Share of population living in urban areas in Philippines
Philippines: Share of population living in urban areas was 84.8% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban areas in Philippines, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, share of population living in urban areas in Philippines stood at 84.8%. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas in Philippines peaked at 84.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 47.5%, in 1950.
Philippines ranks 54th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban areas in Philippines, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 47.5% | — |
| 1955 | 52.2% | +9.9% |
| 1960 | 57.1% | +9.4% |
| 1965 | 60.9% | +6.6% |
| 1970 | 64.3% | +5.6% |
| 1975 | 66.9% | +3.9% |
| 1980 | 68.9% | +3.1% |
| 1985 | 71.8% | +4.1% |
| 1990 | 74.5% | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 76.6% | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 78.8% | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 80.5% | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 82.0% | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 83.6% | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 84.8% | +1.5% |
Philippines compared with similar countries
- Philippines's 84.8% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 74.7%, 1.1× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Philippines's 84.8% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 70.5%, 1.2× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 49.9% | 47.5% | 52.2% | 2 |
| 1960s | 59.0% | 57.1% | 60.9% | 2 |
| 1970s | 65.6% | 64.3% | 66.9% | 2 |
| 1980s | 70.3% | 68.9% | 71.8% | 2 |
| 1990s | 75.5% | 74.5% | 76.6% | 2 |
| 2000s | 79.6% | 78.8% | 80.5% | 2 |
| 2010s | 82.8% | 82.0% | 83.6% | 2 |
| 2020s | 84.8% | 84.8% | 84.8% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Philippines
More reference data data for Philippines
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.95 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 12.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.43 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 12.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 7.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 10.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 15.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 67.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 7.76 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas in Philippines?
- Share of population living in urban areas in Philippines was 84.8% 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 areas recorded in Philippines?
- The highest recorded value was 84.8% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas recorded in Philippines?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.5% in 1950.
- How does Philippines rank for share of population living in urban areas?
- Philippines ranks 54th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban areas rising or falling in Philippines?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Philippines 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 areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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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.