Share of population living in urbanized areas in China
China: Share of population living in urbanized areas was 57.8% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
57.8%
Change on year
up 1.1%
World rank
127th
of 202 countries
All-time high
57.8%
in 2025
All-time low
5.0%
in 1400
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Share of population living in urbanized areas in China, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of population living in urbanized areas in China stood at 57.8%. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.1% on the previous year and up 13.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urbanized areas in China peaked at 57.8% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 5.0%, in 1400.
That places China 127th out of 202 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population living in urbanized areas in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 5.0% | — |
| 1100 | 5.0% | +0.0% |
| 1200 | 5.0% | +0.0% |
| 1300 | 5.0% | +0.0% |
| 1400 | 5.0% | -0.0% |
| 1500 | 6.5% | +30.0% |
| 1600 | 7.0% | +7.7% |
| 1700 | 6.0% | -14.3% |
| 1710 | 6.0% | +0.0% |
| 1720 | 6.0% | +0.0% |
| 1730 | 6.0% | +0.0% |
| 1740 | 6.0% | +0.0% |
| 1750 | 6.0% | +0.0% |
| 1760 | 6.0% | +0.0% |
| 1770 | 6.0% | +0.0% |
| 1780 | 6.0% | +0.0% |
| 1790 | 6.0% | +0.0% |
| 1800 | 6.0% | -0.0% |
| 1810 | 6.0% | +0.0% |
| 1820 | 6.0% | -0.0% |
| 1830 | 6.1% | +1.0% |
| 1840 | 6.1% | +1.0% |
| 1850 | 6.2% | +1.0% |
| 1860 | 6.2% | +1.0% |
| 1870 | 6.3% | +1.0% |
| 1880 | 6.4% | +1.0% |
| 1890 | 6.4% | +1.0% |
| 1900 | 6.5% | +1.0% |
| 1910 | 6.6% | +1.0% |
| 1920 | 6.6% | +1.0% |
| 1930 | 7.0% | +5.6% |
| 1940 | 8.0% | +14.3% |
| 1950 | 12.8% | +59.7% |
| 1951 | 12.9% | +1.1% |
| 1952 | 13.1% | +1.2% |
| 1953 | 13.2% | +1.2% |
| 1954 | 13.5% | +2.5% |
| 1955 | 13.9% | +2.5% |
| 1956 | 14.2% | +2.5% |
| 1957 | 14.6% | +2.5% |
| 1958 | 14.9% | +2.5% |
| 1959 | 15.3% | +2.5% |
| 1960 | 15.7% | +2.6% |
| 1961 | 16.1% | +2.6% |
| 1962 | 16.6% | +2.6% |
| 1963 | 17.0% | +2.6% |
| 1964 | 17.4% | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 17.4% | -0.1% |
| 1966 | 17.4% | -0.2% |
| 1967 | 17.3% | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 17.3% | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 17.2% | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 17.2% | -0.2% |
| 1971 | 17.3% | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 17.3% | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 17.3% | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 17.3% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 17.3% | -0.1% |
| 1976 | 17.8% | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 18.2% | +2.5% |
| 1978 | 18.7% | +2.4% |
| 1979 | 19.1% | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 19.6% | +2.4% |
| 1981 | 20.0% | +2.3% |
| 1982 | 20.5% | +2.3% |
| 1983 | 21.3% | +3.7% |
| 1984 | 22.1% | +3.8% |
| 1985 | 22.9% | +3.8% |
| 1986 | 23.7% | +3.6% |
| 1987 | 24.6% | +3.7% |
| 1988 | 25.5% | +3.7% |
| 1989 | 26.4% | +3.6% |
| 1990 | 27.3% | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 28.1% | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 28.9% | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 29.7% | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 30.5% | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 31.3% | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 32.1% | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 33.0% | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 33.9% | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 34.8% | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 35.7% | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 36.8% | +3.1% |
| 2002 | 38.0% | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 39.1% | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 40.2% | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 41.3% | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 42.4% | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 43.6% | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 44.7% | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 45.8% | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 46.9% | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 47.7% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 48.5% | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 49.3% | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 50.0% | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 50.8% | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 51.6% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 52.3% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 53.1% | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 53.9% | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 54.6% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 55.3% | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 55.9% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 56.5% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 57.2% | +1.1% |
| 2025 | 57.8% | +1.1% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 57.8% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 69.2%, 84% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- China's 57.8% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 59.0%, 98% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population living in urbanized areas in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | +59.7% | 8.0% | 12.8% |
| 1500 | +30.0% | 5.0% | 6.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 6.5% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 1 |
| 1600s | 7.0% | 7.0% | 7.0% | 1 |
| 1700s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1710s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1720s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1730s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1740s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1750s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1760s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1770s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1780s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1790s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1800s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1810s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1820s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1830s | 6.1% | 6.1% | 6.1% | 1 |
| 1840s | 6.1% | 6.1% | 6.1% | 1 |
| 1850s | 6.2% | 6.2% | 6.2% | 1 |
| 1860s | 6.2% | 6.2% | 6.2% | 1 |
| 1870s | 6.3% | 6.3% | 6.3% | 1 |
| 1880s | 6.4% | 6.4% | 6.4% | 1 |
| 1890s | 6.4% | 6.4% | 6.4% | 1 |
| 1900s | 6.5% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 1 |
| 1910s | 6.6% | 6.6% | 6.6% | 1 |
| 1920s | 6.6% | 6.6% | 6.6% | 1 |
| 1930s | 7.0% | 7.0% | 7.0% | 1 |
| 1940s | 8.0% | 8.0% | 8.0% | 1 |
| 1950s | 13.8% | 12.8% | 15.3% | 10 |
| 1960s | 16.9% | 15.7% | 17.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 17.8% | 17.2% | 19.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 22.7% | 19.6% | 26.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 31.0% | 27.3% | 34.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 40.8% | 35.7% | 45.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 50.4% | 46.9% | 53.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 56.2% | 54.6% | 57.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 124 Turkmenistan 58.3% compare
- 125 Guatemala 58.2% compare
- 126 Israel 58.0% compare
- 128 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 57.6% compare
- 129 Liberia 57.3% compare
- 130 Bosnia and Herzegovina 57.2% compare
More population data for China
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -12.97 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.19 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 1.31 million Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.1671 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3489 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -1.7% (2100)
- Population density 67.46 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 15.54 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urbanized areas in China?
- Share of population living in urbanized areas in China was 57.8% in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 57.8% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.0% in 1400.
- How does China rank for share of population living in urbanized areas?
- China ranks 127th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urbanized areas rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urbanized areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of population living in urban areas in a country over time.