Costa Rica vs United States: Rural population (% of total population) (UNESCO Institute)
Costa Rica
16.8%
in 2024
United States
16.5%
in 2024
Costa Rica rank
164th
United States rank
165th
Rural population (% of total population) (UNESCO Institute) over time
- Costa Rica
- United States
How they compare
Costa Rica currently reports 16.8% against 16.5% in United States, a difference of 0.3%.
Across all 55 years both countries report, Costa Rica has been ahead every year.
Costa Rica ranks 164th and United States ranks 165th of 214 countries.
Costa Rica has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Costa Rica | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 59.0% | 26.4% | 32.6% | Costa Rica |
| 1980s | 54.5% | 25.6% | 28.9% | Costa Rica |
| 1990s | 45.9% | 23.0% | 23.0% | Costa Rica |
| 2000s | 35.1% | 20.2% | 14.9% | Costa Rica |
| 2010s | 23.8% | 18.4% | 5.4% | Costa Rica |
| 2020s | 18.0% | 16.9% | 1.1% | Costa Rica |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher rural population, Costa Rica or United States?
- Costa Rica, at 16.8% against 16.5% in United States as of 2024.
- What is the difference in rural population between Costa Rica and United States?
- 0.3%, with Costa Rica ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Costa Rica and United States?
- 55 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2024.
- How do Costa Rica and United States rank globally for rural population?
- Costa Rica ranks 164th and United States ranks 165th of 214 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release