2020: 87.9%2022: 88.4%2024: 88.9%2025: 89.1%
Change over the period: +16.6 pp Annual average: 0.26 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Sweden 89.1%
World 57.8%
Northern Europe computed 81.9%
High-income countries computed 80.3%
Urban population share — Sweden, by year Sweden All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 89.1 +0.2 pp
2024 88.9 +0.2 pp
2023 88.6 +0.2 pp
2022 88.4 +0.2 pp
2021 88.2 +0.2 pp
2020 87.9 +0.2 pp
2019 87.7 +0.2 pp
2018 87.5 +0.2 pp
2017 87.2 +0.2 pp
2016 87 +0.4 pp
2015 86.6 +0.4 pp
2014 86.3 +0.3 pp
2013 85.9 +0.3 pp
2012 85.6 +0.3 pp
2011 85.4 +0.2 pp
2010 85.1 +0.2 pp
2009 84.9 +0.2 pp
2008 84.8 +0.2 pp
2007 84.6 +0.1 pp
2006 84.5 +0.1 pp
2005 84.3 +0.1 pp
2004 84.3 +0.1 pp
2003 84.2 +0.1 pp
2002 84.1 +0.1 pp
2001 84.1 +0 pp
2000 84 +0 pp
1999 84 +0 pp
1998 84 +0 pp
1997 84 +0 pp
1996 83.9 +0 pp
1995 83.9 +0.1 pp
1994 83.8 +0.1 pp
1993 83.7 +0.1 pp
1992 83.6 +0.1 pp
1991 83.5 +0.1 pp
1990 83.4 +0.1 pp
1989 83.3 +0.1 pp
1988 83.2 +0.1 pp
1987 83.2 +0 pp
1986 83.1 +0 pp
1985 83.1 +0 pp
1984 83.1 +0 pp
1983 83.1 +0 pp
1982 83.1 +0 pp
1981 83.1 +0 pp
1980 83.1 +0 pp
1979 83.1 +0.1 pp
1978 83 +0.1 pp
1977 82.9 +0.1 pp
1976 82.8 +0.1 pp
1975 82.7 +0.2 pp
1974 82.5 +0.2 pp
1973 82.3 +0.3 pp
1972 82 +0.3 pp
1971 81.7 +0.4 pp
1970 81.2 +0.6 pp
1969 80.6 +0.8 pp
1968 79.8 +0.9 pp
1967 78.9 +0.9 pp
1966 78 +0.9 pp
1965 77.1 +0.9 pp
1964 76.2 +1 pp
1963 75.3 +1 pp
1962 74.3 +0.9 pp
1961 73.4 +0.9 pp
1960 72.5

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.