Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in North America
North America: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 19.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in North America, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
North America recorded 19.5% for rural population in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and up 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in North America peaked at 30.1% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 19.3%, in 2011.
That places North America 42nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in North America, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 30.1% | — |
| 1961 | 29.6% | -1.6% |
| 1962 | 29.1% | -1.7% |
| 1963 | 28.6% | -1.7% |
| 1964 | 28.1% | -1.7% |
| 1965 | 27.7% | -1.6% |
| 1966 | 27.2% | -1.5% |
| 1967 | 26.9% | -1.3% |
| 1968 | 26.6% | -1.1% |
| 1969 | 26.4% | -0.8% |
| 1970 | 26.3% | -0.4% |
| 1971 | 26.2% | -0.2% |
| 1972 | 26.2% | -0.1% |
| 1973 | 26.2% | -0.0% |
| 1974 | 26.2% | -0.0% |
| 1975 | 26.2% | -0.0% |
| 1976 | 26.2% | -0.0% |
| 1977 | 26.2% | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 26.1% | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 26.1% | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 26.1% | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 26.0% | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 25.9% | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 25.8% | -0.5% |
| 1984 | 25.6% | -0.5% |
| 1985 | 25.5% | -0.6% |
| 1986 | 25.3% | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 25.2% | -0.7% |
| 1988 | 25.0% | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 24.8% | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 24.6% | -0.8% |
| 1991 | 24.3% | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 24.0% | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 23.6% | -1.6% |
| 1994 | 23.2% | -1.8% |
| 1995 | 22.8% | -1.9% |
| 1996 | 22.3% | -1.9% |
| 1997 | 21.9% | -1.8% |
| 1998 | 21.5% | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 21.2% | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 21.0% | -1.2% |
| 2001 | 20.7% | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 20.5% | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 20.3% | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 20.0% | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 19.8% | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 19.6% | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 19.5% | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 19.4% | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 19.3% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 19.3% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 19.3% | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 19.3% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 19.3% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 19.3% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 19.4% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 19.4% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 19.5% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 19.6% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 19.7% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 19.8% | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 19.8% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 19.7% | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 19.7% | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 19.6% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 19.5% | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 28.0% | 26.4% | 30.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 26.2% | 26.1% | 26.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 25.5% | 24.8% | 26.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.0% | 21.2% | 24.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.0% | 19.3% | 21.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.4% | 19.3% | 19.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.7% | 19.5% | 19.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North America
More agriculture & rural data for North America
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.1578 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1951 units per person (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.8% (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 256.06 billion current US$ (2021)
- Rural population 74.83 million (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 1.0% (2021)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 691.3 current US$ per person (2021)
- Rural population growth 0.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in North America?
- Rural population in North America was 19.5% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 30.1% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.3% in 2011.
- How does North America rank for rural population?
- North America ranks 42nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North America 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
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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.