Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in El Salvador
El Salvador: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 24.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in El Salvador, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
El Salvador recorded 24.5% for rural population in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.8% on the previous year and down 19.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in El Salvador peaked at 61.6% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 24.5%, in 2025.
El Salvador ranks 147th 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 (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 61.6% | — |
| 1961 | 61.5% | -0.2% |
| 1962 | 61.4% | -0.2% |
| 1963 | 61.3% | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 61.2% | -0.1% |
| 1965 | 61.1% | -0.1% |
| 1966 | 61.0% | -0.1% |
| 1967 | 60.9% | -0.1% |
| 1968 | 60.8% | -0.1% |
| 1969 | 60.7% | -0.2% |
| 1970 | 60.6% | -0.2% |
| 1971 | 60.5% | -0.2% |
| 1972 | 60.3% | -0.3% |
| 1973 | 60.0% | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 59.8% | -0.5% |
| 1975 | 59.4% | -0.6% |
| 1976 | 59.0% | -0.6% |
| 1977 | 58.6% | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 58.2% | -0.8% |
| 1979 | 57.7% | -0.8% |
| 1980 | 57.2% | -0.9% |
| 1981 | 56.6% | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 56.1% | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 55.5% | -1.0% |
| 1984 | 54.9% | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 54.3% | -1.1% |
| 1986 | 53.6% | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 53.0% | -1.2% |
| 1988 | 52.3% | -1.2% |
| 1989 | 51.7% | -1.3% |
| 1990 | 51.0% | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 50.4% | -1.3% |
| 1992 | 49.7% | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 49.1% | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 48.3% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 47.6% | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 46.8% | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 46.0% | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 45.2% | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 44.3% | -1.9% |
| 2000 | 43.4% | -2.0% |
| 2001 | 42.5% | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 41.7% | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 40.8% | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 39.9% | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 39.0% | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 38.1% | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 37.2% | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 36.4% | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 35.5% | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 34.6% | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 33.7% | -2.6% |
| 2012 | 32.8% | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 31.9% | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 31.1% | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 30.3% | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 29.6% | -2.3% |
| 2017 | 28.9% | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 28.2% | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 27.6% | -2.3% |
| 2020 | 26.9% | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 26.3% | -2.3% |
| 2022 | 25.9% | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 25.4% | -1.8% |
| 2024 | 24.9% | -1.8% |
| 2025 | 24.5% | -1.8% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's 24.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 34.6%, 71% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's 24.5% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 28.0%, 88% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 61.1% | 60.7% | 61.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 59.4% | 57.7% | 60.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 54.5% | 51.7% | 57.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 47.8% | 44.3% | 51.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 39.4% | 35.5% | 43.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.9% | 27.6% | 34.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.7% | 24.5% | 26.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
More agriculture & rural data for El Salvador
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.0005 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.1384 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.0035 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.1483 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 2.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.044 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 253.9 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.41 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in El Salvador?
- Rural population in El Salvador was 24.5% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 61.6% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.5% in 2025.
- How does El Salvador rank for rural population?
- El Salvador ranks 147th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this El Salvador 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.