Urban population in United States
United States: Urban population was 274.08 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population in United States, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population in United States is 274.08 million, 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 5.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in United States peaked at 274.08 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 126.43 million, in 1960.
That places United States 3rd out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Urban population in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 126.43 million | — |
| 1961 | 129.40 million | +2.3% |
| 1962 | 132.30 million | +2.2% |
| 1963 | 135.12 million | +2.1% |
| 1964 | 137.88 million | +2.0% |
| 1965 | 140.44 million | +1.9% |
| 1966 | 142.83 million | +1.7% |
| 1967 | 145.04 million | +1.5% |
| 1968 | 147.01 million | +1.4% |
| 1969 | 148.80 million | +1.2% |
| 1970 | 150.70 million | +1.3% |
| 1971 | 152.70 million | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 154.41 million | +1.1% |
| 1973 | 155.93 million | +1.0% |
| 1974 | 157.40 million | +0.9% |
| 1975 | 159.00 million | +1.0% |
| 1976 | 160.55 million | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 162.22 million | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 164.00 million | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 165.88 million | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 167.58 million | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 169.38 million | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 171.21 million | +1.1% |
| 1983 | 173.04 million | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 174.86 million | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 176.78 million | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 178.83 million | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 180.88 million | +1.1% |
| 1988 | 183.00 million | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 185.24 million | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 187.89 million | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 191.11 million | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 194.68 million | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 198.32 million | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 201.92 million | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 205.56 million | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 209.19 million | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 212.91 million | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 216.49 million | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 219.92 million | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 223.12 million | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 226.00 million | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 228.79 million | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 231.44 million | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 234.23 million | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 236.99 million | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 239.81 million | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 242.54 million | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 245.17 million | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 247.52 million | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 249.67 million | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 251.64 million | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 253.62 million | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 255.47 million | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 257.40 million | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 259.29 million | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 261.10 million | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 262.60 million | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 263.75 million | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 264.61 million | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 265.25 million | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 265.70 million | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 267.31 million | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 269.64 million | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 272.43 million | +1.0% |
| 2025 | 274.08 million | +0.6% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 274.08 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.24 million, 122.3× the median. (85 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 138.53 million | 126.43 million | 148.80 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 158.28 million | 150.70 million | 165.88 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 176.08 million | 167.58 million | 185.24 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 203.80 million | 187.89 million | 219.92 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 235.56 million | 223.12 million | 247.52 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 257.91 million | 249.67 million | 264.61 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 269.07 million | 265.25 million | 274.08 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
More climate change data for United States
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 274,482 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 60,922 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 213,560 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 229.89 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 7,627 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 107,381 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 89,068 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 18,313 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 336.11 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 654.05 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in United States?
- Urban population in United States was 274.08 million in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 274.08 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 126.43 million in 1960.
- How does United States rank for urban population?
- United States ranks 3rd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States 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.