Urban population growth (annual %) in European Union
European Union: Urban population growth (annual %) was 0.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population growth in European Union, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2025, urban population growth in European Union stood at 0.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 18.0% on the previous year and down 10.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in European Union peaked at 2.1% in 1964 and was at its lowest, -0.0%, in 2021.
That places European Union 45th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population growth (annual %) in European Union, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.8% | — |
| 1962 | 1.8% | +2.5% |
| 1963 | 1.9% | +5.3% |
| 1964 | 2.1% | +8.0% |
| 1965 | 2.0% | -2.2% |
| 1966 | 1.9% | -7.2% |
| 1967 | 1.8% | -7.7% |
| 1968 | 1.6% | -9.4% |
| 1969 | 1.5% | -3.6% |
| 1970 | 1.3% | -13.4% |
| 1971 | 1.2% | -5.8% |
| 1972 | 1.3% | +6.6% |
| 1973 | 1.3% | -4.4% |
| 1974 | 1.2% | -5.0% |
| 1975 | 1.0% | -17.7% |
| 1976 | 1.0% | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 0.9% | -7.1% |
| 1978 | 0.8% | -10.7% |
| 1979 | 0.8% | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 1.0% | +17.4% |
| 1981 | 0.8% | -16.7% |
| 1982 | 0.6% | -20.6% |
| 1983 | 0.6% | -10.4% |
| 1984 | 0.5% | -7.7% |
| 1985 | 0.5% | -10.5% |
| 1986 | 0.5% | +13.8% |
| 1987 | 0.6% | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 0.6% | +4.0% |
| 1989 | 0.6% | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 0.5% | -9.2% |
| 1991 | 0.5% | -9.0% |
| 1992 | 0.5% | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 0.5% | +6.6% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | -14.9% |
| 1995 | 0.4% | -18.7% |
| 1996 | 0.4% | +12.2% |
| 1997 | 0.5% | +14.6% |
| 1998 | 0.3% | -24.7% |
| 1999 | 0.3% | -2.2% |
| 2000 | 0.4% | +14.8% |
| 2001 | 0.5% | +21.6% |
| 2002 | 0.5% | +7.2% |
| 2003 | 0.6% | +14.4% |
| 2004 | 0.6% | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 0.6% | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 0.6% | -6.8% |
| 2007 | 0.5% | -6.3% |
| 2008 | 0.5% | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 0.4% | -17.8% |
| 2010 | 0.4% | -10.6% |
| 2011 | -0.0% | -101.7% |
| 2012 | 0.3% | -5320.2% |
| 2013 | 0.3% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 0.3% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | +31.9% |
| 2016 | 0.5% | +12.3% |
| 2017 | 0.3% | -41.4% |
| 2018 | 0.3% | +20.8% |
| 2019 | 0.4% | +6.3% |
| 2020 | 0.1% | -69.4% |
| 2021 | -0.0% | -112.4% |
| 2022 | 0.4% | -2808.9% |
| 2023 | 0.5% | +45.5% |
| 2024 | 0.5% | -13.2% |
| 2025 | 0.4% | -18.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban population growth (annual %) in European Union changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | +5320.2% | -0.0% | 0.3% |
| 2022 | +2808.9% | -0.0% | 0.4% |
| 2021 | -112.4% | 0.1% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | -101.7% | 0.4% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.8% | 1.5% | 2.1% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.1% | 0.8% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.6% | 0.5% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3% | -0.0% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3% | -0.0% | 0.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near European Union
More climate change data for European Union
- Population, total, annual growth rate 0.1997 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population growth 0.2% (2025)
- Population, total 451.13 million (2025)
- Urban population 339.13 million (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 0.3919 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.7517 units per person (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population, total, per square kilometre 112.55 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Urban population, per square kilometre 84.3 units per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in European Union?
- Urban population growth in European Union was 0.4% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 2.1% in 1964.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.0% in 2021.
- How does European Union rank for urban population growth?
- European Union ranks 45th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this European Union data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual urban population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear urban population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank total population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.