Urban population in OECD members
OECD members: Urban population was 1.14 billion in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population in OECD members, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
OECD members recorded 1.14 billion for urban population 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 6.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in OECD members peaked at 1.14 billion in 2025 and was at its lowest, 498.73 million, in 1960.
That places OECD members 14th out of 47 groups 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 in OECD members, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 498.73 million | — |
| 1961 | 509.85 million | +2.2% |
| 1962 | 521.36 million | +2.3% |
| 1963 | 533.12 million | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 545.24 million | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 557.31 million | +2.2% |
| 1966 | 569.13 million | +2.1% |
| 1967 | 580.81 million | +2.1% |
| 1968 | 592.29 million | +2.0% |
| 1969 | 603.68 million | +1.9% |
| 1970 | 614.64 million | +1.8% |
| 1971 | 626.71 million | +2.0% |
| 1972 | 637.83 million | +1.8% |
| 1973 | 648.74 million | +1.7% |
| 1974 | 659.29 million | +1.6% |
| 1975 | 669.06 million | +1.5% |
| 1976 | 678.29 million | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 687.38 million | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 696.33 million | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 705.48 million | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 715.00 million | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 724.13 million | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 732.91 million | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 741.66 million | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 750.25 million | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 758.95 million | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 767.91 million | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 777.09 million | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 786.48 million | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 796.24 million | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 806.26 million | +1.3% |
| 1991 | 816.98 million | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 827.81 million | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 838.53 million | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 848.96 million | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 859.18 million | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 869.44 million | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 879.83 million | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 889.62 million | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 899.24 million | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 908.92 million | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 919.42 million | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 931.00 million | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 942.95 million | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 954.85 million | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 966.08 million | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 976.83 million | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 987.30 million | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 998.33 million | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 1.01 billion | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 1.02 billion | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 1.03 billion | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 1.04 billion | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 1.05 billion | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 1.06 billion | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 1.07 billion | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 1.08 billion | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 1.08 billion | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 1.09 billion | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 1.10 billion | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 1.11 billion | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 1.11 billion | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 1.12 billion | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 1.12 billion | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 1.13 billion | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 1.14 billion | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 551.15 million | 498.73 million | 603.68 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 662.38 million | 614.64 million | 705.48 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 755.06 million | 715.00 million | 796.24 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 853.58 million | 806.26 million | 899.24 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 959.42 million | 908.92 million | 1.01 billion | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.06 billion | 1.02 billion | 1.10 billion | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.12 billion | 1.11 billion | 1.14 billion | 6 |
Countries ranked near OECD members
- 11 Turkey 76.86 million compare
- 12 Iran 71.51 million compare
- 13 Germany 68.58 million compare
- 14 Philippines 65.14 million compare
- 15 Bangladesh 58.40 million compare
- 16 United Kingdom 57.90 million compare
- 17 France 54.18 million compare
More climate change data for OECD members
- Urban population growth 0.5% (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 0.3873 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 0.5485 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.8132 units per person (2025)
- Population, total 1.40 billion (2025)
- Population growth 0.4% (2025)
- Urban population, per square kilometre 31.85 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population, total, per square kilometre 39.29 units per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in OECD members?
- Urban population in OECD members was 1.14 billion in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in OECD members?
- The highest recorded value was 1.14 billion in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in OECD members?
- The lowest recorded value was 498.73 million in 1960.
- How does OECD members rank for urban population?
- OECD members ranks 14th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in OECD members?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this OECD members data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban 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. It is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.