Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita was 83.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
83.3%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
60th
of 236 countries
All-time high
83.3%
in 2025
All-time low
76.9%
in 1971
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in United Kingdom, 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
United Kingdom recorded 83.3% 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.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in United Kingdom peaked at 83.3% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 76.9%, in 1971.
United Kingdom ranks 60th of 236 countries on this measure, 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 United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 80.3% | — |
| 1951 | 80.3% | -0.0% |
| 1952 | 80.2% | -0.1% |
| 1953 | 80.1% | -0.1% |
| 1954 | 80.0% | -0.2% |
| 1955 | 79.7% | -0.3% |
| 1956 | 79.5% | -0.3% |
| 1957 | 79.3% | -0.3% |
| 1958 | 79.0% | -0.3% |
| 1959 | 78.8% | -0.3% |
| 1960 | 78.6% | -0.3% |
| 1961 | 78.4% | -0.2% |
| 1962 | 78.2% | -0.2% |
| 1963 | 78.0% | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 77.8% | -0.3% |
| 1965 | 77.6% | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 77.4% | -0.2% |
| 1967 | 77.2% | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 77.1% | -0.2% |
| 1969 | 77.0% | -0.1% |
| 1970 | 76.9% | -0.1% |
| 1971 | 76.9% | -0.0% |
| 1972 | 77.0% | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 77.1% | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 77.3% | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 77.5% | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 77.8% | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 78.1% | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 78.3% | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 78.5% | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 78.6% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 78.6% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 78.6% | -0.0% |
| 1983 | 78.5% | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 78.5% | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 78.4% | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 78.3% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 78.3% | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 78.2% | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 78.1% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 78.1% | -0.0% |
| 1991 | 78.1% | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 78.2% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 78.3% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 78.4% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 78.7% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 78.9% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 79.1% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 79.4% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 79.6% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 79.8% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 80.0% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 80.1% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 80.2% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 80.3% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 80.4% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 80.5% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 80.6% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 80.8% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 80.9% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 81.0% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 81.1% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 81.3% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 81.5% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 81.6% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 81.8% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 82.0% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 82.2% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 82.4% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 82.7% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 82.9% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 83.0% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 83.1% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 83.2% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 83.2% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 83.3% | +0.1% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 83.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 81.3%, 1.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 83.3% 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 | 79.7% | 78.8% | 80.3% | 10 |
| 1960s | 77.7% | 77.0% | 78.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 77.5% | 76.9% | 78.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 78.4% | 78.1% | 78.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 78.7% | 78.1% | 79.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 80.4% | 79.8% | 80.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 81.8% | 81.0% | 82.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 83.1% | 82.9% | 83.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 57 Saudi Arabia 84.6% compare
- 58 New Zealand 84.0% compare
- 59 Norway 83.6% compare
- 61 Canada 82.9% compare
- 62 Germany 82.1% compare
- 63 Falkland Islands 81.5% compare
More population data for United Kingdom
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1791 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.1389 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1791 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.0706 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 71,685 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.2666 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.169 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Population density 307.14 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 3.21 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in United Kingdom?
- Share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in United Kingdom was 83.3% 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 83.3% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 76.9% in 1971.
- How does United Kingdom rank for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita?
- United Kingdom ranks 60th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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.