Rural population in Denmark
Denmark: Rural population was 11.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Denmark, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Denmark is 11.2%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 9.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Denmark peaked at 26.0% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 11.2%, in 2025.
Denmark ranks 181st of 217 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population in Denmark, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 26.0% | — |
| 1961 | 25.5% | -2.1% |
| 1962 | 24.9% | -2.2% |
| 1963 | 24.3% | -2.4% |
| 1964 | 23.7% | -2.4% |
| 1965 | 23.1% | -2.5% |
| 1966 | 22.5% | -2.6% |
| 1967 | 21.9% | -2.6% |
| 1968 | 21.4% | -2.6% |
| 1969 | 20.8% | -2.6% |
| 1970 | 20.3% | -2.6% |
| 1971 | 19.7% | -2.6% |
| 1972 | 19.2% | -2.7% |
| 1973 | 18.7% | -2.7% |
| 1974 | 18.2% | -2.6% |
| 1975 | 17.8% | -2.4% |
| 1976 | 17.4% | -2.2% |
| 1977 | 17.0% | -1.9% |
| 1978 | 16.7% | -1.8% |
| 1979 | 16.5% | -1.7% |
| 1980 | 16.2% | -1.4% |
| 1981 | 16.1% | -1.1% |
| 1982 | 15.9% | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 15.7% | -1.0% |
| 1984 | 15.6% | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 15.4% | -0.8% |
| 1986 | 15.3% | -0.7% |
| 1987 | 15.2% | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 15.2% | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 15.2% | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 15.2% | -0.0% |
| 1991 | 15.1% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 15.1% | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 15.1% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 15.0% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 15.0% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 15.0% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 14.9% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 14.9% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 14.9% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 14.9% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 14.8% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 14.7% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 14.6% | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 14.3% | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 14.0% | -2.1% |
| 2006 | 13.7% | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 13.6% | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 13.4% | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 13.2% | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 13.1% | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 12.8% | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 12.8% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 12.5% | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 12.3% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 12.3% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 12.3% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 12.0% | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 11.9% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 11.8% | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 11.8% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 11.7% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 11.6% | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 11.4% | -1.4% |
| 2024 | 11.3% | -1.3% |
| 2025 | 11.2% | -1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 23.4% | 20.8% | 26.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 18.2% | 16.5% | 20.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 15.6% | 15.2% | 16.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.0% | 14.9% | 15.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.1% | 13.2% | 14.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.4% | 11.8% | 13.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.5% | 11.2% | 11.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Denmark
More agriculture & rural data for Denmark
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 37.33 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0117 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 900.07 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.7939 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1115 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture share gdp 1.17 (2025)
- Value added in the agricultural sector as of gdp vs gdp per capita 1.17 (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.9% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Denmark?
- Rural population in Denmark was 11.2% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Denmark?
- The highest recorded value was 26.0% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Denmark?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.2% in 2025.
- How does Denmark rank for rural population?
- Denmark ranks 181st out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Denmark?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Denmark 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.