Skip to main content
HomeCountriesUnited States › Urban population

United States: Urban population

In , United States's Urban population was 272.51 million.

That's up 1.0% from 2023, the highest value on record.

The global average for this indicator in 2024 was 21,512,598.26 . United States ranks #3 globally out of 217 reporting countries. Within North America, it ranks #1 of 3.

Source: World Bank Open Data (SP.URB.TOTL) • Data as of 2024

Trend (2005–2024)

United States Urban population trend 2020: COVID-19 pandemic
  • 2020 · COVID-19 pandemic

Highlights

Peak
272.51M
Trough
236.99M
1-year change
+1.0%
5-year change
+3.0%
+0.6% / yr
10-year change
+5.9%
+0.6% / yr

Historical Data — Last 10 Years

Year Urban population
272.513M
269.686M
267.322M
265.705M
265.254M
264.612M
263.745M
262.599M
261.097M
259.289M

About Urban population

Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.

Indicator code: SP.URB.TOTLCategory: Health & Population

Frequently asked questions

What was United States's Urban population in 2024?
In 2024, United States's Urban population was 272.51 million, according to World Bank Open Data.
Is United States's Urban population rising or falling?
United States's Urban population rose 1.0% from 2023 to 2024.
How does United States rank globally on Urban population?
In 2024, United States ranked #3 out of 217 countries reporting Urban population.
How does United States's Urban population compare to the world average?
The global average for Urban population in 2024 was 21.51 million, so United States is above the world average. Within North America, it ranks #1 of 3.
What is Urban population and how is it measured?
Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.
Download this data: CSV JSON

Source: World Bank Open Data (SP.URB.TOTL), CC BY 4.0.