Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Barbados

Barbados: Do more people live in urban or rural areas? was 59.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
59.7%
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
142nd
of 238 countries
All-time high
63.6%
in 1990
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025

Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Barbados, 1000–2025

0204060100015122025

Source: HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Barbados is 59.7%, measured in 2025.

That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 0.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Barbados peaked at 63.6% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.

Barbados ranks 142nd of 238 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1000s 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 1
1100s 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 1
1200s 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 1
1300s 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 1
1400s 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 1
1500s 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 1
1600s 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% 1
1700s 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 1
1710s 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 1
1720s 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 1
1730s 0.3% 0.3% 0.3% 1
1740s 0.3% 0.3% 0.3% 1
1750s 0.4% 0.4% 0.4% 1
1760s 0.5% 0.5% 0.5% 1
1770s 0.6% 0.6% 0.6% 1
1780s 0.8% 0.8% 0.8% 1
1790s 1.0% 1.0% 1.0% 1
1800s 1.3% 1.3% 1.3% 1
1810s 1.6% 1.6% 1.6% 1
1820s 2.0% 2.0% 2.0% 1
1830s 2.5% 2.5% 2.5% 1
1840s 3.1% 3.1% 3.1% 1
1850s 3.9% 3.9% 3.9% 1
1860s 4.8% 4.8% 4.8% 1
1870s 6.0% 6.0% 6.0% 1
1880s 7.6% 7.6% 7.6% 1
1890s 9.5% 9.5% 9.5% 1
1900s 11.8% 11.8% 11.8% 1
1910s 14.8% 14.8% 14.8% 1
1920s 18.5% 18.5% 18.5% 1
1930s 23.1% 23.1% 23.1% 1
1940s 28.8% 28.8% 28.8% 1
1950s 40.0% 39.7% 40.3% 10
1960s 42.1% 40.4% 44.5% 10
1970s 54.3% 45.3% 63.1% 10
1980s 63.5% 63.5% 63.6% 10
1990s 63.2% 62.7% 63.6% 10
2000s 60.9% 59.3% 62.5% 10
2010s 59.2% 59.2% 59.3% 10
2020s 59.4% 59.3% 59.7% 6

Countries ranked near Barbados

  1. 139 Mauritania 61.5% compare
  2. 140 Georgia 61.2% compare
  3. 141 Poland 60.1% compare
  4. 143 Fiji 59.5% compare
  5. 144 Nicaragua 59.4% compare
  6. 145 Jamaica 59.4% compare

See the full ranking of 239 places →

More reference data data for Barbados

All data for Barbados →

Frequently asked questions

What is do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Barbados?
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Barbados was 59.7% in 2025, according to HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Barbados?
The highest recorded value was 63.6% in 1990.
What is the lowest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Barbados?
The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
How does Barbados rank for do more people live in urban or rural areas??
Barbados ranks 142nd out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
Is do more people live in urban or rural areas? rising or falling in Barbados?
Over the last ten years it is up 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Barbados data come from?
The figures come from HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Do more people live in urban or rural areas?. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Do more people live in urban or rural areas?
Unit
%
Source
HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
239 places, 24,444 data points, 1000–2025
Last refreshed

Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modelled historical data.