Share of population living in urbanized areas in Netherlands
Netherlands: Share of population living in urbanized areas was 86.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
86.7%
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
38th
of 202 countries
All-time high
86.7%
in 2025
All-time low
0.5%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Share of population living in urbanized areas in Netherlands, 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 Netherlands stood at 86.7%. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 3.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urbanized areas in Netherlands peaked at 86.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 1000.
That places Netherlands 38th out of 202 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 108 years of available data.
Share of population living in urbanized areas in Netherlands, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.5% | — |
| 1100 | 1.0% | +100.0% |
| 1200 | 2.2% | +120.0% |
| 1300 | 4.1% | +86.4% |
| 1400 | 4.7% | +14.6% |
| 1500 | 10.4% | +121.3% |
| 1600 | 22.0% | +111.5% |
| 1700 | 33.6% | +52.7% |
| 1710 | 34.5% | +2.7% |
| 1720 | 35.4% | +2.7% |
| 1730 | 36.4% | +2.6% |
| 1740 | 37.3% | +2.5% |
| 1750 | 38.2% | +2.5% |
| 1760 | 39.1% | +2.4% |
| 1770 | 40.0% | +2.3% |
| 1780 | 40.9% | +2.3% |
| 1790 | 41.9% | +2.2% |
| 1800 | 42.8% | +2.2% |
| 1810 | 43.7% | +2.1% |
| 1820 | 44.6% | +2.1% |
| 1830 | 45.5% | +2.1% |
| 1840 | 46.4% | +2.0% |
| 1850 | 47.4% | +2.0% |
| 1860 | 48.3% | +1.9% |
| 1870 | 49.2% | +1.9% |
| 1880 | 50.1% | +1.9% |
| 1890 | 51.0% | +1.8% |
| 1900 | 52.0% | +1.8% |
| 1910 | 52.9% | +1.8% |
| 1920 | 53.8% | +1.7% |
| 1930 | 54.7% | +1.7% |
| 1940 | 55.6% | +1.7% |
| 1950 | 56.5% | +1.6% |
| 1951 | 56.9% | +0.6% |
| 1952 | 57.2% | +0.6% |
| 1953 | 57.5% | +0.6% |
| 1954 | 57.9% | +0.6% |
| 1955 | 58.2% | +0.6% |
| 1956 | 58.5% | +0.6% |
| 1957 | 58.9% | +0.6% |
| 1958 | 59.2% | +0.6% |
| 1959 | 59.6% | +0.6% |
| 1960 | 59.9% | +0.6% |
| 1961 | 60.2% | +0.5% |
| 1962 | 60.4% | +0.3% |
| 1963 | 60.6% | +0.3% |
| 1964 | 60.8% | +0.3% |
| 1965 | 61.0% | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 61.2% | +0.3% |
| 1967 | 61.3% | +0.3% |
| 1968 | 61.5% | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 61.7% | +0.3% |
| 1970 | 61.8% | +0.2% |
| 1971 | 62.2% | +0.5% |
| 1972 | 62.5% | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 62.9% | +0.6% |
| 1974 | 63.2% | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 63.5% | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 63.9% | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 64.2% | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 64.5% | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 64.8% | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 65.0% | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 65.4% | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 65.8% | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 66.1% | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 66.5% | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 66.9% | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 67.2% | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 67.7% | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 68.1% | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 68.5% | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 69.0% | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 69.6% | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 70.4% | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 71.3% | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 72.1% | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 72.9% | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 73.8% | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 74.7% | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 75.5% | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 76.3% | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 77.1% | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 77.6% | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 78.2% | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 78.8% | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 79.4% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 80.0% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 80.5% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 81.1% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 81.7% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 82.3% | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 82.9% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 83.1% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 83.4% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 83.7% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 83.9% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 84.2% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 84.5% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 84.7% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 85.0% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 85.3% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 85.5% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 85.8% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 86.0% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 86.2% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 86.5% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 86.7% | +0.3% |
Netherlands compared with similar countries
- Netherlands's 86.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 78.9%, 1.1× the median. (68 countries reporting)
- Netherlands's 86.7% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 72.5%, 1.2× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population living in urbanized areas in Netherlands 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1500 | +121.3% | 4.7% | 10.4% |
| 1200 | +120.0% | 1.0% | 2.2% |
| 1600 | +111.5% | 10.4% | 22.0% |
| 1100 | +100.0% | 0.5% | 1.0% |
| 1300 | +86.4% | 2.2% | 4.1% |
| 1700 | +52.7% | 22.0% | 33.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1100s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1 |
| 1300s | 4.1% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 1 |
| 1400s | 4.7% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 1 |
| 1500s | 10.4% | 10.4% | 10.4% | 1 |
| 1600s | 22.0% | 22.0% | 22.0% | 1 |
| 1700s | 33.6% | 33.6% | 33.6% | 1 |
| 1710s | 34.5% | 34.5% | 34.5% | 1 |
| 1720s | 35.4% | 35.4% | 35.4% | 1 |
| 1730s | 36.4% | 36.4% | 36.4% | 1 |
| 1740s | 37.3% | 37.3% | 37.3% | 1 |
| 1750s | 38.2% | 38.2% | 38.2% | 1 |
| 1760s | 39.1% | 39.1% | 39.1% | 1 |
| 1770s | 40.0% | 40.0% | 40.0% | 1 |
| 1780s | 40.9% | 40.9% | 40.9% | 1 |
| 1790s | 41.9% | 41.9% | 41.9% | 1 |
| 1800s | 42.8% | 42.8% | 42.8% | 1 |
| 1810s | 43.7% | 43.7% | 43.7% | 1 |
| 1820s | 44.6% | 44.6% | 44.6% | 1 |
| 1830s | 45.5% | 45.5% | 45.5% | 1 |
| 1840s | 46.4% | 46.4% | 46.4% | 1 |
| 1850s | 47.4% | 47.4% | 47.4% | 1 |
| 1860s | 48.3% | 48.3% | 48.3% | 1 |
| 1870s | 49.2% | 49.2% | 49.2% | 1 |
| 1880s | 50.1% | 50.1% | 50.1% | 1 |
| 1890s | 51.0% | 51.0% | 51.0% | 1 |
| 1900s | 52.0% | 52.0% | 52.0% | 1 |
| 1910s | 52.9% | 52.9% | 52.9% | 1 |
| 1920s | 53.8% | 53.8% | 53.8% | 1 |
| 1930s | 54.7% | 54.7% | 54.7% | 1 |
| 1940s | 55.6% | 55.6% | 55.6% | 1 |
| 1950s | 58.1% | 56.5% | 59.6% | 10 |
| 1960s | 60.9% | 59.9% | 61.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 63.3% | 61.8% | 64.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 66.7% | 65.0% | 68.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 72.6% | 69.0% | 76.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 79.7% | 77.1% | 82.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 84.1% | 82.9% | 85.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 86.1% | 85.5% | 86.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Netherlands
- 35 Greenland 87.5% compare
- 36 Bahamas 87.0% compare
- 37 South Korea 86.8% compare
- 39 Falkland Islands 86.3% compare
- 40 United States 86.3% compare
- 41 Saudi Arabia 86.1% compare
More population data for Netherlands
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1961 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.5458 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1961 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1463 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2761 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Population density 519.97 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 757,165 people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.2% (2100)
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate 0.9625 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urbanized areas in Netherlands?
- Share of population living in urbanized areas in Netherlands was 86.7% 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 Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 86.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 1000.
- How does Netherlands rank for share of population living in urbanized areas?
- Netherlands ranks 38th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urbanized areas rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Netherlands 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.