Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in China
China: Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita was 66.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in China, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in China stood at 66.3%. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it 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 vs. gdp per capita in China peaked at 66.3% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 11.2%, in 1950.
China ranks 115th of 236 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 growth rate, by level of development -1.7% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 15.54 million people (2100)
- Population density 67.46 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -1.7% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 1.01 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 303,405 people (2020)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 1.01 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 1.01 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate -0.2% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 0.999 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in China?
- Share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in China was 66.3% 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 share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 66.3% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.2% in 1950.
- How does China rank for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita?
- China ranks 115th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita 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 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 vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 76 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.