Urban population (% of total population) in North America
North America: Urban population (% of total population) was 80.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population in North America, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2025, urban population in North America stood at 80.5%.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in North America peaked at 80.7% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 69.9%, in 1960.
That places North America 6th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Urban population (% of total population) in North America, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 69.9% | — |
| 1961 | 70.4% | +0.7% |
| 1962 | 70.9% | +0.7% |
| 1963 | 71.4% | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 71.9% | +0.7% |
| 1965 | 72.3% | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 72.8% | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 73.1% | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 73.4% | +0.4% |
| 1969 | 73.6% | +0.3% |
| 1970 | 73.7% | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 73.8% | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 73.8% | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 73.8% | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 73.8% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 73.8% | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 73.8% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 73.8% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 73.9% | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 73.9% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 73.9% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 74.0% | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 74.1% | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 74.2% | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 74.4% | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 74.5% | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 74.7% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 74.8% | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 75.0% | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 75.2% | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 75.4% | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 75.7% | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 76.0% | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 76.4% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 76.8% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 77.2% | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 77.7% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 78.1% | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 78.5% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 78.8% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 79.0% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 79.3% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 79.5% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 79.7% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 80.0% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 80.2% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 80.4% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 80.5% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 80.6% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 80.7% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 80.7% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 80.7% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 80.7% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 80.7% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 80.7% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 80.6% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 80.6% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 80.5% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 80.4% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 80.3% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 80.2% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 80.2% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 80.3% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 80.3% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 80.4% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 80.5% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 72.0% | 69.9% | 73.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 73.8% | 73.7% | 73.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 74.5% | 73.9% | 75.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 77.0% | 75.4% | 78.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 80.0% | 79.0% | 80.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 80.6% | 80.3% | 80.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 80.3% | 80.2% | 80.5% | 6 |
More climate change data for North America
- Population, total, annual growth rate 0.5691 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 0.6692 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.8049 units per person (2025)
- Urban population 308.67 million (2025)
- Annual Net Emissions/Removals (Greenhouse gas, Total, Metric ton of) 0 units per person (2024)
- Annual Net Emissions/Removals (Greenhouse gas, Total, Metric ton of) 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Annual Net Emissions/Removals (Greenhouse gas, Total, Metric ton of) 0.472 % change on previous year (2024)
- Annual Net Emissions/Removals 6,870 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in North America?
- Urban population in North America was 80.5% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 80.7% in 2011.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 69.9% in 1960.
- How does North America rank for urban population?
- North America ranks 6th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North America 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.