Urban population in Upper middle income
Upper middle income: Urban population was 2.10 billion in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population in Upper middle income, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
In 2025, urban population in Upper middle income stood at 2.10 billion. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 16.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Upper middle income peaked at 2.10 billion in 2025 and was at its lowest, 319.95 million, in 1960.
That places Upper middle income 6th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population in Upper middle income, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 319.95 million | — |
| 1961 | 323.89 million | +1.2% |
| 1962 | 320.15 million | -1.2% |
| 1963 | 328.35 million | +2.6% |
| 1964 | 350.24 million | +6.7% |
| 1965 | 360.24 million | +2.9% |
| 1966 | 372.51 million | +3.4% |
| 1967 | 385.19 million | +3.4% |
| 1968 | 398.24 million | +3.4% |
| 1969 | 411.72 million | +3.4% |
| 1970 | 425.26 million | +3.3% |
| 1971 | 439.18 million | +3.3% |
| 1972 | 453.21 million | +3.2% |
| 1973 | 469.18 million | +3.5% |
| 1974 | 484.37 million | +3.2% |
| 1975 | 501.67 million | +3.6% |
| 1976 | 518.19 million | +3.3% |
| 1977 | 534.76 million | +3.2% |
| 1978 | 554.12 million | +3.6% |
| 1979 | 580.42 million | +4.7% |
| 1980 | 601.08 million | +3.6% |
| 1981 | 625.78 million | +4.1% |
| 1982 | 647.92 million | +3.5% |
| 1983 | 677.02 million | +4.5% |
| 1984 | 710.05 million | +4.9% |
| 1985 | 736.42 million | +3.7% |
| 1986 | 764.85 million | +3.9% |
| 1987 | 794.00 million | +3.8% |
| 1988 | 820.25 million | +3.3% |
| 1989 | 845.43 million | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 865.74 million | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 894.34 million | +3.3% |
| 1992 | 920.60 million | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 946.68 million | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 972.60 million | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 999.00 million | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 1.04 billion | +3.8% |
| 1997 | 1.08 billion | +3.7% |
| 1998 | 1.11 billion | +3.6% |
| 1999 | 1.15 billion | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 1.20 billion | +3.6% |
| 2001 | 1.23 billion | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 1.27 billion | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 1.31 billion | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 1.34 billion | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 1.38 billion | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 1.42 billion | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 1.46 billion | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 1.49 billion | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 1.53 billion | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 1.57 billion | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 1.62 billion | +3.6% |
| 2012 | 1.66 billion | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 1.71 billion | +2.7% |
| 2014 | 1.75 billion | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 1.80 billion | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 1.84 billion | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 1.89 billion | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 1.93 billion | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 1.97 billion | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 1.99 billion | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 2.03 billion | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 2.05 billion | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 2.06 billion | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 2.08 billion | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 2.10 billion | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 357.05 million | 319.95 million | 411.72 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 496.03 million | 425.26 million | 580.42 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 722.28 million | 601.08 million | 845.43 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 998.02 million | 865.74 million | 1.15 billion | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.36 billion | 1.20 billion | 1.53 billion | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.77 billion | 1.57 billion | 1.97 billion | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.05 billion | 1.99 billion | 2.10 billion | 6 |
Countries ranked near Upper middle income
More climate change data for Upper middle income
- Urban population growth 0.9% (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 0.3412 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 0.9457 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.6823 units per person (2025)
- Population, total 3.08 billion (2025)
- Population growth 0.3% (2025)
- Urban population, per square kilometre 46.43 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population, total, per square kilometre 68.84 units per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in Upper middle income?
- Urban population in Upper middle income was 2.10 billion in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Upper middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 2.10 billion in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Upper middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 319.95 million in 1960.
- How does Upper middle income rank for urban population?
- Upper middle income ranks 6th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in Upper middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Upper middle income 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.