Rural population growth (annual %) in Low & middle income
Low & middle income: Rural population growth (annual %) was 0.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in Low & middle income, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2025, rural population growth in Low & middle income stood at 0.3%.
That represents a change of down 12.3% on the previous year and up 569.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in Low & middle income peaked at 2.4% in 1962 and was at its lowest, -0.2%, in 2011.
That places Low & middle income 25th out of 47 groups 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.
Rural population growth (annual %) in Low & middle income, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.2% | — |
| 1962 | 2.4% | +99.5% |
| 1963 | 2.3% | -2.6% |
| 1964 | 1.5% | -35.0% |
| 1965 | 2.2% | +43.9% |
| 1966 | 2.2% | +0.3% |
| 1967 | 2.1% | -3.7% |
| 1968 | 2.1% | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 2.2% | +1.3% |
| 1970 | 2.2% | +0.6% |
| 1971 | 2.1% | -2.7% |
| 1972 | 2.0% | -6.3% |
| 1973 | 1.9% | -5.8% |
| 1974 | 1.9% | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 1.7% | -11.7% |
| 1976 | 1.6% | -5.8% |
| 1977 | 1.5% | -4.4% |
| 1978 | 1.4% | -7.3% |
| 1979 | 1.1% | -18.3% |
| 1980 | 1.4% | +23.5% |
| 1981 | 1.3% | -6.5% |
| 1982 | 1.6% | +18.6% |
| 1983 | 1.3% | -17.6% |
| 1984 | 1.1% | -15.0% |
| 1985 | 1.4% | +27.1% |
| 1986 | 1.3% | -2.3% |
| 1987 | 1.4% | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 1.5% | +7.8% |
| 1989 | 1.5% | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 1.6% | +10.9% |
| 1991 | 1.2% | -25.8% |
| 1992 | 1.3% | +3.4% |
| 1993 | 1.2% | -3.0% |
| 1994 | 1.2% | -5.3% |
| 1995 | 1.1% | -3.6% |
| 1996 | 0.7% | -35.5% |
| 1997 | 0.7% | -8.2% |
| 1998 | 0.6% | -7.3% |
| 1999 | 0.6% | -8.9% |
| 2000 | 0.4% | -24.8% |
| 2001 | 0.6% | +35.7% |
| 2002 | 0.4% | -23.5% |
| 2003 | 0.4% | -12.8% |
| 2004 | 0.4% | +14.8% |
| 2005 | 0.4% | -6.3% |
| 2006 | 0.3% | -17.0% |
| 2007 | 0.2% | -29.2% |
| 2008 | 0.4% | +65.0% |
| 2009 | 0.3% | -26.9% |
| 2010 | 0.5% | +68.9% |
| 2011 | -0.2% | -150.8% |
| 2012 | 0.3% | -222.7% |
| 2013 | 0.1% | -54.8% |
| 2014 | 0.2% | +37.3% |
| 2015 | 0.1% | -73.0% |
| 2016 | 0.1% | +167.9% |
| 2017 | 0.2% | +39.2% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | -41.3% |
| 2019 | 0.2% | +56.1% |
| 2020 | 0.3% | +81.0% |
| 2021 | 0.0% | -90.2% |
| 2022 | 0.3% | +816.4% |
| 2023 | 0.4% | +36.9% |
| 2024 | 0.4% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 0.3% | -12.3% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Rural population growth (annual %) in Low & middle income 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +816.4% | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| 2012 | +222.7% | -0.2% | 0.3% |
| 2016 | +167.9% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2011 | -150.8% | 0.5% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.0% | 1.2% | 2.4% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.7% | 1.1% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.4% | 1.1% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.0% | 0.6% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2% | -0.2% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Low & middle income
More agriculture & rural data for Low & middle income
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.8% (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.3404 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.4688 units per person (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.1% (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 3.77 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Rural population 3.18 billion (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 9.1% (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 555.24 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population 46.9% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in Low & middle income?
- Rural population growth in Low & middle income was 0.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in Low & middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 2.4% in 1962.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in Low & middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.2% in 2011.
- How does Low & middle income rank for rural population growth?
- Low & middle income ranks 25th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in Low & middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is up 569.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Low & middle income data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Annual rural population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear rural population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.