Share urban and rural population in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Share urban and rural population was 79.73 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share urban and rural population in Costa Rica, 1950–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, share urban and rural population in Costa Rica stood at 79.73. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 6.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share urban and rural population in Costa Rica peaked at 79.73 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 33.5, in 1950.
That places Costa Rica 71st out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Share urban and rural population in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 33.5 | — |
| 1951 | 33.51 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 33.53 | +0.1% |
| 1953 | 33.56 | +0.1% |
| 1954 | 33.61 | +0.1% |
| 1955 | 33.66 | +0.2% |
| 1956 | 33.73 | +0.2% |
| 1957 | 33.81 | +0.2% |
| 1958 | 33.9 | +0.3% |
| 1959 | 34 | +0.3% |
| 1960 | 34.1 | +0.3% |
| 1961 | 34.22 | +0.3% |
| 1962 | 34.35 | +0.4% |
| 1963 | 34.49 | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 34.76 | +0.8% |
| 1965 | 35.21 | +1.3% |
| 1966 | 35.8 | +1.7% |
| 1967 | 36.5 | +1.9% |
| 1968 | 37.26 | +2.1% |
| 1969 | 38.04 | +2.1% |
| 1970 | 38.82 | +2.0% |
| 1971 | 39.54 | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 40.16 | +1.6% |
| 1973 | 40.66 | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 41.07 | +1.0% |
| 1975 | 41.43 | +0.9% |
| 1976 | 41.75 | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 42.04 | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 42.33 | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 42.61 | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 42.89 | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 43.2 | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 43.54 | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 43.93 | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 44.37 | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 44.87 | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 45.47 | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 46.14 | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 46.89 | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 47.71 | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 48.58 | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 49.51 | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 50.48 | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 51.49 | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 52.53 | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 53.6 | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 54.68 | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 55.77 | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 56.87 | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 57.96 | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 59.05 | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 60.14 | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 61.28 | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 62.45 | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 63.66 | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 64.9 | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 66.17 | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 67.47 | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 68.79 | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 70.14 | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 71.51 | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 72.84 | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 73.39 | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 73.94 | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 74.49 | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 75.02 | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 75.54 | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 76.05 | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 76.55 | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 77.04 | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 77.52 | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 77.99 | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 78.44 | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 78.88 | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 79.31 | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 79.73 | +0.5% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 79.73 is below the median for high income countries, which is 81.33, 98% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 79.73 is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 72.04, 1.1× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 33.68 | 33.5 | 34 | 10 |
| 1960s | 35.47 | 34.1 | 38.04 | 10 |
| 1970s | 41.04 | 38.82 | 42.61 | 10 |
| 1980s | 44.9 | 42.89 | 47.71 | 10 |
| 1990s | 53.15 | 48.58 | 57.96 | 10 |
| 2000s | 64.41 | 59.05 | 70.14 | 10 |
| 2010s | 74.64 | 71.51 | 77.04 | 10 |
| 2020s | 78.64 | 77.52 | 79.73 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More population data for Costa Rica
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.9965 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.2884 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.9965 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.6681 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 5,703 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.5224 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7399 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -1 (2100)
- Population density 73.96 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 123,827 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share urban and rural population in Costa Rica?
- Share urban and rural population in Costa Rica was 79.73 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share urban and rural population recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 79.73 in 2025.
- What is the lowest share urban and rural population recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.5 in 1950.
- How does Costa Rica rank for share urban and rural population?
- Costa Rica ranks 71st out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share urban and rural population rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Share urban and rural population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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