Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Samoa
Samoa: Number of people living in urban and rural areas was 38,393 people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
38,393 people
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
207th
of 236 countries
All-time high
40,479 people
in 2002
All-time low
11,233 people
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Number of people 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 people.
Analysis
In 2025, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Samoa stood at 38,393 people.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and down 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Samoa peaked at 40,479 people in 2002 and was at its lowest, 11,233 people, in 1950.
That places Samoa 207th 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 Samoa, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 11,233 people | — |
| 1951 | 12,386 people | +10.3% |
| 1952 | 13,892 people | +12.2% |
| 1953 | 15,411 people | +10.9% |
| 1954 | 16,811 people | +9.1% |
| 1955 | 17,992 people | +7.0% |
| 1956 | 18,846 people | +4.8% |
| 1957 | 19,457 people | +3.2% |
| 1958 | 20,057 people | +3.1% |
| 1959 | 20,650 people | +3.0% |
| 1960 | 21,252 people | +2.9% |
| 1961 | 21,885 people | +3.0% |
| 1962 | 22,553 people | +3.1% |
| 1963 | 23,238 people | +3.0% |
| 1964 | 23,927 people | +3.0% |
| 1965 | 24,627 people | +2.9% |
| 1966 | 25,357 people | +3.0% |
| 1967 | 26,078 people | +2.8% |
| 1968 | 26,858 people | +3.0% |
| 1969 | 27,714 people | +3.2% |
| 1970 | 28,567 people | +3.1% |
| 1971 | 29,322 people | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 29,959 people | +2.2% |
| 1973 | 30,554 people | +2.0% |
| 1974 | 31,324 people | +2.5% |
| 1975 | 32,276 people | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 33,160 people | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 33,772 people | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 34,160 people | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 34,516 people | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 34,848 people | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 35,148 people | +0.9% |
| 1982 | 35,263 people | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 35,057 people | -0.6% |
| 1984 | 34,721 people | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 34,397 people | -0.9% |
| 1986 | 34,246 people | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 34,388 people | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 34,713 people | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 35,076 people | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 35,435 people | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 35,758 people | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 36,155 people | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 36,652 people | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 37,141 people | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 37,636 people | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 38,143 people | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 38,632 people | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 39,074 people | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 39,493 people | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 39,885 people | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 40,251 people | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 40,479 people | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 40,388 people | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 40,096 people | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 39,705 people | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 39,338 people | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 39,061 people | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 38,789 people | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 38,503 people | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 38,277 people | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 38,198 people | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 38,275 people | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 38,437 people | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 38,632 people | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 38,811 people | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 38,922 people | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 38,958 people | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 38,868 people | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 38,630 people | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 38,259 people | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 37,555 people | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 37,672 people | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 37,919 people | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 38,160 people | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 38,393 people | +0.6% |
Samoa compared with similar countries
- Samoa's 38,393 people is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.47 million people, 1% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Samoa's 38,393 people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 722,007 people, 5% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 16,674 people | 11,233 people | 20,650 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 24,349 people | 21,252 people | 27,714 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 31,761 people | 28,567 people | 34,516 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 34,786 people | 34,246 people | 35,263 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 37,412 people | 35,435 people | 39,493 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 39,650 people | 38,503 people | 40,479 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 38,601 people | 38,198 people | 38,958 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 37,993 people | 37,555 people | 38,393 people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Samoa
More population data for Samoa
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.1344 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.3243 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.3% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 25,608 people (2100)
- Population density 137.97 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.3% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3812 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.35 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas in Samoa?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Samoa was 38,393 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 Samoa?
- The highest recorded value was 40,479 people in 2002.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Samoa?
- The lowest recorded value was 11,233 people in 1950.
- How does Samoa rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas?
- Samoa ranks 207th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Samoa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.1%. 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 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.