Urban population (% of total population) in Iran
Iran: Urban population (% of total population) was 77.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population in Iran, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population in Iran is 77.4%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 5.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Iran peaked at 77.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 34.0%, in 1960.
That places Iran 69th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Urban population (% of total population) in Iran, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 34.0% | — |
| 1961 | 34.6% | +1.9% |
| 1962 | 35.3% | +1.9% |
| 1963 | 35.9% | +1.9% |
| 1964 | 36.6% | +1.9% |
| 1965 | 37.1% | +1.4% |
| 1966 | 37.7% | +1.5% |
| 1967 | 38.9% | +3.1% |
| 1968 | 39.7% | +2.3% |
| 1969 | 40.6% | +2.2% |
| 1970 | 41.5% | +2.2% |
| 1971 | 42.4% | +2.2% |
| 1972 | 43.3% | +2.1% |
| 1973 | 44.3% | +2.1% |
| 1974 | 45.2% | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 46.1% | +2.0% |
| 1976 | 46.8% | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 47.8% | +2.1% |
| 1978 | 48.5% | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 49.2% | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 49.9% | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 50.7% | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 51.4% | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 52.1% | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 52.8% | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 53.6% | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 54.2% | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 54.8% | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 55.4% | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 55.9% | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 56.5% | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 56.9% | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 57.9% | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 58.7% | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 59.6% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 60.4% | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 61.1% | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 62.1% | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 62.9% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 63.7% | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 64.5% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 65.2% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 65.9% | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 66.6% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 67.3% | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 67.9% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 68.3% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 68.8% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 69.4% | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 70.0% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 70.6% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 71.2% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 71.8% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 72.3% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 72.8% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 73.4% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 73.9% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 74.4% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 74.8% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 75.2% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 75.6% | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 76.0% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 76.3% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 76.7% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 77.0% | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 77.4% | +0.5% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 77.4% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 65.4%, 1.2× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Iran's 77.4% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 79.5%, 97% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 37.1% | 34.0% | 40.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 45.5% | 41.5% | 49.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 53.1% | 49.9% | 55.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 60.0% | 56.5% | 63.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 67.4% | 64.5% | 70.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 73.0% | 70.6% | 75.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 76.5% | 75.6% | 77.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More climate change data for Iran
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.0713 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.08 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.2419 °C (2026)
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.8% (2100)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 0.9283 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 1.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.7738 units per person (2025)
- Precipitation anomalies, annual growth rate -620.65 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in Iran?
- Urban population in Iran was 77.4% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 77.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.0% in 1960.
- How does Iran rank for urban population?
- Iran ranks 69th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iran 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
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.