Urban population in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Urban population was 57.90 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population in United Kingdom, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population in United Kingdom is 57.90 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 8.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in United Kingdom peaked at 57.90 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 41.16 million, in 1960.
United Kingdom ranks 16th of 218 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Urban population in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 41.16 million | — |
| 1961 | 41.38 million | +0.5% |
| 1962 | 41.63 million | +0.6% |
| 1963 | 41.84 million | +0.5% |
| 1964 | 42.01 million | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 42.17 million | +0.4% |
| 1966 | 42.30 million | +0.3% |
| 1967 | 42.44 million | +0.3% |
| 1968 | 42.57 million | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 42.68 million | +0.3% |
| 1970 | 42.82 million | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 42.99 million | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 43.17 million | +0.4% |
| 1973 | 43.33 million | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 43.47 million | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 43.60 million | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 43.74 million | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 43.86 million | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 43.99 million | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 44.13 million | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 44.25 million | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 44.28 million | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 44.25 million | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 44.24 million | -0.0% |
| 1984 | 44.28 million | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 44.34 million | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 44.40 million | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 44.45 million | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 44.52 million | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 44.60 million | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 44.72 million | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 44.85 million | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 45.00 million | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 45.18 million | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 45.39 million | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 45.64 million | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 45.89 million | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 46.15 million | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 46.43 million | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 46.72 million | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 47.01 million | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 47.29 million | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 47.56 million | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 47.86 million | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 48.20 million | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 48.59 million | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 49.01 million | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 49.46 million | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 49.91 million | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 50.36 million | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 50.84 million | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 51.33 million | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 51.79 million | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 52.25 million | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 52.75 million | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 53.26 million | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 53.81 million | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 54.24 million | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 54.65 million | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 55.08 million | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 55.33 million | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 55.58 million | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 56.19 million | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 56.99 million | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 57.67 million | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 57.90 million | +0.4% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 57.90 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.24 million, 25.8× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 57.90 million is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.59 million, 16.1× the median. (57 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 42.02 million | 41.16 million | 42.68 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 43.51 million | 42.82 million | 44.13 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 44.36 million | 44.24 million | 44.60 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 45.60 million | 44.72 million | 46.72 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 48.52 million | 47.01 million | 50.36 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.00 million | 50.84 million | 55.08 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 56.61 million | 55.33 million | 57.90 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 13 Germany 68.58 million compare
- 14 Philippines 65.14 million compare
- 15 Bangladesh 58.40 million compare
- 17 France 54.18 million compare
- 18 Democratic Republic of Congo 50.90 million compare
- 19 Egypt 50.78 million compare
More climate change data for United Kingdom
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 37,706 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 8,697 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 29,008 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 32.82 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1,036 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 7,083 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 7,027 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 55.89 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 26.52 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 2 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in United Kingdom?
- Urban population in United Kingdom was 57.90 million in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 57.90 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 41.16 million in 1960.
- How does United Kingdom rank for urban population?
- United Kingdom ranks 16th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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
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. 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.