Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Switzerland
Switzerland: Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita was 85.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
85.7%
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
55th
of 236 countries
All-time high
85.7%
in 2025
All-time low
44.3%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Switzerland, 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 Switzerland stood at 85.7%. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 13.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Switzerland peaked at 85.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 44.3%, in 1950.
That places Switzerland 55th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
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 Switzerland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 44.3% | — |
| 1951 | 44.9% | +1.3% |
| 1952 | 45.5% | +1.4% |
| 1953 | 46.2% | +1.4% |
| 1954 | 46.9% | +1.5% |
| 1955 | 47.6% | +1.5% |
| 1956 | 48.3% | +1.5% |
| 1957 | 49.0% | +1.5% |
| 1958 | 49.7% | +1.4% |
| 1959 | 50.3% | +1.4% |
| 1960 | 51.0% | +1.3% |
| 1961 | 51.7% | +1.3% |
| 1962 | 52.4% | +1.3% |
| 1963 | 53.0% | +1.3% |
| 1964 | 53.7% | +1.3% |
| 1965 | 54.4% | +1.3% |
| 1966 | 55.1% | +1.2% |
| 1967 | 55.7% | +1.2% |
| 1968 | 56.3% | +1.1% |
| 1969 | 56.9% | +1.0% |
| 1970 | 57.4% | +0.9% |
| 1971 | 57.9% | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 58.3% | +0.7% |
| 1973 | 58.7% | +0.7% |
| 1974 | 59.1% | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 59.4% | +0.6% |
| 1976 | 59.7% | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 60.1% | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 60.4% | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 60.8% | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 61.3% | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 61.8% | +0.9% |
| 1982 | 62.4% | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 63.2% | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 64.0% | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 64.8% | +1.3% |
| 1986 | 65.6% | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 66.5% | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 67.3% | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 68.0% | +1.1% |
| 1990 | 68.7% | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 69.2% | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 69.8% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 70.4% | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 71.0% | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 71.5% | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 72.0% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 72.5% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 72.9% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 73.1% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 73.3% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 73.4% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 73.4% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 73.5% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 73.5% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 73.5% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 73.5% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 73.5% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 73.5% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 73.6% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 73.6% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 73.7% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 73.8% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 74.1% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 74.7% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 75.6% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 76.7% | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 77.9% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 79.3% | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 80.8% | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 82.3% | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 84.2% | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 84.9% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 85.2% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 85.5% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 85.7% | +0.3% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 85.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 81.3%, 1.1× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 85.7% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 69.6%, 1.2× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 47.3% | 44.3% | 50.3% | 10 |
| 1960s | 54.0% | 51.0% | 56.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 59.2% | 57.4% | 60.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 64.5% | 61.3% | 68.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 71.1% | 68.7% | 73.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 73.5% | 73.3% | 73.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 76.0% | 73.6% | 80.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 84.6% | 82.3% | 85.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 52 Western Sahara 86.9% compare
- 53 French Guiana 86.6% compare
- 54 United Arab Emirates 86.0% compare
- 56 Peru 85.6% compare
- 57 Saudi Arabia 84.6% compare
- 58 New Zealand 84.0% compare
More population data for Switzerland
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.0652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.0595 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.0652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2093 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 9,754 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.4828 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1371 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.0% (2100)
- Population density 230.99 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 392,499 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Switzerland?
- Share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Switzerland was 85.7% 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 Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 85.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 44.3% in 1950.
- How does Switzerland rank for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita?
- Switzerland ranks 55th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Switzerland 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.