Urban population growth (annual %) in India
India: Urban population growth (annual %) was 1.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Urban population growth in India, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2025, urban population growth in India stood at 1.8%.
The figure is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 19.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in India peaked at 4.4% in 1976 and was at its lowest, 1.7%, in 2022.
That places India 81st out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Urban population growth (annual %) in India, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.9% | — |
| 1962 | 3.0% | +2.9% |
| 1963 | 3.1% | +2.7% |
| 1964 | 3.2% | +3.0% |
| 1965 | 3.2% | -0.1% |
| 1966 | 3.2% | -1.1% |
| 1967 | 3.2% | +2.3% |
| 1968 | 3.3% | +1.8% |
| 1969 | 3.3% | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 3.5% | +4.4% |
| 1971 | 3.5% | +1.5% |
| 1972 | 3.7% | +5.4% |
| 1973 | 4.0% | +8.7% |
| 1974 | 4.2% | +5.4% |
| 1975 | 4.4% | +3.5% |
| 1976 | 4.4% | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 4.3% | -1.1% |
| 1978 | 4.2% | -4.0% |
| 1979 | 4.0% | -3.7% |
| 1980 | 3.8% | -4.4% |
| 1981 | 3.5% | -8.0% |
| 1982 | 3.4% | -5.1% |
| 1983 | 3.3% | -2.5% |
| 1984 | 3.2% | -2.2% |
| 1985 | 3.1% | -2.4% |
| 1986 | 3.1% | -1.9% |
| 1987 | 3.0% | -1.7% |
| 1988 | 3.0% | -1.2% |
| 1989 | 3.0% | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 3.0% | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 3.0% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 2.9% | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 2.9% | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 2.8% | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 2.8% | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 2.7% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 2.7% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 2.7% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 2.7% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 2.7% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 2.8% | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 2.8% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 2.8% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 2.8% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 2.7% | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 2.7% | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 2.7% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 2.6% | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 2.7% | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 2.7% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 2.6% | -3.8% |
| 2012 | 2.4% | -8.9% |
| 2013 | 2.3% | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 2.3% | -3.6% |
| 2015 | 2.2% | -3.6% |
| 2016 | 2.2% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 2.1% | -1.9% |
| 2018 | 2.0% | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 2.0% | -3.3% |
| 2020 | 1.9% | -3.9% |
| 2021 | 1.7% | -8.5% |
| 2022 | 1.7% | -2.5% |
| 2023 | 1.8% | +4.9% |
| 2024 | 1.8% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 1.8% | -0.8% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 1.8% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.7%, 64% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 1.8% is above the median for South Asia, which is 1.7%, 1.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.2% | 2.9% | 3.3% | 9 |
| 1970s | 4.0% | 3.5% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.2% | 3.0% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.8% | 2.7% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.7% | 2.6% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.3% | 2.0% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.8% | 1.7% | 1.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
- 78 Egypt 1.8% compare
- 79 Malaysia 1.8% compare
- 80 Tajikistan 1.8% compare
- 82 Cambodia 1.7% compare
- 83 Kyrgyzstan 1.7% compare
- 84 Kazakhstan 1.7% compare
More climate change data for India
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 27.69 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 602,760 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 105,678 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 497,082 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 398.78 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 17,753 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 279,594 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 176,015 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 103,578 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 664.21 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in India?
- Urban population growth in India was 1.8% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 4.4% in 1976.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.7% in 2022.
- How does India rank for urban population growth?
- India ranks 81st out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India 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.