Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Thailand
Thailand: Do more people live in urban or rural areas? was 62.8% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
62.8%
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
133rd
of 238 countries
All-time high
62.8%
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 Thailand, 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
Thailand recorded 62.8% for do more people live in urban or rural areas? in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.5% on the previous year and up 33.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Thailand peaked at 62.8% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
That places Thailand 133rd 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.
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Thailand, 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 | 0.2% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.5% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 1.6% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 1.8% | +12.7% |
| 1720 | 2.0% | +9.5% |
| 1730 | 2.2% | +9.5% |
| 1740 | 2.4% | +9.5% |
| 1750 | 2.7% | +9.5% |
| 1760 | 2.9% | +9.5% |
| 1770 | 3.2% | +9.5% |
| 1780 | 3.5% | +9.5% |
| 1790 | 3.8% | +9.5% |
| 1800 | 4.2% | +9.5% |
| 1810 | 4.6% | +9.5% |
| 1820 | 5.0% | +9.5% |
| 1830 | 5.5% | +9.5% |
| 1840 | 6.0% | +9.5% |
| 1850 | 6.6% | +9.5% |
| 1860 | 7.2% | +9.5% |
| 1870 | 7.9% | +9.5% |
| 1880 | 8.7% | +9.5% |
| 1890 | 9.5% | +9.5% |
| 1900 | 10.4% | +9.5% |
| 1910 | 11.4% | +9.5% |
| 1920 | 12.5% | +9.5% |
| 1930 | 13.7% | +9.5% |
| 1940 | 15.0% | +9.5% |
| 1950 | 10.4% | -30.8% |
| 1951 | 10.5% | +1.4% |
| 1952 | 10.7% | +1.4% |
| 1953 | 10.8% | +1.4% |
| 1954 | 10.9% | +1.4% |
| 1955 | 11.1% | +1.3% |
| 1956 | 11.2% | +1.3% |
| 1957 | 11.4% | +1.3% |
| 1958 | 11.5% | +1.3% |
| 1959 | 11.7% | +1.3% |
| 1960 | 11.8% | +1.2% |
| 1961 | 12.0% | +1.2% |
| 1962 | 12.1% | +1.1% |
| 1963 | 12.2% | +1.0% |
| 1964 | 12.3% | +1.0% |
| 1965 | 12.5% | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 12.6% | +1.1% |
| 1967 | 12.7% | +1.2% |
| 1968 | 12.9% | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 13.1% | +1.4% |
| 1970 | 13.3% | +1.6% |
| 1971 | 13.6% | +2.1% |
| 1972 | 13.9% | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 14.3% | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 14.8% | +3.1% |
| 1975 | 15.2% | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 15.7% | +3.0% |
| 1977 | 16.1% | +2.8% |
| 1978 | 16.5% | +2.4% |
| 1979 | 16.8% | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 17.1% | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 17.3% | +1.2% |
| 1982 | 17.4% | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 17.6% | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 17.7% | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 17.8% | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 17.9% | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 18.1% | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 18.3% | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 18.5% | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 18.8% | +1.6% |
| 1991 | 19.4% | +2.9% |
| 1992 | 20.2% | +4.5% |
| 1993 | 21.3% | +5.5% |
| 1994 | 22.7% | +6.2% |
| 1995 | 24.1% | +6.4% |
| 1996 | 25.6% | +6.4% |
| 1997 | 27.2% | +6.1% |
| 1998 | 28.7% | +5.6% |
| 1999 | 30.2% | +5.0% |
| 2000 | 31.5% | +4.3% |
| 2001 | 32.7% | +4.1% |
| 2002 | 34.1% | +4.1% |
| 2003 | 35.4% | +4.0% |
| 2004 | 36.8% | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 38.1% | +3.7% |
| 2006 | 39.4% | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 40.7% | +3.2% |
| 2008 | 41.9% | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 43.0% | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 44.0% | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 44.8% | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 45.4% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 45.8% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 46.3% | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 47.0% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 47.9% | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 49.2% | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 54.6% | +10.9% |
| 2019 | 55.9% | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 57.2% | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 58.5% | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 59.7% | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 60.9% | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 61.9% | +1.5% |
| 2025 | 62.8% | +1.5% |
Thailand compared with similar countries
- Thailand's 62.8% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 65.5%, 96% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Thailand's 62.8% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 65.4%, 96% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Thailand 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% | 0.2% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.2% | 0.5% |
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 | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1700s | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1 |
| 1710s | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1 |
| 1720s | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1 |
| 1730s | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1 |
| 1740s | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 1 |
| 1750s | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 1 |
| 1760s | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 1 |
| 1770s | 3.2% | 3.2% | 3.2% | 1 |
| 1780s | 3.5% | 3.5% | 3.5% | 1 |
| 1790s | 3.8% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 1 |
| 1800s | 4.2% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 1 |
| 1810s | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 1 |
| 1820s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1830s | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 1 |
| 1840s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1850s | 6.6% | 6.6% | 6.6% | 1 |
| 1860s | 7.2% | 7.2% | 7.2% | 1 |
| 1870s | 7.9% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 1 |
| 1880s | 8.7% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 1 |
| 1890s | 9.5% | 9.5% | 9.5% | 1 |
| 1900s | 10.4% | 10.4% | 10.4% | 1 |
| 1910s | 11.4% | 11.4% | 11.4% | 1 |
| 1920s | 12.5% | 12.5% | 12.5% | 1 |
| 1930s | 13.7% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 1 |
| 1940s | 15.0% | 15.0% | 15.0% | 1 |
| 1950s | 11.0% | 10.4% | 11.7% | 10 |
| 1960s | 12.4% | 11.8% | 13.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 15.0% | 13.3% | 16.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.8% | 17.1% | 18.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.8% | 18.8% | 30.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.4% | 31.5% | 43.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.1% | 44.0% | 55.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 60.2% | 57.2% | 62.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Thailand
- 130 Kiribati 63.4% compare
- 131 Morocco 63.1% compare
- 132 North Macedonia 62.9% compare
- 134 Serbia 62.6% compare
- 135 Kazakhstan 62.4% compare
- 136 French Polynesia 61.8% compare
More reference data data for Thailand
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.67 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.08 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.08 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 5.58 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 7.72 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 10.67 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 65.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 7.92 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Thailand?
- Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Thailand was 62.8% 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 Thailand?
- The highest recorded value was 62.8% in 2025.
- What is the lowest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Thailand?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Thailand rank for do more people live in urban or rural areas??
- Thailand ranks 133rd out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is do more people live in urban or rural areas? rising or falling in Thailand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Thailand 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.