Population by income level in North Korea
North Korea: Population by income level was 26.57 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
26.57 million
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
56th
of 215 countries
All-time high
26.57 million
in 2025
All-time low
11.72 million
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population by income level in North Korea, 1960–2025
Source: United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population by income level in North Korea is 26.57 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by income level in North Korea peaked at 26.57 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 11.72 million, in 1960.
North Korea ranks 56th of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population by income level in North Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 11.72 million | — |
| 1961 | 11.99 million | +2.3% |
| 1962 | 12.26 million | +2.3% |
| 1963 | 12.57 million | +2.5% |
| 1964 | 12.89 million | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 13.22 million | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 13.57 million | +2.6% |
| 1967 | 13.96 million | +2.9% |
| 1968 | 14.37 million | +2.9% |
| 1969 | 14.77 million | +2.8% |
| 1970 | 15.17 million | +2.7% |
| 1971 | 15.57 million | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 15.98 million | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 16.35 million | +2.3% |
| 1974 | 16.67 million | +2.0% |
| 1975 | 16.97 million | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 17.24 million | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 17.49 million | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 17.74 million | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 17.98 million | +1.4% |
| 1980 | 18.24 million | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 18.50 million | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 18.78 million | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 19.05 million | +1.5% |
| 1984 | 19.34 million | +1.5% |
| 1985 | 19.62 million | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 19.91 million | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 20.21 million | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 20.50 million | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 20.80 million | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 21.11 million | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 21.43 million | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 21.75 million | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 22.07 million | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 22.39 million | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 22.67 million | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 22.90 million | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 23.11 million | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 23.31 million | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 23.50 million | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 23.67 million | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 23.82 million | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 23.94 million | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 24.09 million | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 24.25 million | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 24.40 million | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 24.52 million | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 24.65 million | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 24.76 million | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 24.88 million | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 24.99 million | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 25.10 million | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 25.21 million | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 25.33 million | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 25.45 million | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 25.58 million | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 25.70 million | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 25.82 million | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 25.93 million | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 26.04 million | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 26.14 million | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 26.23 million | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 26.33 million | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 26.42 million | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 26.50 million | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 26.57 million | +0.3% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 26.57 million is above the median for low income countries, which is 24.07 million, 1.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 26.57 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.42 million, 18.7× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13.13 million | 11.72 million | 14.77 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 16.72 million | 15.17 million | 17.98 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.49 million | 18.24 million | 20.80 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.42 million | 21.11 million | 23.50 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.30 million | 23.67 million | 24.88 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.51 million | 24.99 million | 26.04 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.36 million | 26.14 million | 26.57 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More population data for North Korea
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.6538 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.81 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.6538 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.5276 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 25,807 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.1188 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7483 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Population density 162.05 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 794,407 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population by income level in North Korea?
- Population by income level in North Korea was 26.57 million in 2025, according to United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population by income level recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 26.57 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population by income level recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.72 million in 1960.
- How does North Korea rank for population by income level?
- North Korea ranks 56th out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population by income level rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population by income level. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total population, differentiated by World Bank income level.