Share of population living in urbanized areas in Spain
Spain: Share of population living in urbanized areas was 82.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
82.1%
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
49th
of 202 countries
All-time high
82.1%
in 2025
All-time low
13.2%
in 1200
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Share of population living in urbanized areas in Spain, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in urbanized areas in Spain is 82.1%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urbanized areas in Spain peaked at 82.1% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 13.2%, in 1200.
That places Spain 49th 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 Spain, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 13.5% | — |
| 1100 | 16.4% | +21.5% |
| 1200 | 13.2% | -19.5% |
| 1300 | 36.2% | +174.2% |
| 1400 | 23.3% | -35.6% |
| 1500 | 13.8% | -40.8% |
| 1600 | 17.1% | +23.6% |
| 1700 | 20.3% | +19.1% |
| 1710 | 20.5% | +1.1% |
| 1720 | 20.7% | +1.1% |
| 1730 | 21.0% | +1.1% |
| 1740 | 21.2% | +1.0% |
| 1750 | 21.4% | +1.0% |
| 1760 | 21.0% | -1.8% |
| 1770 | 20.6% | -1.8% |
| 1780 | 20.3% | -1.8% |
| 1790 | 19.9% | -1.9% |
| 1800 | 19.5% | -1.9% |
| 1810 | 21.7% | +11.0% |
| 1820 | 23.8% | +9.9% |
| 1830 | 26.0% | +9.0% |
| 1840 | 28.1% | +8.3% |
| 1850 | 30.3% | +7.7% |
| 1860 | 32.4% | +7.1% |
| 1870 | 34.6% | +6.6% |
| 1880 | 36.7% | +6.2% |
| 1890 | 38.9% | +5.9% |
| 1900 | 41.0% | +5.5% |
| 1910 | 43.2% | +5.2% |
| 1920 | 45.3% | +5.0% |
| 1930 | 47.5% | +4.7% |
| 1940 | 49.7% | +4.5% |
| 1950 | 51.8% | +4.3% |
| 1951 | 52.3% | +1.0% |
| 1952 | 52.9% | +1.1% |
| 1953 | 53.4% | +1.0% |
| 1954 | 53.9% | +0.9% |
| 1955 | 54.4% | +0.9% |
| 1956 | 54.8% | +0.8% |
| 1957 | 55.2% | +0.8% |
| 1958 | 55.7% | +0.8% |
| 1959 | 56.1% | +0.8% |
| 1960 | 56.5% | +0.7% |
| 1961 | 57.2% | +1.2% |
| 1962 | 58.1% | +1.6% |
| 1963 | 59.0% | +1.6% |
| 1964 | 60.0% | +1.6% |
| 1965 | 60.9% | +1.6% |
| 1966 | 61.9% | +1.6% |
| 1967 | 62.8% | +1.5% |
| 1968 | 63.8% | +1.5% |
| 1969 | 64.7% | +1.5% |
| 1970 | 65.6% | +1.4% |
| 1971 | 66.5% | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 67.2% | +1.1% |
| 1973 | 68.0% | +1.1% |
| 1974 | 68.7% | +1.1% |
| 1975 | 69.5% | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 70.2% | +1.1% |
| 1977 | 71.0% | +1.1% |
| 1978 | 71.7% | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 72.3% | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 72.9% | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 73.5% | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 73.7% | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 73.9% | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 74.0% | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 74.1% | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 74.4% | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 74.6% | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 74.8% | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 75.0% | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 75.3% | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 75.4% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 75.5% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 75.6% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 75.7% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 75.8% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 75.7% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 75.7% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 75.7% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 75.9% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 76.2% | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 76.3% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 76.5% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 76.6% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 76.7% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 76.8% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 76.9% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 77.0% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 77.2% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 77.3% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 77.4% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 77.7% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 78.1% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 78.4% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 78.7% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 79.0% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 79.4% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 79.7% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 80.0% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 80.3% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 80.7% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 81.0% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 81.3% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 81.5% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 81.8% | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 82.1% | +0.4% |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 82.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 78.9%, 1.0× the median. (68 countries reporting)
- Spain's 82.1% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 72.5%, 1.1× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population living in urbanized areas in Spain 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1300 | +174.2% | 13.2% | 36.2% |
| 1500 | -40.8% | 23.3% | 13.8% |
| 1400 | -35.6% | 36.2% | 23.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 13.5% | 13.5% | 13.5% | 1 |
| 1100s | 16.4% | 16.4% | 16.4% | 1 |
| 1200s | 13.2% | 13.2% | 13.2% | 1 |
| 1300s | 36.2% | 36.2% | 36.2% | 1 |
| 1400s | 23.3% | 23.3% | 23.3% | 1 |
| 1500s | 13.8% | 13.8% | 13.8% | 1 |
| 1600s | 17.1% | 17.1% | 17.1% | 1 |
| 1700s | 20.3% | 20.3% | 20.3% | 1 |
| 1710s | 20.5% | 20.5% | 20.5% | 1 |
| 1720s | 20.7% | 20.7% | 20.7% | 1 |
| 1730s | 21.0% | 21.0% | 21.0% | 1 |
| 1740s | 21.2% | 21.2% | 21.2% | 1 |
| 1750s | 21.4% | 21.4% | 21.4% | 1 |
| 1760s | 21.0% | 21.0% | 21.0% | 1 |
| 1770s | 20.6% | 20.6% | 20.6% | 1 |
| 1780s | 20.3% | 20.3% | 20.3% | 1 |
| 1790s | 19.9% | 19.9% | 19.9% | 1 |
| 1800s | 19.5% | 19.5% | 19.5% | 1 |
| 1810s | 21.7% | 21.7% | 21.7% | 1 |
| 1820s | 23.8% | 23.8% | 23.8% | 1 |
| 1830s | 26.0% | 26.0% | 26.0% | 1 |
| 1840s | 28.1% | 28.1% | 28.1% | 1 |
| 1850s | 30.3% | 30.3% | 30.3% | 1 |
| 1860s | 32.4% | 32.4% | 32.4% | 1 |
| 1870s | 34.6% | 34.6% | 34.6% | 1 |
| 1880s | 36.7% | 36.7% | 36.7% | 1 |
| 1890s | 38.9% | 38.9% | 38.9% | 1 |
| 1900s | 41.0% | 41.0% | 41.0% | 1 |
| 1910s | 43.2% | 43.2% | 43.2% | 1 |
| 1920s | 45.3% | 45.3% | 45.3% | 1 |
| 1930s | 47.5% | 47.5% | 47.5% | 1 |
| 1940s | 49.7% | 49.7% | 49.7% | 1 |
| 1950s | 54.1% | 51.8% | 56.1% | 10 |
| 1960s | 60.5% | 56.5% | 64.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 69.1% | 65.6% | 72.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 74.1% | 72.9% | 75.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 75.6% | 75.3% | 75.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 76.7% | 76.2% | 77.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 78.9% | 77.4% | 80.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 81.4% | 80.7% | 82.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Spain
More population data for Spain
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.527 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -4.98 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.527 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.6358 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 44,220 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.1636 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2658 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Population density 66.29 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1.24 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urbanized areas in Spain?
- Share of population living in urbanized areas in Spain was 82.1% 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 Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 82.1% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.2% in 1200.
- How does Spain rank for share of population living in urbanized areas?
- Spain ranks 49th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urbanized areas rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Spain 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.