Urban population in Low & middle income
Low & middle income: Urban population was 53.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population in Low & middle income, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population in Low & middle income is 53.1%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 8.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Low & middle income peaked at 53.1% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 22.4%, in 1962.
Low & middle income ranks 25th of 45 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Urban population in Low & middle income, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 22.6% | — |
| 1961 | 22.7% | +0.7% |
| 1962 | 22.4% | -1.4% |
| 1963 | 22.5% | +0.5% |
| 1964 | 23.2% | +3.2% |
| 1965 | 23.4% | +0.8% |
| 1966 | 23.7% | +1.1% |
| 1967 | 23.9% | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 24.2% | +1.1% |
| 1969 | 24.5% | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 24.7% | +1.1% |
| 1971 | 25.0% | +1.1% |
| 1972 | 25.3% | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 25.7% | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 26.0% | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 26.4% | +1.6% |
| 1976 | 26.8% | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 27.3% | +1.6% |
| 1978 | 27.8% | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 28.5% | +2.5% |
| 1980 | 29.0% | +1.7% |
| 1981 | 29.5% | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 29.9% | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 30.6% | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 31.3% | +2.3% |
| 1985 | 31.8% | +1.6% |
| 1986 | 32.3% | +1.6% |
| 1987 | 32.8% | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 33.2% | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 33.6% | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 33.9% | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 34.4% | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 34.8% | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 35.2% | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 35.6% | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 36.0% | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 36.7% | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 37.3% | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 38.0% | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 38.6% | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 39.3% | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 39.9% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 40.6% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 41.2% | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 41.8% | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 42.4% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 43.1% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 43.7% | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 44.3% | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 44.9% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 45.4% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 46.3% | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 46.9% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 47.6% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 48.2% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 48.8% | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 49.4% | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 50.0% | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 50.5% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 51.0% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 51.4% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 51.9% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 52.2% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 52.5% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 52.8% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 53.1% | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 23.3% | 22.4% | 24.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 26.4% | 24.7% | 28.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 31.4% | 29.0% | 33.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 36.0% | 33.9% | 38.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 42.1% | 39.3% | 44.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.4% | 45.4% | 51.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 52.3% | 51.4% | 53.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Low & middle income
More climate change data for Low & middle income
- Population growth 1.0% (2025)
- Population, total 6.79 billion (2025)
- Urban population growth 1.6% (2025)
- Urban population 3.61 billion (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 22.8% (2025)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 2,902 billion cubic meters (2022)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 10.4% (2022)
- Terrestrial protected areas 16.4% (2025)
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas 12.3% (2025)
- Marine protected areas 6.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in Low & middle income?
- Urban population in Low & middle income was 53.1% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Low & middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 53.1% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Low & middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.4% in 1962.
- How does Low & middle income rank for urban population?
- Low & middle income ranks 25th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in Low & middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Low & middle income 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.