Urban population growth (annual %) in Lower middle income
Lower middle income: Urban population growth (annual %) was 2.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Urban population growth in Lower middle income, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2025, urban population growth in Lower middle income stood at 2.3%.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and down 9.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in Lower middle income peaked at 4.7% in 1976 and was at its lowest, 2.2%, in 2022.
Lower middle income ranks 14th of 47 groups on this measure, 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 Lower middle income, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.7% | — |
| 1962 | 3.8% | +1.7% |
| 1963 | 3.8% | +1.2% |
| 1964 | 3.9% | +1.4% |
| 1965 | 3.9% | -0.0% |
| 1966 | 3.9% | -0.8% |
| 1967 | 3.9% | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 4.0% | +1.8% |
| 1969 | 4.0% | +1.5% |
| 1970 | 4.1% | +1.8% |
| 1971 | 4.1% | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 4.3% | +4.7% |
| 1973 | 4.5% | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 4.1% | -8.2% |
| 1975 | 4.2% | +3.8% |
| 1976 | 4.7% | +10.5% |
| 1977 | 4.7% | -0.4% |
| 1978 | 4.6% | -2.1% |
| 1979 | 4.5% | -2.4% |
| 1980 | 4.4% | -2.2% |
| 1981 | 4.1% | -6.6% |
| 1982 | 3.9% | -4.7% |
| 1983 | 3.8% | -2.9% |
| 1984 | 3.7% | -2.2% |
| 1985 | 3.6% | -1.4% |
| 1986 | 3.6% | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 3.5% | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 3.5% | -1.6% |
| 1989 | 3.4% | -1.9% |
| 1990 | 3.7% | +8.4% |
| 1991 | 3.4% | -8.8% |
| 1992 | 3.3% | -3.3% |
| 1993 | 3.2% | -2.1% |
| 1994 | 3.2% | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 3.1% | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 3.1% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 3.1% | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 3.1% | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 3.1% | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 3.1% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 3.1% | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 3.1% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 3.2% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 3.2% | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 3.2% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 3.1% | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 3.1% | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 3.0% | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 3.0% | -2.1% |
| 2010 | 2.9% | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 2.8% | -3.1% |
| 2012 | 2.7% | -5.1% |
| 2013 | 2.7% | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 2.6% | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 2.5% | -3.7% |
| 2016 | 2.5% | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 2.4% | -2.5% |
| 2018 | 2.3% | -3.5% |
| 2019 | 2.3% | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 2.3% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 2.2% | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 2.2% | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 2.3% | +3.6% |
| 2024 | 2.3% | -1.2% |
| 2025 | 2.3% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.9% | 3.7% | 4.0% | 9 |
| 1970s | 4.4% | 4.1% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.7% | 3.4% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.2% | 3.1% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.1% | 3.0% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.6% | 2.3% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lower middle income
- 11 Ethiopia 4.6% compare
- 12 Solomon Islands 4.4% compare
- 13 Malawi 4.4% compare
- 14 Central African Republic 4.3% compare
- 15 Somalia 4.3% compare
- 16 Burkina Faso 4.3% compare
- 17 Mauritania 4.2% compare
More climate change data for Lower middle income
- Urban population, annual growth rate 2.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.4201 units per person (2025)
- Urban population 1.24 billion (2025)
- Population, total 2.95 billion (2025)
- Population growth 1.3% (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 1.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per square kilometre 151.99 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Urban population, per square kilometre 62.62 units per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in Lower middle income?
- Urban population growth in Lower middle income was 2.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in Lower middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 4.7% in 1976.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in Lower middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.2% in 2022.
- How does Lower middle income rank for urban population growth?
- Lower middle income ranks 14th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in Lower middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Lower middle income 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.