New Zealand — Urban population
Urban Population (% of Total) for New Zealand, 1960–2025.
Urban population for New Zealand was 84.00% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 66 years, from 1960 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 85.94% in 2006. The lowest was 62.38% in 1960 (about 1.3× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.46% per year.
New Zealand ranks 48 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 22%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 65.45%, so New Zealand sits above it. It peaked in 2006 and has fallen 2% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 1%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 9 of 37 economies; Korea, Rep. (81.17%) is just below it.
Data highlights
Doubling roughly every 151 years at that pace.
World ranking. Slipped: 34th of 217 in 1960 → 20th of 217 in 1970 → 21st of 217 in 1980 → 25th of 217 in 1990 → 31st of 217 in 2000 → 38th of 217 in 2010 → 45th of 217 in 2020 → 48th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2025
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 84% | +0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 83.94% | +0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 83.89% | +0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 83.85% | +0.0 pp |
| 2021 | 83.83% | +0.0 pp |
| 2020 | 83.81% | +0.0 pp |
| 2019 | 83.8% | +0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 83.8% | -0.4 pp |
| 2017 | 84.17% | -0.5 pp |
| 2016 | 84.69% | -0.5 pp |
| 2015 | 85.15% | -0.4 pp |
| 2014 | 85.51% | -0.2 pp |
| 2013 | 85.71% | -0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 85.78% | -0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 85.82% | -0.0 pp |
| 2010 | 85.86% | -0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 85.89% | -0.0 pp |
| 2008 | 85.91% | -0.0 pp |
| 2007 | 85.93% | -0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 85.94% | +0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 85.93% | +0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 85.9% | +0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 85.86% | +0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 85.81% | +0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 85.75% | +0.0 pp |
| 2000 | 85.71% | +0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 85.66% | +0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 85.6% | +0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 85.54% | +0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 85.47% | +0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 85.39% | +0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 85.3% | +0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 85.2% | +0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 85.08% | +0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 84.95% | +0.2 pp |
| 1990 | 84.78% | +0.2 pp |
| 1989 | 84.55% | +0.3 pp |
| 1988 | 84.3% | +0.2 pp |
| 1987 | 84.05% | +0.2 pp |
| 1986 | 83.87% | +0.1 pp |
| 1985 | 83.76% | +0.1 pp |
| 1984 | 83.69% | +0.1 pp |
| 1983 | 83.63% | +0.1 pp |
| 1982 | 83.57% | +0.1 pp |
| 1981 | 83.5% | +0.1 pp |
| 1980 | 83.4% | +0.1 pp |
| 1979 | 83.3% | +0.1 pp |
| 1978 | 83.19% | +0.1 pp |
| 1977 | 83.05% | +0.2 pp |
| 1976 | 82.9% | +0.2 pp |
| 1975 | 82.72% | +0.2 pp |
| 1974 | 82.52% | +0.3 pp |
| 1973 | 82.26% | +0.3 pp |
| 1972 | 81.93% | +0.4 pp |
| 1971 | 81.52% | +1.1 pp |
| 1970 | 80.45% | +2.5 pp |
| 1969 | 77.91% | +3.3 pp |
| 1968 | 74.6% | +3.3 pp |
| 1967 | 71.3% | +2.5 pp |
| 1966 | 68.83% | +1.4 pp |
| 1965 | 67.44% | +1.0 pp |
| 1964 | 66.47% | +0.8 pp |
| 1963 | 65.67% | +0.8 pp |
| 1962 | 64.86% | +1.0 pp |
| 1961 | 63.87% | +1.5 pp |
| 1960 | 62.38% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was New Zealand’s Urban population in 1961?
63.87% (1961). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of total population, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is New Zealand’s Urban population growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +34.7% in total — about 0.5% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 84%; 2024: 83.94%; 2023: 83.89%; 2022: 83.85%; 2021: 83.83%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS — Urban Population (% of Total). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.