Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Samoa
Samoa: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 17.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
17.5%
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
231st
of 236 countries
All-time high
22.0%
in 2001
All-time low
12.7%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Samoa, 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 Samoa is 17.5%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Samoa peaked at 22.0% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 12.7%, in 1950.
That places Samoa 231st out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
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 Samoa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 12.7% | — |
| 1951 | 13.7% | +7.5% |
| 1952 | 15.0% | +9.5% |
| 1953 | 16.3% | +8.5% |
| 1954 | 17.4% | +6.7% |
| 1955 | 18.2% | +4.7% |
| 1956 | 18.6% | +2.4% |
| 1957 | 18.7% | +0.7% |
| 1958 | 18.8% | +0.4% |
| 1959 | 18.8% | +0.3% |
| 1960 | 18.9% | +0.2% |
| 1961 | 18.9% | +0.3% |
| 1962 | 19.0% | +0.4% |
| 1963 | 19.1% | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 19.2% | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 19.2% | +0.4% |
| 1966 | 19.3% | +0.5% |
| 1967 | 19.5% | +0.8% |
| 1968 | 19.7% | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 20.0% | +1.5% |
| 1970 | 20.3% | +1.5% |
| 1971 | 20.6% | +1.1% |
| 1972 | 20.7% | +0.7% |
| 1973 | 20.9% | +0.6% |
| 1974 | 21.0% | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 21.0% | +0.4% |
| 1976 | 21.1% | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 21.1% | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 21.2% | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 21.2% | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 21.2% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 21.2% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 21.2% | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 21.0% | -0.7% |
| 1984 | 20.8% | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 20.6% | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 20.5% | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 20.5% | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 20.6% | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 20.8% | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 21.0% | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 21.1% | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 21.2% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 21.3% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 21.4% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 21.6% | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 21.7% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 21.8% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 21.8% | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 21.9% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 22.0% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 22.0% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 21.9% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 21.8% | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 21.5% | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 21.2% | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 21.0% | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 20.7% | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 20.4% | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 20.1% | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 19.8% | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 19.6% | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 19.5% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 19.4% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 19.3% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 19.2% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 19.1% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 19.0% | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 18.7% | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 18.4% | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 18.1% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 17.6% | -2.7% |
| 2022 | 17.5% | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 17.5% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 17.5% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 17.5% | +0.0% |
Samoa compared with similar countries
- Samoa's 17.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 65.5%, 27% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Samoa's 17.5% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 65.4%, 27% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 16.8% | 12.7% | 18.8% | 10 |
| 1960s | 19.3% | 18.9% | 20.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 20.9% | 20.3% | 21.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 20.8% | 20.5% | 21.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.5% | 21.0% | 21.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.3% | 20.1% | 22.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.2% | 18.4% | 19.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.6% | 17.5% | 18.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Samoa
- 228 Sri Lanka 20.5% compare
- 229 Niger 18.4% compare
- 230 Malawi 17.6% compare
- 232 Papua New Guinea 15.8% compare
- 233 Liechtenstein 14.6% compare
- 234 Montserrat 9.0% compare
More population data for Samoa
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.3243 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.5509 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.3243 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.1344 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 320.02 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.35 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3812 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.3% (2100)
- Population density 137.97 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 25,608 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Samoa?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Samoa was 17.5% 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 Samoa?
- The highest recorded value was 22.0% in 2001.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Samoa?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.7% in 1950.
- How does Samoa rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Samoa ranks 231st out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Samoa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Samoa 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.