Rural population in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Rural population was 20.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Costa Rica, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Costa Rica is 20.3%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is down 2.0% on the previous year and down 18.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Costa Rica peaked at 65.9% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 20.3%, in 2025.
Costa Rica ranks 160th of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 65.9% | — |
| 1961 | 65.8% | -0.2% |
| 1962 | 65.7% | -0.2% |
| 1963 | 65.5% | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 65.2% | -0.4% |
| 1965 | 64.8% | -0.7% |
| 1966 | 64.2% | -0.9% |
| 1967 | 63.5% | -1.1% |
| 1968 | 62.7% | -1.2% |
| 1969 | 62.0% | -1.3% |
| 1970 | 61.2% | -1.2% |
| 1971 | 60.5% | -1.2% |
| 1972 | 59.8% | -1.0% |
| 1973 | 59.3% | -0.8% |
| 1974 | 58.9% | -0.7% |
| 1975 | 58.6% | -0.6% |
| 1976 | 58.3% | -0.5% |
| 1977 | 58.0% | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 57.7% | -0.5% |
| 1979 | 57.4% | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 57.1% | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 56.8% | -0.5% |
| 1982 | 56.5% | -0.6% |
| 1983 | 56.1% | -0.7% |
| 1984 | 55.6% | -0.8% |
| 1985 | 55.1% | -0.9% |
| 1986 | 54.5% | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 53.9% | -1.2% |
| 1988 | 53.1% | -1.4% |
| 1989 | 52.3% | -1.5% |
| 1990 | 51.4% | -1.7% |
| 1991 | 50.5% | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 49.5% | -1.9% |
| 1993 | 48.5% | -2.0% |
| 1994 | 47.5% | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 46.4% | -2.2% |
| 1996 | 45.3% | -2.3% |
| 1997 | 44.2% | -2.4% |
| 1998 | 43.1% | -2.5% |
| 1999 | 42.0% | -2.5% |
| 2000 | 41.0% | -2.6% |
| 2001 | 39.9% | -2.7% |
| 2002 | 38.7% | -2.9% |
| 2003 | 37.5% | -3.0% |
| 2004 | 36.3% | -3.2% |
| 2005 | 35.1% | -3.4% |
| 2006 | 33.8% | -3.6% |
| 2007 | 32.5% | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 31.2% | -4.1% |
| 2009 | 29.9% | -4.3% |
| 2010 | 28.5% | -4.6% |
| 2011 | 27.2% | -4.7% |
| 2012 | 26.6% | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 26.1% | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 25.5% | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 25.0% | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 24.5% | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 23.9% | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 23.4% | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 23.0% | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 22.5% | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 22.0% | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 21.6% | -2.1% |
| 2023 | 21.1% | -2.0% |
| 2024 | 20.7% | -2.0% |
| 2025 | 20.3% | -2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 64.5% | 62.0% | 65.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 59.0% | 57.4% | 61.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 55.1% | 52.3% | 57.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 46.9% | 42.0% | 51.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 35.6% | 29.9% | 41.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.4% | 23.0% | 28.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.4% | 20.3% | 22.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More agriculture & rural data for Costa Rica
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 4.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0337 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 672.15 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.57 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.2027 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 3.4% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 3.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.1% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Costa Rica?
- Rural population in Costa Rica was 20.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 65.9% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.3% in 2025.
- How does Costa Rica rank for rural population?
- Costa Rica ranks 160th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
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.