Urban population (% of total population) in El Salvador
El Salvador: Urban population (% of total population) was 75.5% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Urban population in El Salvador, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population in El Salvador is 75.5%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 2.5% over five years.
Over the whole period, urban population in El Salvador peaked at 75.5% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 73.7%, in 2021.
El Salvador ranks 72nd of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Urban population (% of total population) in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 38.4% | — |
| 1961 | 38.5% | +0.4% |
| 1962 | 38.6% | +0.3% |
| 1963 | 38.7% | +0.3% |
| 1964 | 38.8% | +0.2% |
| 1965 | 38.9% | +0.2% |
| 1966 | 39.0% | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 39.1% | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 39.2% | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 39.3% | +0.3% |
| 1970 | 39.4% | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 39.5% | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 39.7% | +0.5% |
| 1973 | 40.0% | +0.6% |
| 1974 | 40.2% | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 40.6% | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 41.0% | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 41.4% | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 41.8% | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 42.3% | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 42.8% | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 43.4% | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 43.9% | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 44.5% | +1.3% |
| 1984 | 45.1% | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 45.7% | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 46.4% | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 47.0% | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 47.7% | +1.4% |
| 1989 | 48.3% | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 49.0% | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 49.6% | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 50.3% | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 50.9% | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 51.7% | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 52.4% | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 53.2% | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 54.0% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 54.8% | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 55.7% | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 56.6% | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 57.5% | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 58.3% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 59.2% | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 60.1% | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 61.0% | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 61.9% | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 62.8% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 63.6% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 64.5% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 65.4% | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 66.3% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 67.2% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 68.1% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 68.9% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 69.7% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 70.4% | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 71.1% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 71.8% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 72.4% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 73.1% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 73.7% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 74.1% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 74.6% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 75.1% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 75.5% | +0.6% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's 75.5% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 65.4%, 1.2× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's 75.5% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 72.0%, 1.0× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 38.9% | 38.4% | 39.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 40.6% | 39.4% | 42.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 45.5% | 42.8% | 48.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 52.2% | 49.0% | 55.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 60.6% | 56.6% | 64.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.1% | 65.4% | 72.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 74.3% | 73.1% | 75.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
More climate change data for El Salvador
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 155.61 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 5,408 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,253 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 4,155 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 4.73 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 148.4 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,045 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 999.45 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 45.18 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 3.77 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in El Salvador?
- Urban population in El Salvador was 75.5% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 75.5% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 73.7% in 2021.
- How does El Salvador rank for urban population?
- El Salvador ranks 72nd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The data are collected and smoothed by United Nations Population Division.