Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Germany
Germany: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 82.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
82.1%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
62nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
82.1%
in 2025
All-time low
70.4%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Germany, 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
In 2025, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Germany stood at 82.1%. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Germany peaked at 82.1% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 70.4%, in 1950.
Germany ranks 62nd of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Germany, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 70.4% | — |
| 1951 | 71.0% | +0.9% |
| 1952 | 71.6% | +0.8% |
| 1953 | 72.2% | +0.8% |
| 1954 | 72.7% | +0.8% |
| 1955 | 73.3% | +0.7% |
| 1956 | 73.8% | +0.7% |
| 1957 | 74.3% | +0.7% |
| 1958 | 74.8% | +0.7% |
| 1959 | 75.2% | +0.6% |
| 1960 | 75.7% | +0.6% |
| 1961 | 76.2% | +0.6% |
| 1962 | 76.7% | +0.7% |
| 1963 | 77.2% | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 77.7% | +0.7% |
| 1965 | 78.3% | +0.7% |
| 1966 | 78.7% | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 79.1% | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 79.4% | +0.4% |
| 1969 | 79.6% | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 79.7% | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 79.7% | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 79.7% | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 79.8% | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 79.8% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 79.8% | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 79.8% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 79.9% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 79.9% | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 79.9% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 79.9% | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 79.9% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 79.9% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 80.0% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 80.0% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 80.0% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 80.0% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 80.0% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 80.0% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 80.0% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 80.0% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 80.0% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 80.0% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 80.0% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 80.0% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 80.0% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 80.1% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 80.1% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 80.1% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 80.1% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 80.1% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 80.1% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 80.1% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 80.1% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 80.2% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 80.2% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 80.2% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 80.2% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 80.2% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 80.3% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 80.3% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 80.3% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 80.4% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 80.5% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 80.6% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 80.7% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 80.8% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 81.0% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 81.1% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 81.3% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 81.5% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 81.6% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 81.8% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 81.9% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 82.0% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 82.1% | +0.1% |
Germany compared with similar countries
- Germany's 82.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 81.3%, 1.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Germany's 82.1% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 69.6%, 1.2× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 72.9% | 70.4% | 75.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 77.9% | 75.7% | 79.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 79.8% | 79.7% | 79.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 80.0% | 79.9% | 80.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 80.0% | 80.0% | 80.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 80.2% | 80.1% | 80.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 80.7% | 80.3% | 81.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 81.8% | 81.5% | 82.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Germany
- 59 Norway 83.6% compare
- 60 United Kingdom 83.3% compare
- 61 Canada 82.9% compare
- 63 Falkland Islands 81.5% compare
- 64 Bahamas 81.3% compare
- 65 South Korea 81.2% compare
More population data for Germany
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.0436 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.8968 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.0436 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1409 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 78,932 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.1335 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3367 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.0% (2100)
- Population density 202.93 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 3.11 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Germany?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Germany was 82.1% 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 Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 82.1% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 70.4% in 1950.
- How does Germany rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Germany ranks 62nd out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Germany 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.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.