Urban population growth in Middle income
Middle income: Urban population growth was 1.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Urban population growth in Middle income, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population growth in Middle income is 1.4%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 2.4% on the previous year and down 44.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in Middle income peaked at 5.6% in 1964 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 1962.
Middle income ranks 24th of 45 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 in Middle income, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.0% | — |
| 1962 | 0.4% | -80.3% |
| 1963 | 2.9% | +650.4% |
| 1964 | 5.6% | +91.3% |
| 1965 | 3.2% | -44.0% |
| 1966 | 3.5% | +11.2% |
| 1967 | 3.5% | +0.3% |
| 1968 | 3.5% | +0.4% |
| 1969 | 3.6% | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 3.5% | -1.1% |
| 1971 | 3.5% | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 3.5% | +0.4% |
| 1973 | 3.8% | +7.3% |
| 1974 | 3.5% | -8.1% |
| 1975 | 3.8% | +7.8% |
| 1976 | 3.7% | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 3.7% | -1.7% |
| 1978 | 3.9% | +6.5% |
| 1979 | 4.6% | +17.2% |
| 1980 | 3.8% | -17.0% |
| 1981 | 4.0% | +6.5% |
| 1982 | 3.6% | -10.6% |
| 1983 | 4.2% | +15.5% |
| 1984 | 4.4% | +5.2% |
| 1985 | 3.6% | -17.1% |
| 1986 | 3.7% | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 3.7% | -1.3% |
| 1988 | 3.3% | -9.2% |
| 1989 | 3.2% | -5.2% |
| 1990 | 2.8% | -10.3% |
| 1991 | 3.3% | +16.3% |
| 1992 | 3.0% | -8.2% |
| 1993 | 2.9% | -2.9% |
| 1994 | 2.9% | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 2.8% | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 3.5% | +23.5% |
| 1997 | 3.5% | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 3.4% | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 3.3% | -2.5% |
| 2000 | 3.4% | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 3.0% | -11.0% |
| 2002 | 3.1% | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 3.0% | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 2.9% | -5.1% |
| 2005 | 2.8% | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 2.8% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 2.9% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 2.6% | -9.4% |
| 2009 | 2.7% | +4.7% |
| 2010 | 2.4% | -11.3% |
| 2011 | 3.3% | +36.0% |
| 2012 | 2.6% | -21.9% |
| 2013 | 2.7% | +4.1% |
| 2014 | 2.6% | -4.0% |
| 2015 | 2.6% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 2.4% | -7.3% |
| 2017 | 2.3% | -4.8% |
| 2018 | 2.2% | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 2.1% | -8.2% |
| 2020 | 1.8% | -14.0% |
| 2021 | 1.8% | +3.8% |
| 2022 | 1.4% | -23.7% |
| 2023 | 1.3% | -5.5% |
| 2024 | 1.4% | +5.5% |
| 2025 | 1.4% | +2.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.1% | 0.4% | 5.6% | 9 |
| 1970s | 3.7% | 3.5% | 4.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.8% | 3.2% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.2% | 2.8% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.9% | 2.6% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.5% | 2.1% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.5% | 1.3% | 1.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Middle income
- 21 Oman 4.0% compare
- 22 Qatar 4.0% compare
- 23 Benin 3.9% compare
- 24 Madagascar 3.8% compare
- 25 Syrian Arab Republic 3.8% compare
- 26 Zambia 3.7% compare
- 27 Afghanistan 3.7% compare
More climate change data for Middle income
- Population growth 0.8% (2025)
- Population, total 6.02 billion (2025)
- Urban population 3.34 billion (2025)
- Urban population 55.4% (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 24.1% (2025)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 2,785 billion cubic meters (2022)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 10.9% (2022)
- Terrestrial protected areas 17.3% (2025)
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas 12.7% (2025)
- Marine protected areas 7.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in Middle income?
- Urban population growth in Middle income was 1.4% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in Middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 5.6% in 1964.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in Middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 1962.
- How does Middle income rank for urban population growth?
- Middle income ranks 24th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in Middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 44.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this 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.