Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Do more people live in urban or rural areas? was 79.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
79.7%
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
71st
of 238 countries
All-time high
79.7%
in 2025
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Costa Rica, 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
Costa Rica recorded 79.7% for do more people live in urban or rural areas? in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 6.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Costa Rica peaked at 79.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
Costa Rica ranks 71st 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.
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.4% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 1.1% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 3.4% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 3.8% | +12.7% |
| 1720 | 4.2% | +9.5% |
| 1730 | 4.6% | +9.5% |
| 1740 | 5.0% | +9.5% |
| 1750 | 5.5% | +9.5% |
| 1760 | 6.0% | +9.5% |
| 1770 | 6.6% | +9.5% |
| 1780 | 7.2% | +9.5% |
| 1790 | 7.9% | +9.5% |
| 1800 | 8.6% | +9.5% |
| 1810 | 9.4% | +9.5% |
| 1820 | 10.3% | +9.5% |
| 1830 | 11.3% | +9.5% |
| 1840 | 12.4% | +9.5% |
| 1850 | 13.6% | +9.5% |
| 1860 | 14.9% | +9.5% |
| 1870 | 16.3% | +9.5% |
| 1880 | 17.8% | +9.5% |
| 1890 | 19.5% | +9.5% |
| 1900 | 21.4% | +9.5% |
| 1910 | 23.4% | +9.5% |
| 1920 | 25.7% | +9.5% |
| 1930 | 28.1% | +9.5% |
| 1940 | 30.8% | +9.5% |
| 1950 | 33.5% | +8.8% |
| 1951 | 33.5% | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 33.5% | +0.1% |
| 1953 | 33.6% | +0.1% |
| 1954 | 33.6% | +0.1% |
| 1955 | 33.7% | +0.2% |
| 1956 | 33.7% | +0.2% |
| 1957 | 33.8% | +0.2% |
| 1958 | 33.9% | +0.3% |
| 1959 | 34.0% | +0.3% |
| 1960 | 34.1% | +0.3% |
| 1961 | 34.2% | +0.3% |
| 1962 | 34.3% | +0.4% |
| 1963 | 34.5% | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 34.8% | +0.8% |
| 1965 | 35.2% | +1.3% |
| 1966 | 35.8% | +1.7% |
| 1967 | 36.5% | +1.9% |
| 1968 | 37.3% | +2.1% |
| 1969 | 38.0% | +2.1% |
| 1970 | 38.8% | +2.0% |
| 1971 | 39.5% | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 40.2% | +1.6% |
| 1973 | 40.7% | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 41.1% | +1.0% |
| 1975 | 41.4% | +0.9% |
| 1976 | 41.7% | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 42.0% | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 42.3% | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 42.6% | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 42.9% | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 43.2% | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 43.5% | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 43.9% | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 44.4% | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 44.9% | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 45.5% | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 46.1% | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 46.9% | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 47.7% | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 48.6% | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 49.5% | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 50.5% | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 51.5% | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 52.5% | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 53.6% | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 54.7% | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 55.8% | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 56.9% | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 58.0% | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 59.0% | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 60.1% | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 61.3% | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 62.5% | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 63.7% | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 64.9% | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 66.2% | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 67.5% | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 68.8% | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 70.1% | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 71.5% | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 72.8% | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 73.4% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 73.9% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 74.5% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 75.0% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 75.5% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 76.1% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 76.6% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 77.0% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 77.5% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 78.0% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 78.4% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 78.9% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 79.3% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 79.7% | +0.5% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 79.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 81.3%, 98% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 79.7% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 72.0%, 1.1× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Costa Rica changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.4% | 1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | 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 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1600s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1 |
| 1700s | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 1 |
| 1710s | 3.8% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 1 |
| 1720s | 4.2% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 1 |
| 1730s | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 1 |
| 1740s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1750s | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 1 |
| 1760s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1770s | 6.6% | 6.6% | 6.6% | 1 |
| 1780s | 7.2% | 7.2% | 7.2% | 1 |
| 1790s | 7.9% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 1 |
| 1800s | 8.6% | 8.6% | 8.6% | 1 |
| 1810s | 9.4% | 9.4% | 9.4% | 1 |
| 1820s | 10.3% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 1 |
| 1830s | 11.3% | 11.3% | 11.3% | 1 |
| 1840s | 12.4% | 12.4% | 12.4% | 1 |
| 1850s | 13.6% | 13.6% | 13.6% | 1 |
| 1860s | 14.9% | 14.9% | 14.9% | 1 |
| 1870s | 16.3% | 16.3% | 16.3% | 1 |
| 1880s | 17.8% | 17.8% | 17.8% | 1 |
| 1890s | 19.5% | 19.5% | 19.5% | 1 |
| 1900s | 21.4% | 21.4% | 21.4% | 1 |
| 1910s | 23.4% | 23.4% | 23.4% | 1 |
| 1920s | 25.7% | 25.7% | 25.7% | 1 |
| 1930s | 28.1% | 28.1% | 28.1% | 1 |
| 1940s | 30.8% | 30.8% | 30.8% | 1 |
| 1950s | 33.7% | 33.5% | 34.0% | 10 |
| 1960s | 35.5% | 34.1% | 38.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 41.0% | 38.8% | 42.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 44.9% | 42.9% | 47.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 53.1% | 48.6% | 58.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 64.4% | 59.0% | 70.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 74.6% | 71.5% | 77.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 78.6% | 77.5% | 79.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 68 American Samoa 80.5% compare
- 69 United States 80.2% compare
- 70 Mexico 80.0% compare
- 72 Belarus 79.5% compare
- 73 Oman 79.5% compare
- 74 Svalbard and Jan Mayen 79.3% compare
More reference data data for Costa Rica
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2987 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.406 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0167 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.3161 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.24 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 5.91 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0907 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Costa Rica?
- Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Costa Rica was 79.7% 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 Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 79.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Costa Rica rank for do more people live in urban or rural areas??
- Costa Rica ranks 71st out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is do more people live in urban or rural areas? rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica 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
Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modeled historical data.