Urban population growth (annual %) in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Urban population growth (annual %) was 0.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population growth in United Kingdom, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 0.4% for urban population growth in 2025.
That represents a change of down 67.1% on the previous year and down 58.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in United Kingdom peaked at 1.4% in 2023 and was at its lowest, -0.1%, in 1982.
United Kingdom ranks 161st of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population growth (annual %) in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.5% | — |
| 1962 | 0.6% | +17.9% |
| 1963 | 0.5% | -19.5% |
| 1964 | 0.4% | -21.2% |
| 1965 | 0.4% | -1.4% |
| 1966 | 0.3% | -20.3% |
| 1967 | 0.3% | +3.3% |
| 1968 | 0.3% | -5.7% |
| 1969 | 0.3% | -9.0% |
| 1970 | 0.3% | +13.6% |
| 1971 | 0.4% | +27.5% |
| 1972 | 0.4% | +6.4% |
| 1973 | 0.4% | -10.2% |
| 1974 | 0.3% | -14.7% |
| 1975 | 0.3% | -7.2% |
| 1976 | 0.3% | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 0.3% | -4.9% |
| 1978 | 0.3% | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 0.3% | +8.5% |
| 1980 | 0.3% | -17.4% |
| 1981 | 0.1% | -73.6% |
| 1982 | -0.1% | -188.0% |
| 1983 | -0.0% | -67.3% |
| 1984 | 0.1% | -515.8% |
| 1985 | 0.1% | +66.4% |
| 1986 | 0.1% | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 0.1% | -12.7% |
| 1988 | 0.1% | +15.5% |
| 1989 | 0.2% | +39.8% |
| 1990 | 0.3% | +32.6% |
| 1991 | 0.3% | +17.3% |
| 1992 | 0.3% | +12.6% |
| 1993 | 0.4% | +16.2% |
| 1994 | 0.5% | +20.8% |
| 1995 | 0.5% | +12.5% |
| 1996 | 0.6% | +4.0% |
| 1997 | 0.6% | +3.0% |
| 1998 | 0.6% | +5.3% |
| 1999 | 0.6% | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 0.6% | -2.2% |
| 2001 | 0.6% | -4.2% |
| 2002 | 0.6% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 0.6% | +4.6% |
| 2004 | 0.7% | +14.9% |
| 2005 | 0.8% | +15.6% |
| 2006 | 0.9% | +5.6% |
| 2007 | 0.9% | +5.2% |
| 2008 | 0.9% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 0.9% | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 0.9% | +4.6% |
| 2011 | 1.0% | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 0.9% | -5.5% |
| 2013 | 0.9% | -3.3% |
| 2014 | 1.0% | +10.6% |
| 2015 | 1.0% | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 1.0% | +8.8% |
| 2017 | 0.8% | -23.1% |
| 2018 | 0.8% | -5.8% |
| 2019 | 0.8% | +4.4% |
| 2020 | 0.4% | -43.1% |
| 2021 | 0.5% | +3.8% |
| 2022 | 1.1% | +133.8% |
| 2023 | 1.4% | +30.2% |
| 2024 | 1.2% | -15.2% |
| 2025 | 0.4% | -67.1% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 0.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.6%, 62% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 0.4% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.5%, 73% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban population growth (annual %) in United Kingdom 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | +515.8% | -0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1982 | -188.0% | 0.1% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | +133.8% | 0.5% | 1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1% | -0.1% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9% | 0.8% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.8% | 0.4% | 1.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More climate change data for United Kingdom
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 37,706 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 8,697 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 29,008 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 32.82 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1,036 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 7,083 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 7,027 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 55.89 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 26.52 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 2 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in United Kingdom?
- Urban population growth in United Kingdom was 0.4% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 1.4% in 2023.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.1% in 1982.
- How does United Kingdom rank for urban population growth?
- United Kingdom ranks 161st out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 58.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.