Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Sweden
Sweden: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 10.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Sweden, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Sweden is 10.9%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.0% on the previous year and down 18.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Sweden peaked at 27.5% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 10.9%, in 2025.
Sweden ranks 184th of 218 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 (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Sweden, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 27.5% | — |
| 1961 | 26.6% | -3.2% |
| 1962 | 25.7% | -3.5% |
| 1963 | 24.7% | -3.7% |
| 1964 | 23.8% | -3.9% |
| 1965 | 22.9% | -3.8% |
| 1966 | 22.0% | -3.9% |
| 1967 | 21.1% | -4.2% |
| 1968 | 20.2% | -4.3% |
| 1969 | 19.4% | -4.0% |
| 1970 | 18.8% | -3.1% |
| 1971 | 18.3% | -2.2% |
| 1972 | 18.0% | -1.8% |
| 1973 | 17.7% | -1.6% |
| 1974 | 17.5% | -1.3% |
| 1975 | 17.3% | -1.0% |
| 1976 | 17.2% | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 17.1% | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 17.0% | -0.5% |
| 1979 | 16.9% | -0.4% |
| 1980 | 16.9% | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 16.9% | -0.0% |
| 1982 | 16.9% | -0.0% |
| 1983 | 16.9% | -0.0% |
| 1984 | 16.9% | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 16.9% | -0.0% |
| 1986 | 16.9% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 16.8% | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 16.8% | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 16.7% | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 16.6% | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 16.5% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 16.4% | -0.7% |
| 1993 | 16.3% | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 16.2% | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 16.1% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 16.1% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 16.0% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 16.0% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 16.0% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 16.0% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 15.9% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 15.9% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 15.8% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 15.7% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 15.7% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 15.5% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 15.4% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 15.2% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 15.1% | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 14.9% | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 14.6% | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 14.4% | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 14.1% | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 13.7% | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 13.4% | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 13.0% | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 12.8% | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 12.5% | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 12.3% | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 12.1% | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 11.8% | -1.9% |
| 2022 | 11.6% | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 11.4% | -2.0% |
| 2024 | 11.1% | -2.0% |
| 2025 | 10.9% | -2.0% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 10.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 18.7%, 59% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 10.9% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 30.4%, 36% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 23.4% | 19.4% | 27.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 17.6% | 16.9% | 18.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.9% | 16.7% | 16.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.2% | 16.0% | 16.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.6% | 15.1% | 16.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.6% | 12.3% | 14.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.5% | 10.9% | 12.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More agriculture & rural data for Sweden
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.1326 % 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 0.2381 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.0424 % 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 0.2827 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 15.81 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.015 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 949.09 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.74 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Sweden?
- Rural population in Sweden was 10.9% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 27.5% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.9% in 2025.
- How does Sweden rank for rural population?
- Sweden ranks 184th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sweden 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.