Urban and rural population in Cook Islands
Cook Islands: Urban and rural population was 10,199 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
10,199
Change on year
down 3.1%
World rank
226th
of 236 countries
All-time high
13,027
in 2012
All-time low
5,503
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Urban and rural population in Cook Islands, 1950–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Cook Islands recorded 10,199 for urban and rural population in 2025.
That represents a change of down 3.1% on the previous year and down 21.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban and rural population in Cook Islands peaked at 13,027 in 2012 and was at its lowest, 5,503, in 1950.
That places Cook Islands 226th 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.
Urban and rural population in Cook Islands, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 5,503 | — |
| 1951 | 5,781 | +5.1% |
| 1952 | 6,035 | +4.4% |
| 1953 | 6,287 | +4.2% |
| 1954 | 6,546 | +4.1% |
| 1955 | 6,808 | +4.0% |
| 1956 | 7,067 | +3.8% |
| 1957 | 7,362 | +4.2% |
| 1958 | 7,674 | +4.2% |
| 1959 | 8,001 | +4.3% |
| 1960 | 8,346 | +4.3% |
| 1961 | 8,689 | +4.1% |
| 1962 | 8,963 | +3.2% |
| 1963 | 9,175 | +2.4% |
| 1964 | 9,389 | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 9,607 | +2.3% |
| 1966 | 9,834 | +2.4% |
| 1967 | 10,095 | +2.7% |
| 1968 | 10,385 | +2.9% |
| 1969 | 10,680 | +2.8% |
| 1970 | 10,970 | +2.7% |
| 1971 | 11,221 | +2.3% |
| 1972 | 11,191 | -0.3% |
| 1973 | 10,892 | -2.7% |
| 1974 | 10,564 | -3.0% |
| 1975 | 10,214 | -3.3% |
| 1976 | 9,868 | -3.4% |
| 1977 | 9,683 | -1.9% |
| 1978 | 9,636 | -0.5% |
| 1979 | 9,577 | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 9,513 | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 9,452 | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 9,387 | -0.7% |
| 1983 | 9,334 | -0.6% |
| 1984 | 9,296 | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 9,263 | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 9,226 | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 9,300 | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 9,506 | +2.2% |
| 1989 | 9,721 | +2.3% |
| 1990 | 9,930 | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 10,106 | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 10,224 | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 10,305 | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 10,368 | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 10,429 | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 10,483 | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 10,409 | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 10,335 | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 10,330 | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 10,306 | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 10,199 | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 10,225 | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 10,442 | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 10,638 | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 10,812 | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 10,964 | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 11,240 | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 11,642 | +3.6% |
| 2009 | 12,043 | +3.4% |
| 2010 | 12,446 | +3.3% |
| 2011 | 12,835 | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 13,027 | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 13,026 | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 13,011 | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 12,984 | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 12,933 | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 12,759 | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 12,463 | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 12,152 | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 11,825 | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 11,515 | -2.6% |
| 2022 | 11,205 | -2.7% |
| 2023 | 10,861 | -3.1% |
| 2024 | 10,520 | -3.1% |
| 2025 | 10,199 | -3.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 6,707 | 5,503 | 8,001 | 10 |
| 1960s | 9,516 | 8,346 | 10,680 | 10 |
| 1970s | 10,382 | 9,577 | 11,221 | 10 |
| 1980s | 9,400 | 9,226 | 9,721 | 10 |
| 1990s | 10,292 | 9,930 | 10,483 | 10 |
| 2000s | 10,851 | 10,199 | 12,043 | 10 |
| 2010s | 12,764 | 12,152 | 13,027 | 10 |
| 2020s | 11,021 | 10,199 | 11,825 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Cook Islands
- 223 Palau 14,004 compare
- 224 Nauru 12,025 compare
- 225 Saint Barthelemy 11,414 compare
- 227 Tuvalu 6,212 compare
- 228 Liechtenstein 5,871 compare
- 229 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 5,026 compare
More population data for Cook Islands
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.4399 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -3.03 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.4399 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.3917 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 1.52 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.367 (2100)
- Population density 33.01 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 335 (2100)
- Population growth rate by level of development -0.367 (2100)
- Urbanization vs gdp, annual growth rate 0.3475 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban and rural population in Cook Islands?
- Urban and rural population in Cook Islands was 10,199 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest urban and rural population recorded in Cook Islands?
- The highest recorded value was 13,027 in 2012.
- What is the lowest urban and rural population recorded in Cook Islands?
- The lowest recorded value was 5,503 in 1950.
- How does Cook Islands rank for urban and rural population?
- Cook Islands ranks 226th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban and rural population rising or falling in Cook Islands?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Cook Islands data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Urban and rural population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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