Share of population living in cities towns and villages in South Korea

South Korea: Share of population living in cities towns and villages was 75.43 in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
75.43
World rank
14th
of 236 countries
All-time high
75.43
in 2020
All-time low
33.47
in 1950
Years of data
15
1950–2020

Share of population living in cities towns and villages in South Korea, 1950–2020

0204060801950198520201950: 33.51955: 37.51960: 421965: 48.41970: 56.71975: 64.11980: 66.31985: 68.71990: 71.61995: 72.82000: 73.92005: 74.92010: 75.22015: 75.22020: 75.4

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

South Korea recorded 75.43 for share of population living in cities towns and villages in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of population living in cities towns and villages in South Korea peaked at 75.43 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 33.47, in 1950.

That places South Korea 14th out of 236 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.

Share of population living in cities towns and villages in South Korea, year by year

Annual values for Share of population living in cities towns and villages in South Korea, 1950 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1950 33.47 —
1955 37.47 +11.9%
1960 41.96 +12.0%
1965 48.44 +15.4%
1970 56.67 +17.0%
1975 64.11 +13.1%
1980 66.34 +3.5%
1985 68.67 +3.5%
1990 71.61 +4.3%
1995 72.79 +1.6%
2000 73.88 +1.5%
2005 74.9 +1.4%
2010 75.22 +0.4%
2015 75.16 -0.1%
2020 75.43 +0.4%

South Korea compared with similar countries

  • South Korea's 75.43 is above the median for high income countries, which is 31.97, 2.4× the median. (85 countries reporting)
  • South Korea's 75.43 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 30.69, 2.5× the median. (37 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 35.47 33.47 37.47 2
1960s 45.2 41.96 48.44 2
1970s 60.39 56.67 64.11 2
1980s 67.5 66.34 68.67 2
1990s 72.2 71.61 72.79 2
2000s 74.39 73.88 74.9 2
2010s 75.19 75.16 75.22 2
2020s 75.43 75.43 75.43 1

Countries ranked near South Korea

  1. 11 Djibouti 80.89 compare
  2. 12 Qatar 78.96 compare
  3. 13 Taiwan 77.9 compare
  4. 15 United Arab Emirates 73.33 compare
  5. 16 Jordan 73.07 compare
  6. 17 Palestine 70.98 compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More population data for South Korea

All data for South Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of population living in cities towns and villages in South Korea?
Share of population living in cities towns and villages in South Korea was 75.43 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of population living in cities towns and villages recorded in South Korea?
The highest recorded value was 75.43 in 2020.
What is the lowest share of population living in cities towns and villages recorded in South Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 33.47 in 1950.
How does South Korea rank for share of population living in cities towns and villages?
South Korea ranks 14th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
Is share of population living in cities towns and villages rising or falling in South Korea?
Over the last ten years it is up 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Korea data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in cities towns and villages. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of population living in cities towns and villages in South Korea. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 12 November 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-population-living-in-cities-towns-and-villages/korea-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of population living in cities towns and villages
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
236 places, 3,540 data points, 1950–2020
Last refreshed