Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in China
China: Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 was 66.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
66.3%
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
117th
of 238 countries
All-time high
66.3%
in 2025
All-time low
5.0%
in 1400
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in China, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2023); 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 areas projected to 2050 in China is 66.3%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
The figure is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 15.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in China peaked at 66.3% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 5.0%, in 1400.
China ranks 117th of 238 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 5.0% | — |
| 1100 | 5.0% | +0.0% |
| 1200 | 5.0% | +0.0% |
| 1300 | 5.0% | +0.0% |
| 1400 | 5.0% | -0.0% |
| 1500 | 6.5% | +30.0% |
| 1600 | 7.0% | +7.7% |
| 1700 | 6.0% | -14.3% |
| 1710 | 6.0% | +0.0% |
| 1720 | 6.0% | +0.0% |
| 1730 | 6.0% | +0.0% |
| 1740 | 6.0% | +0.0% |
| 1750 | 6.0% | +0.0% |
| 1760 | 6.0% | +0.0% |
| 1770 | 6.0% | +0.0% |
| 1780 | 6.0% | +0.0% |
| 1790 | 6.0% | +0.0% |
| 1800 | 6.0% | -0.0% |
| 1810 | 6.0% | +0.0% |
| 1820 | 6.0% | -0.0% |
| 1830 | 6.1% | +1.0% |
| 1840 | 6.1% | +1.0% |
| 1850 | 6.2% | +1.0% |
| 1860 | 6.2% | +1.0% |
| 1870 | 6.3% | +1.0% |
| 1880 | 6.4% | +1.0% |
| 1890 | 6.4% | +1.0% |
| 1900 | 6.5% | +1.0% |
| 1910 | 6.6% | +1.0% |
| 1920 | 6.6% | +1.0% |
| 1930 | 7.0% | +5.6% |
| 1940 | 8.0% | +14.3% |
| 1950 | 11.2% | +39.8% |
| 1951 | 11.8% | +5.4% |
| 1952 | 12.5% | +5.8% |
| 1953 | 13.0% | +4.3% |
| 1954 | 13.7% | +5.3% |
| 1955 | 13.5% | -1.5% |
| 1956 | 14.6% | +8.5% |
| 1957 | 15.4% | +5.3% |
| 1958 | 16.2% | +5.6% |
| 1959 | 18.4% | +13.3% |
| 1960 | 19.7% | +7.3% |
| 1961 | 19.3% | -2.3% |
| 1962 | 17.3% | -10.2% |
| 1963 | 16.8% | -2.8% |
| 1964 | 18.3% | +8.7% |
| 1965 | 18.0% | -1.7% |
| 1966 | 17.9% | -0.7% |
| 1967 | 17.7% | -0.7% |
| 1968 | 17.6% | -0.7% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | -0.7% |
| 1970 | 17.4% | -0.7% |
| 1971 | 17.3% | -0.7% |
| 1972 | 17.1% | -0.7% |
| 1973 | 17.2% | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 17.2% | -0.2% |
| 1975 | 17.3% | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 17.4% | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 17.6% | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 17.9% | +2.1% |
| 1979 | 19.0% | +5.8% |
| 1980 | 19.4% | +2.3% |
| 1981 | 20.2% | +3.9% |
| 1982 | 20.6% | +2.0% |
| 1983 | 21.6% | +5.1% |
| 1984 | 23.0% | +6.4% |
| 1985 | 23.7% | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 24.5% | +3.5% |
| 1987 | 25.3% | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 25.8% | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 26.2% | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 26.2% | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 26.9% | +2.8% |
| 1992 | 27.5% | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 28.0% | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 28.5% | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 29.0% | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 30.5% | +5.0% |
| 1997 | 31.9% | +4.7% |
| 1998 | 33.4% | +4.5% |
| 1999 | 34.8% | +4.3% |
| 2000 | 36.4% | +4.8% |
| 2001 | 37.7% | +3.4% |
| 2002 | 39.1% | +3.8% |
| 2003 | 40.5% | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 41.8% | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 43.0% | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 44.3% | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 45.9% | +3.5% |
| 2008 | 47.0% | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 48.3% | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 49.2% | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 51.8% | +5.3% |
| 2012 | 53.1% | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 54.5% | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 55.8% | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 57.3% | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 58.8% | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 60.2% | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 61.5% | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 62.7% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 63.5% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 64.7% | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 65.2% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 65.5% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 65.9% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 66.3% | +0.7% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 66.3% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 65.5%, 1.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 66.3% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 65.4%, 1.0× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | +39.8% | 8.0% | 11.2% |
| 1500 | +30.0% | 5.0% | 6.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 6.5% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 1 |
| 1600s | 7.0% | 7.0% | 7.0% | 1 |
| 1700s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1710s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1720s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1730s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1740s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1750s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1760s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1770s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1780s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1790s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1800s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1810s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1820s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1830s | 6.1% | 6.1% | 6.1% | 1 |
| 1840s | 6.1% | 6.1% | 6.1% | 1 |
| 1850s | 6.2% | 6.2% | 6.2% | 1 |
| 1860s | 6.2% | 6.2% | 6.2% | 1 |
| 1870s | 6.3% | 6.3% | 6.3% | 1 |
| 1880s | 6.4% | 6.4% | 6.4% | 1 |
| 1890s | 6.4% | 6.4% | 6.4% | 1 |
| 1900s | 6.5% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 1 |
| 1910s | 6.6% | 6.6% | 6.6% | 1 |
| 1920s | 6.6% | 6.6% | 6.6% | 1 |
| 1930s | 7.0% | 7.0% | 7.0% | 1 |
| 1940s | 8.0% | 8.0% | 8.0% | 1 |
| 1950s | 14.0% | 11.2% | 18.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 18.0% | 16.8% | 19.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 17.5% | 17.1% | 19.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 23.0% | 19.4% | 26.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 29.7% | 26.2% | 34.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 42.4% | 36.4% | 48.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 56.5% | 49.2% | 62.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 65.2% | 63.5% | 66.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More population data for China
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -12.97 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.19 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 1.31 million Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.1671 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3489 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -1.7% (2100)
- Population density 67.46 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 15.54 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in China?
- Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in China was 66.3% in 2025, according to HYDE (2023); 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 areas projected to 2050 recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 66.3% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.0% in 1400.
- How does China rank for share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050?
- China ranks 117th out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2023); 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 areas projected to 2050. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modeled historical data.