Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 was 79.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
79.7%
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
71st
of 238 countries
All-time high
79.7%
in 2025
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Costa Rica, 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 Costa Rica is 79.7%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.5% on the previous year and up 6.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Costa Rica peaked at 79.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
Costa Rica ranks 71st 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 Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.4% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 1.1% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 3.4% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 3.8% | +12.7% |
| 1720 | 4.2% | +9.5% |
| 1730 | 4.6% | +9.5% |
| 1740 | 5.0% | +9.5% |
| 1750 | 5.5% | +9.5% |
| 1760 | 6.0% | +9.5% |
| 1770 | 6.6% | +9.5% |
| 1780 | 7.2% | +9.5% |
| 1790 | 7.9% | +9.5% |
| 1800 | 8.6% | +9.5% |
| 1810 | 9.4% | +9.5% |
| 1820 | 10.3% | +9.5% |
| 1830 | 11.3% | +9.5% |
| 1840 | 12.4% | +9.5% |
| 1850 | 13.6% | +9.5% |
| 1860 | 14.9% | +9.5% |
| 1870 | 16.3% | +9.5% |
| 1880 | 17.8% | +9.5% |
| 1890 | 19.5% | +9.5% |
| 1900 | 21.4% | +9.5% |
| 1910 | 23.4% | +9.5% |
| 1920 | 25.7% | +9.5% |
| 1930 | 28.1% | +9.5% |
| 1940 | 30.8% | +9.5% |
| 1950 | 33.5% | +8.8% |
| 1951 | 33.5% | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 33.5% | +0.1% |
| 1953 | 33.6% | +0.1% |
| 1954 | 33.6% | +0.1% |
| 1955 | 33.7% | +0.2% |
| 1956 | 33.7% | +0.2% |
| 1957 | 33.8% | +0.2% |
| 1958 | 33.9% | +0.3% |
| 1959 | 34.0% | +0.3% |
| 1960 | 34.1% | +0.3% |
| 1961 | 34.2% | +0.3% |
| 1962 | 34.3% | +0.4% |
| 1963 | 34.5% | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 34.8% | +0.8% |
| 1965 | 35.2% | +1.3% |
| 1966 | 35.8% | +1.7% |
| 1967 | 36.5% | +1.9% |
| 1968 | 37.3% | +2.1% |
| 1969 | 38.0% | +2.1% |
| 1970 | 38.8% | +2.0% |
| 1971 | 39.5% | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 40.2% | +1.6% |
| 1973 | 40.7% | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 41.1% | +1.0% |
| 1975 | 41.4% | +0.9% |
| 1976 | 41.7% | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 42.0% | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 42.3% | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 42.6% | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 42.9% | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 43.2% | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 43.5% | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 43.9% | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 44.4% | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 44.9% | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 45.5% | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 46.1% | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 46.9% | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 47.7% | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 48.6% | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 49.5% | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 50.5% | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 51.5% | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 52.5% | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 53.6% | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 54.7% | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 55.8% | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 56.9% | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 58.0% | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 59.0% | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 60.1% | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 61.3% | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 62.5% | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 63.7% | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 64.9% | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 66.2% | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 67.5% | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 68.8% | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 70.1% | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 71.5% | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 72.8% | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 73.4% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 73.9% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 74.5% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 75.0% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 75.5% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 76.1% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 76.6% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 77.0% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 77.5% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 78.0% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 78.4% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 78.9% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 79.3% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 79.7% | +0.5% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 79.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 81.3%, 98% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 79.7% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 72.0%, 1.1× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Costa Rica 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.4% | 1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1600s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1 |
| 1700s | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 1 |
| 1710s | 3.8% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 1 |
| 1720s | 4.2% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 1 |
| 1730s | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 1 |
| 1740s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1750s | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 1 |
| 1760s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1770s | 6.6% | 6.6% | 6.6% | 1 |
| 1780s | 7.2% | 7.2% | 7.2% | 1 |
| 1790s | 7.9% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 1 |
| 1800s | 8.6% | 8.6% | 8.6% | 1 |
| 1810s | 9.4% | 9.4% | 9.4% | 1 |
| 1820s | 10.3% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 1 |
| 1830s | 11.3% | 11.3% | 11.3% | 1 |
| 1840s | 12.4% | 12.4% | 12.4% | 1 |
| 1850s | 13.6% | 13.6% | 13.6% | 1 |
| 1860s | 14.9% | 14.9% | 14.9% | 1 |
| 1870s | 16.3% | 16.3% | 16.3% | 1 |
| 1880s | 17.8% | 17.8% | 17.8% | 1 |
| 1890s | 19.5% | 19.5% | 19.5% | 1 |
| 1900s | 21.4% | 21.4% | 21.4% | 1 |
| 1910s | 23.4% | 23.4% | 23.4% | 1 |
| 1920s | 25.7% | 25.7% | 25.7% | 1 |
| 1930s | 28.1% | 28.1% | 28.1% | 1 |
| 1940s | 30.8% | 30.8% | 30.8% | 1 |
| 1950s | 33.7% | 33.5% | 34.0% | 10 |
| 1960s | 35.5% | 34.1% | 38.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 41.0% | 38.8% | 42.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 44.9% | 42.9% | 47.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 53.1% | 48.6% | 58.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 64.4% | 59.0% | 70.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 74.6% | 71.5% | 77.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 78.6% | 77.5% | 79.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 68 American Samoa 80.5% compare
- 69 United States 80.2% compare
- 70 Mexico 80.0% compare
- 72 Belarus 79.5% compare
- 73 Oman 79.5% compare
- 74 Svalbard and Jan Mayen 79.3% compare
More population data for Costa Rica
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.6681 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.9965 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.2884 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.9965 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -1.0% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 123,827 people (2100)
- Population density 73.96 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -1.0% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7399 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.5224 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Costa Rica?
- Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Costa Rica was 79.7% 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 Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 79.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Costa Rica rank for share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050?
- Costa Rica ranks 71st out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica 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.