Share of population living in urban and rural areas in New Zealand
New Zealand: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 76.3% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in New Zealand, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 76.3% for share of population living in urban and rural areas in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is up 3.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in New Zealand peaked at 76.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 63.0%, in 1950.
New Zealand ranks 101st of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 63.0% | — |
| 1955 | 64.7% | +2.6% |
| 1960 | 66.3% | +2.4% |
| 1965 | 67.8% | +2.3% |
| 1970 | 68.5% | +1.1% |
| 1975 | 69.8% | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 70.2% | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 70.4% | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 70.8% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 72.3% | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 73.0% | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 73.8% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 74.1% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 74.4% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 76.3% | +2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 63.9% | 63.0% | 64.7% | 2 |
| 1960s | 67.0% | 66.3% | 67.8% | 2 |
| 1970s | 69.1% | 68.5% | 69.8% | 2 |
| 1980s | 70.3% | 70.2% | 70.4% | 2 |
| 1990s | 71.6% | 70.8% | 72.3% | 2 |
| 2000s | 73.4% | 73.0% | 73.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 74.2% | 74.1% | 74.4% | 2 |
| 2020s | 76.3% | 76.3% | 76.3% | 1 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 98 Kazakhstan 76.7% compare
- 99 Turks and Caicos Islands 76.6% compare
- 100 Turkmenistan 76.5% compare
- 102 Canada 76.2% compare
- 103 El Salvador 76.1% compare
- 104 Switzerland 76.0% compare
More reference data data for New Zealand
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.4532 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 9.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0459 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 10.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.52 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 42.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 47.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2499 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in New Zealand?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in New Zealand was 76.3% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 76.3% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 63.0% in 1950.
- How does New Zealand rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- New Zealand ranks 101st out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated share of the population living in urban areas (the sum of cities and towns and suburbs). Urban areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.