Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in United States
United States: Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents was 20.4% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in United States, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in United States stood at 20.4%. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 17.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in United States peaked at 20.4% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 11.9%, in 1950.
United States ranks 70th of 180 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 cities with more than 1 million residents in United States, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 11.9% | — |
| 1955 | 12.1% | +1.2% |
| 1960 | 13.1% | +8.7% |
| 1965 | 13.8% | +5.4% |
| 1970 | 13.9% | +0.4% |
| 1975 | 14.0% | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 13.9% | -0.8% |
| 1985 | 14.0% | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 14.2% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 14.5% | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 15.5% | +6.7% |
| 2005 | 15.6% | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 17.4% | +11.4% |
| 2015 | 19.1% | +9.8% |
| 2020 | 20.4% | +7.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 20.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 15.3%, 1.3× the median. (58 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 12.0% | 11.9% | 12.1% | 2 |
| 1960s | 13.5% | 13.1% | 13.8% | 2 |
| 1970s | 13.9% | 13.9% | 14.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 14.0% | 13.9% | 14.0% | 2 |
| 1990s | 14.4% | 14.2% | 14.5% | 2 |
| 2000s | 15.5% | 15.5% | 15.6% | 2 |
| 2010s | 18.2% | 17.4% | 19.1% | 2 |
| 2020s | 20.4% | 20.4% | 20.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 67 Cote d'Ivoire 21.0% compare
- 68 Denmark 20.5% compare
- 69 Nigeria 20.4% compare
- 71 Tunisia 20.2% compare
- 72 Central African Republic 20.2% compare
- 73 Democratic Republic of Congo 20.0% compare
More reference data data for United States
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 19.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 24.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 20.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 64.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 52.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 133.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 589.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 112.69 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in United States?
- Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in United States was 20.4% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 20.4% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.9% in 1950.
- How does United States rank for share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents?
- United States ranks 70th out of 180 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the total population living in cities with 1 million or more people. City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.