Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Australia
Australia: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 87.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Australia, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in urban and rural areas in Australia is 87.7%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Australia peaked at 87.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 75.8%, in 1950.
That places Australia 49th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 78.8% | 75.8% | 81.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 83.0% | 81.6% | 84.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 85.8% | 85.3% | 86.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 85.5% | 85.4% | 85.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 85.3% | 85.1% | 85.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 85.6% | 85.1% | 86.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 86.8% | 86.2% | 87.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 87.4% | 87.2% | 87.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More population data for Australia
- World population growth 0.5% (2100)
- Population density 5.61 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.09 million people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.5% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 1.48 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 1.48 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 29,511 people (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 1.48 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious 1.64 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate accounting for survival until childbearing age 1.63 children per women (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Australia?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Australia was 87.7% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 87.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 75.8% in 1950.
- How does Australia rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Australia ranks 49th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 76 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.