Rural population growth (annual %) in OECD members
OECD members: Rural population growth (annual %) was -0.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in OECD members, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
OECD members recorded -0.3% for rural population growth in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 460.7% on the previous year and up 67.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in OECD members peaked at 0.3% in 2017 and was at its lowest, -1.3%, in 2014.
That places OECD members 37th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Rural population growth (annual %) in OECD members, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.0% | — |
| 1962 | -0.0% | -180.7% |
| 1963 | -0.1% | +325.8% |
| 1964 | -0.2% | +87.1% |
| 1965 | -0.3% | +44.1% |
| 1966 | -0.4% | +20.2% |
| 1967 | -0.4% | +6.2% |
| 1968 | -0.4% | +1.4% |
| 1969 | -0.3% | -11.9% |
| 1970 | -0.2% | -30.6% |
| 1971 | 0.0% | -104.8% |
| 1972 | -0.1% | -844.3% |
| 1973 | -0.1% | +47.9% |
| 1974 | -0.1% | -26.4% |
| 1975 | 0.1% | -168.6% |
| 1976 | 0.0% | -23.3% |
| 1977 | 0.1% | +71.9% |
| 1978 | 0.1% | +82.5% |
| 1979 | 0.1% | -17.3% |
| 1980 | -0.0% | -117.6% |
| 1981 | 0.1% | -332.7% |
| 1982 | 0.0% | -85.0% |
| 1983 | -0.0% | -411.2% |
| 1984 | -0.1% | +299.4% |
| 1985 | -0.1% | +29.5% |
| 1986 | -0.2% | +25.7% |
| 1987 | -0.2% | +25.5% |
| 1988 | -0.2% | +6.8% |
| 1989 | -0.2% | -24.7% |
| 1990 | -0.1% | -56.6% |
| 1991 | 0.0% | -100.4% |
| 1992 | -0.1% | -28643.6% |
| 1993 | -0.2% | +170.3% |
| 1994 | -0.3% | +53.3% |
| 1995 | -0.3% | +8.8% |
| 1996 | -0.4% | +27.7% |
| 1997 | -0.5% | +14.7% |
| 1998 | -0.4% | -21.1% |
| 1999 | -0.3% | -18.3% |
| 2000 | -0.4% | +32.8% |
| 2001 | -0.6% | +42.8% |
| 2002 | -0.9% | +60.5% |
| 2003 | -1.1% | +18.9% |
| 2004 | -1.1% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | -0.9% | -17.3% |
| 2006 | -0.6% | -32.3% |
| 2007 | -0.5% | -9.9% |
| 2008 | -0.4% | -29.3% |
| 2009 | -0.3% | -10.5% |
| 2010 | -0.3% | -10.1% |
| 2011 | -0.3% | -15.1% |
| 2012 | -0.5% | +95.8% |
| 2013 | -1.2% | +137.2% |
| 2014 | -1.3% | +7.6% |
| 2015 | -0.9% | -28.3% |
| 2016 | -0.2% | -79.4% |
| 2017 | 0.3% | -232.7% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | -40.9% |
| 2019 | 0.0% | -91.5% |
| 2020 | -0.1% | -694.7% |
| 2021 | -0.4% | +474.3% |
| 2022 | 0.0% | -100.9% |
| 2023 | 0.1% | +2941.1% |
| 2024 | -0.1% | -145.9% |
| 2025 | -0.3% | +460.7% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Rural population growth (annual %) in OECD members 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | -28643.6% | 0.0% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | +2941.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1972 | -844.3% | 0.0% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | -694.7% | 0.0% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | -474.3% | -0.1% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | -460.7% | -0.1% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -0.2% | -0.4% | 0.0% | 9 |
| 1970s | -0.0% | -0.2% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.1% | -0.2% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.2% | -0.5% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.7% | -1.1% | -0.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.4% | -1.3% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.1% | -0.4% | 0.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near OECD members
- 34 Turkmenistan 1.6% compare
- 35 Guinea 1.6% compare
- 36 Kenya 1.5% compare
- 37 Liechtenstein 1.4% compare
- 38 Solomon Islands 1.4% compare
- 39 Armenia 1.4% compare
- 40 Burkina Faso 1.4% compare
More agriculture & rural data for OECD members
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.3033 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1868 units per person (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.2% (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 977.64 billion current US$ (2024)
- Rural population 262.00 million (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 1.4% (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 699.9 current US$ per person (2024)
- Rural population 18.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in OECD members?
- Rural population growth in OECD members was -0.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in OECD members?
- The highest recorded value was 0.3% in 2017.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in OECD members?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.3% in 2014.
- How does OECD members rank for rural population growth?
- OECD members ranks 37th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in OECD members?
- Over the last ten years it is up 67.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this OECD members 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.
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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.