Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Barbados
Barbados: Number of people living in urban and rural areas was 168,725 people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
168,725 people
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
186th
of 236 countries
All-time high
168,725 people
in 2025
All-time low
83,295 people
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Barbados, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2025, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Barbados stood at 168,725 people. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 2.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Barbados peaked at 168,725 people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 83,295 people, in 1950.
That places Barbados 186th 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.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Barbados, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 83,295 people | — |
| 1951 | 84,764 people | +1.8% |
| 1952 | 86,105 people | +1.6% |
| 1953 | 87,314 people | +1.4% |
| 1954 | 88,382 people | +1.2% |
| 1955 | 89,235 people | +1.0% |
| 1956 | 89,900 people | +0.7% |
| 1957 | 90,608 people | +0.8% |
| 1958 | 91,406 people | +0.9% |
| 1959 | 92,244 people | +0.9% |
| 1960 | 93,351 people | +1.2% |
| 1961 | 94,653 people | +1.4% |
| 1962 | 96,095 people | +1.5% |
| 1963 | 97,839 people | +1.8% |
| 1964 | 99,803 people | +2.0% |
| 1965 | 101,975 people | +2.2% |
| 1966 | 104,376 people | +2.4% |
| 1967 | 106,737 people | +2.3% |
| 1968 | 108,971 people | +2.1% |
| 1969 | 111,098 people | +2.0% |
| 1970 | 113,021 people | +1.7% |
| 1971 | 116,010 people | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 120,828 people | +4.2% |
| 1973 | 126,763 people | +4.9% |
| 1974 | 133,206 people | +5.1% |
| 1975 | 139,806 people | +5.0% |
| 1976 | 146,090 people | +4.5% |
| 1977 | 151,653 people | +3.8% |
| 1978 | 155,952 people | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 158,584 people | +1.7% |
| 1980 | 159,622 people | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 160,139 people | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 160,705 people | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 161,313 people | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 161,936 people | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 162,535 people | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 163,065 people | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 163,504 people | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 163,823 people | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 164,050 people | +0.1% |
| 1990 | 164,351 people | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 164,806 people | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 165,259 people | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 165,566 people | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 165,714 people | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 165,704 people | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 165,544 people | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 165,266 people | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 164,923 people | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 164,587 people | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 163,889 people | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 163,504 people | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 163,681 people | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 163,597 people | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 163,324 people | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 162,941 people | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 162,531 people | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 162,241 people | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 162,246 people | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 162,539 people | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 163,045 people | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 163,576 people | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 164,050 people | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 164,485 people | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 164,896 people | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 165,288 people | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 165,665 people | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 166,027 people | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 166,378 people | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 166,711 people | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 167,051 people | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 167,375 people | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 167,567 people | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 167,774 people | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 168,180 people | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 168,725 people | +0.3% |
Barbados compared with similar countries
- Barbados's 168,725 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.22 million people, 8% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Barbados's 168,725 people is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 2.35 million people, 7% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 88,325 people | 83,295 people | 92,244 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 101,490 people | 93,351 people | 111,098 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 136,191 people | 113,021 people | 158,584 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 162,069 people | 159,622 people | 164,050 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 165,172 people | 164,351 people | 165,714 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 163,049 people | 162,241 people | 163,889 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 165,012 people | 163,045 people | 166,711 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 167,779 people | 167,051 people | 168,725 people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Barbados
More population data for Barbados
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.6177 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.7043 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -4.04 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.7043 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.7% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 8,035 people (2100)
- Population density 452.82 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.9003 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.0106 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas in Barbados?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Barbados was 168,725 people 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 number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Barbados?
- The highest recorded value was 168,725 people in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Barbados?
- The lowest recorded value was 83,295 people in 1950.
- How does Barbados rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas?
- Barbados ranks 186th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Barbados?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Barbados 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 Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.