Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Mexico
Mexico: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 80.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Mexico, 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 Mexico stood at 80.0%. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 3.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Mexico peaked at 80.0% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 42.6%, in 1950.
Mexico ranks 70th 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 46.3% | 42.6% | 49.9% | 10 |
| 1960s | 54.5% | 50.7% | 58.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 62.5% | 59.0% | 65.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 68.8% | 66.3% | 71.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 73.1% | 71.5% | 74.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 76.1% | 74.9% | 76.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 77.2% | 76.5% | 78.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 79.3% | 78.7% | 80.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Mexico
- 67 Spain 80.5% compare
- 68 American Samoa 80.5% compare
- 69 United States 80.2% compare
- 71 Costa Rica 79.7% compare
- 72 Belarus 79.5% compare
- 73 Oman 79.5% compare
More population data for Mexico
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.6% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 5.55 million people (2100)
- Population density 67 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.6% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 1.89 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 150,836 people (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 1.89 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 1.89 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 1.0% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 1.91 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Mexico?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Mexico was 80.0% 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 Mexico?
- The highest recorded value was 80.0% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Mexico?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.6% in 1950.
- How does Mexico rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Mexico ranks 70th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Mexico?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Mexico 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.