Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in United States
United States: Do more people live in urban or rural areas? was 80.2% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in United States, 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 United States stood at 80.2%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in United States peaked at 80.7% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
United States ranks 69th 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
| 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 | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1700s | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1 |
| 1710s | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1 |
| 1720s | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1 |
| 1730s | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 1 |
| 1740s | 2.8% | 2.8% | 2.8% | 1 |
| 1750s | 3.2% | 3.2% | 3.2% | 1 |
| 1760s | 3.6% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 1 |
| 1770s | 4.0% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 1 |
| 1780s | 4.5% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 1 |
| 1790s | 5.1% | 5.1% | 5.1% | 1 |
| 1800s | 6.1% | 6.1% | 6.1% | 1 |
| 1810s | 7.3% | 7.3% | 7.3% | 1 |
| 1820s | 7.2% | 7.2% | 7.2% | 1 |
| 1830s | 8.8% | 8.8% | 8.8% | 1 |
| 1840s | 10.8% | 10.8% | 10.8% | 1 |
| 1850s | 15.3% | 15.3% | 15.3% | 1 |
| 1860s | 19.8% | 19.8% | 19.8% | 1 |
| 1870s | 25.7% | 25.7% | 25.7% | 1 |
| 1880s | 28.2% | 28.2% | 28.2% | 1 |
| 1890s | 35.1% | 35.1% | 35.1% | 1 |
| 1900s | 39.6% | 39.6% | 39.6% | 1 |
| 1910s | 45.6% | 45.6% | 45.6% | 1 |
| 1920s | 51.2% | 51.2% | 51.2% | 1 |
| 1930s | 56.2% | 56.2% | 56.2% | 1 |
| 1940s | 60.0% | 60.0% | 60.0% | 1 |
| 1950s | 66.9% | 64.0% | 69.5% | 10 |
| 1960s | 71.9% | 70.0% | 73.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 73.6% | 73.5% | 73.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 74.3% | 73.8% | 75.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 77.0% | 75.3% | 78.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 80.0% | 79.1% | 80.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 80.5% | 80.1% | 80.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 80.1% | 80.0% | 80.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 66 Bonaire Sint Eustatius and Saba 81.1% compare
- 67 Spain 80.5% compare
- 68 American Samoa 80.5% compare
- 70 Mexico 80.0% compare
- 71 Costa Rica 79.7% compare
- 72 Belarus 79.5% compare
More reference data data for United States
- Spring temperature anomalies 2.51 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.5014 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.0594 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.8696 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.9189 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 143.86 2010 = 100 (2024)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is do more people live in urban or rural areas? in United States?
- Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in United States was 80.2% 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 United States?
- The highest recorded value was 80.7% in 2010.
- What is the lowest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does United States rank for do more people live in urban or rural areas??
- United States ranks 69th out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is do more people live in urban or rural areas? rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United States 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.