Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in United States
United States: Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita was 80.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
80.2%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
69th
of 236 countries
All-time high
80.7%
in 2010
All-time low
64.0%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in United States, 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 United States stood at 80.2%.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in United States peaked at 80.7% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 64.0%, in 1950.
That places United States 69th 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 United States, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 64.0% | — |
| 1951 | 64.6% | +1.0% |
| 1952 | 65.3% | +1.0% |
| 1953 | 66.0% | +1.0% |
| 1954 | 66.6% | +1.0% |
| 1955 | 67.3% | +1.0% |
| 1956 | 67.9% | +0.9% |
| 1957 | 68.5% | +0.9% |
| 1958 | 69.0% | +0.8% |
| 1959 | 69.5% | +0.7% |
| 1960 | 70.0% | +0.7% |
| 1961 | 70.4% | +0.7% |
| 1962 | 70.9% | +0.7% |
| 1963 | 71.4% | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 71.9% | +0.6% |
| 1965 | 72.3% | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 72.7% | +0.5% |
| 1967 | 73.0% | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 73.2% | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 73.4% | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 73.5% | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 73.5% | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 73.6% | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 73.6% | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 73.6% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 73.6% | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 73.6% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 73.7% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 73.7% | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 73.7% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 73.8% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 73.8% | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 73.9% | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 74.0% | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 74.2% | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 74.3% | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 74.5% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 74.7% | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 74.8% | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 75.1% | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 75.3% | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 75.5% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 75.9% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 76.3% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 76.7% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 77.2% | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 77.7% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 78.1% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 78.5% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 78.8% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 79.1% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 79.3% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 79.5% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 79.8% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 80.0% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 80.2% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 80.4% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 80.5% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 80.6% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 80.7% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 80.7% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 80.7% | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 80.7% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 80.7% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 80.6% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 80.6% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 80.5% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 80.4% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 80.3% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 80.1% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 80.0% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 80.0% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 80.0% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 80.1% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 80.1% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 80.2% | +0.1% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 80.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 81.3%, 99% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 66.9% | 64.0% | 69.5% | 10 |
| 1960s | 71.9% | 70.0% | 73.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 73.6% | 73.5% | 73.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 74.3% | 73.8% | 75.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 77.0% | 75.3% | 78.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 80.0% | 79.1% | 80.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 80.5% | 80.1% | 80.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 80.1% | 80.0% | 80.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 66 Bonaire Sint Eustatius and Saba 81.1% compare
- 67 Spain 80.5% compare
- 68 American Samoa 80.5% compare
- 70 Mexico 80.0% compare
- 71 Costa Rica 79.7% compare
- 72 Belarus 79.5% compare
More population data for United States
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.0241 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.1369 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.8 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.1369 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.1% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 19.91 million people (2100)
- Population density 46.05 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.1% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.1565 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.4762 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in United States?
- Share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in United States was 80.2% 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 States?
- The highest recorded value was 80.7% in 2010.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 64.0% in 1950.
- How does United States rank for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita?
- United States ranks 69th 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 States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States 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.