Urban population in Middle income
Middle income: Urban population was 55.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population in 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 Middle income is 55.4%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Middle income peaked at 55.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 23.0%, in 1962.
Middle income ranks 21st 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 Middle income, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 23.2% | — |
| 1961 | 23.3% | +0.6% |
| 1962 | 23.0% | -1.6% |
| 1963 | 23.1% | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 23.8% | +3.2% |
| 1965 | 24.0% | +0.7% |
| 1966 | 24.2% | +1.0% |
| 1967 | 24.5% | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 24.8% | +1.1% |
| 1969 | 25.0% | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 25.3% | +1.0% |
| 1971 | 25.5% | +1.1% |
| 1972 | 25.8% | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 26.2% | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 26.5% | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 26.9% | +1.6% |
| 1976 | 27.4% | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 27.8% | +1.6% |
| 1978 | 28.4% | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 29.1% | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 29.6% | +1.7% |
| 1981 | 30.2% | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 30.6% | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 31.2% | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 32.0% | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 32.5% | +1.6% |
| 1986 | 33.0% | +1.7% |
| 1987 | 33.5% | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 34.0% | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 34.4% | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 34.6% | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 35.1% | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 35.6% | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 36.0% | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 36.4% | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 36.9% | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 37.5% | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 38.3% | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 39.0% | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 39.7% | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 40.4% | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 41.1% | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 41.8% | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 42.5% | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 43.1% | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 43.8% | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 44.5% | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 45.2% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 45.8% | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 46.5% | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 47.0% | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 48.0% | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 48.6% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 49.3% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 50.0% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 50.7% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 51.3% | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 51.9% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 52.5% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 53.1% | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 53.5% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 54.1% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 54.4% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 54.7% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 55.1% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 55.4% | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 23.9% | 23.0% | 25.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 26.9% | 25.3% | 29.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 32.1% | 29.6% | 34.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 36.9% | 34.6% | 39.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 43.5% | 40.4% | 46.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 50.3% | 47.0% | 53.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.5% | 53.5% | 55.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Middle income
- 18 United States Virgin Islands 95.4% compare
- 19 Luxembourg 94.9% compare
- 20 Turks and Caicos Islands 94.4% compare
- 21 Puerto Rico 94.3% compare
- 22 Guam 94.2% compare
- 23 Iceland 94.2% compare
- 24 Jordan 93.2% compare
More climate change data for Middle income
- Population growth 0.8% (2025)
- Population, total 6.02 billion (2025)
- Urban population growth 1.4% (2025)
- Urban population 3.34 billion (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 in Middle income?
- Urban population in Middle income was 55.4% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 55.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.0% in 1962.
- How does Middle income rank for urban population?
- Middle income ranks 21st out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in Middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this 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.
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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.