Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in China
China: Do more people live in urban or rural areas? was 66.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in China, 1000–2025
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
In 2025, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in China stood at 66.3%. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and up 15.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in China peaked at 66.3% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 5.0%, in 1400.
That places China 117th out of 238 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 6.5% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 1 |
| 1600s | 7.0% | 7.0% | 7.0% | 1 |
| 1700s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1710s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1720s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1730s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1740s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1750s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1760s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1770s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1780s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1790s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1800s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1810s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1820s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1830s | 6.1% | 6.1% | 6.1% | 1 |
| 1840s | 6.1% | 6.1% | 6.1% | 1 |
| 1850s | 6.2% | 6.2% | 6.2% | 1 |
| 1860s | 6.2% | 6.2% | 6.2% | 1 |
| 1870s | 6.3% | 6.3% | 6.3% | 1 |
| 1880s | 6.4% | 6.4% | 6.4% | 1 |
| 1890s | 6.4% | 6.4% | 6.4% | 1 |
| 1900s | 6.5% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 1 |
| 1910s | 6.6% | 6.6% | 6.6% | 1 |
| 1920s | 6.6% | 6.6% | 6.6% | 1 |
| 1930s | 7.0% | 7.0% | 7.0% | 1 |
| 1940s | 8.0% | 8.0% | 8.0% | 1 |
| 1950s | 14.0% | 11.2% | 18.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 18.0% | 16.8% | 19.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 17.5% | 17.1% | 19.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 23.0% | 19.4% | 26.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 29.7% | 26.2% | 34.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 42.4% | 36.4% | 48.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 56.5% | 49.2% | 62.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 65.2% | 63.5% | 66.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More reference data data for China
- Spring temperature anomalies 1.66 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.0991 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 1.15 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 0 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 1.34 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 2.06 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 132.6 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 0 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is do more people live in urban or rural areas? in China?
- Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in China was 66.3% 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 66.3% in 2025.
- What is the lowest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.0% in 1400.
- How does China rank for do more people live in urban or rural areas??
- China ranks 117th out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is do more people live in urban or rural areas? rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modelled historical data.