Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Iran
Iran: Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita was 77.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
77.4%
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
82nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
77.4%
in 2025
All-time low
27.5%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Iran, 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
Iran recorded 77.4% for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.5% on the previous year and up 5.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Iran peaked at 77.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 27.5%, in 1950.
That places Iran 82nd out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Iran, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 27.5% | — |
| 1951 | 28.1% | +2.1% |
| 1952 | 28.7% | +2.1% |
| 1953 | 29.3% | +2.1% |
| 1954 | 29.9% | +2.1% |
| 1955 | 30.5% | +2.1% |
| 1956 | 31.2% | +2.1% |
| 1957 | 31.9% | +2.3% |
| 1958 | 32.6% | +2.2% |
| 1959 | 33.3% | +2.1% |
| 1960 | 34.0% | +2.0% |
| 1961 | 34.6% | +1.9% |
| 1962 | 35.3% | +1.9% |
| 1963 | 35.9% | +1.9% |
| 1964 | 36.6% | +1.9% |
| 1965 | 37.1% | +1.4% |
| 1966 | 37.7% | +1.5% |
| 1967 | 38.9% | +3.1% |
| 1968 | 39.7% | +2.3% |
| 1969 | 40.6% | +2.2% |
| 1970 | 41.5% | +2.2% |
| 1971 | 42.4% | +2.2% |
| 1972 | 43.3% | +2.1% |
| 1973 | 44.3% | +2.1% |
| 1974 | 45.2% | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 46.1% | +2.0% |
| 1976 | 46.8% | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 47.8% | +2.1% |
| 1978 | 48.5% | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 49.2% | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 49.9% | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 50.7% | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 51.4% | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 52.1% | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 52.8% | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 53.6% | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 54.2% | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 54.8% | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 55.4% | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 55.9% | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 56.5% | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 56.9% | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 57.9% | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 58.7% | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 59.6% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 60.4% | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 61.1% | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 62.1% | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 62.9% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 63.7% | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 64.5% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 65.2% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 65.9% | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 66.6% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 67.3% | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 67.9% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 68.3% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 68.8% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 69.4% | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 70.0% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 70.6% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 71.2% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 71.8% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 72.3% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 72.8% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 73.4% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 73.9% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 74.4% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 74.8% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 75.2% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 75.6% | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 76.0% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 76.3% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 76.7% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 77.0% | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 77.4% | +0.5% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 77.4% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 65.5%, 1.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iran's 77.4% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 79.5%, 97% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 30.3% | 27.5% | 33.3% | 10 |
| 1960s | 37.1% | 34.0% | 40.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 45.5% | 41.5% | 49.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 53.1% | 49.9% | 55.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 60.0% | 56.5% | 63.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 67.4% | 64.5% | 70.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 73.0% | 70.6% | 75.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 76.5% | 75.6% | 77.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More population data for Iran
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.5902 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.6632 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.91 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.6632 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.7% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 3.09 million people (2100)
- Population density 49.33 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.5653 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.4819 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Iran?
- Share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Iran was 77.4% 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 Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 77.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.5% in 1950.
- How does Iran rank for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita?
- Iran ranks 82nd out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iran 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.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.