Saudi Arabia vs United States: Urban population
Urban population in 2025: 84.6% in Saudi Arabia and 80.2% in United States, by UN estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Saudi Arabia, by 4.4 percentage points, or 1.06 times that in United States.
Saudi ArabiaUnited States
Watch it change on the map% of people · UN
Latest figures
% of people · UN
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2025 | Projected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | 84.6 2025 | 83 | 51 of 229 | 87.5 2050 |
| United States | 80.2 2025 | 80.6 | 62 of 229 | 86.5 2050 |
What the numbers say
- Saudi Arabia has been higher since 1987, when it overtook United States.
- In 2025, Saudi Arabia ranked 51 and United States ranked 62 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) puts Saudi Arabia at 87.5% and United States at 86.5% in 2050.
Every year
% of people · UN
| Year | Saudi Arabia | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 84.6 | 80.2 |
| 2024 | 84.5 | 80.1 |
| 2023 | 84.3 | 80.1 |
| 2022 | 84.1 | 80 |
| 2021 | 84 | 80 |
| 2020 | 83.8 | 80 |
| 2019 | 83.6 | 80.1 |
| 2018 | 83.5 | 80.3 |
| 2017 | 83.3 | 80.4 |
| 2016 | 83.1 | 80.5 |
| 2015 | 83 | 80.6 |
| 2014 | 82.8 | 80.6 |
| 2013 | 82.6 | 80.7 |
| 2012 | 82.4 | 80.7 |
| 2011 | 82.3 | 80.7 |
| 2010 | 82.1 | 80.7 |
| 2009 | 81.9 | 80.7 |
| 2008 | 81.6 | 80.6 |
| 2007 | 81.4 | 80.5 |
| 2006 | 81.2 | 80.4 |
| 2005 | 81 | 80.2 |
| 2004 | 80.8 | 80 |
| 2003 | 80.5 | 79.8 |
| 2002 | 80.3 | 79.6 |
| 2001 | 80.2 | 79.3 |
| 2000 | 80 | 79.1 |
| 1999 | 79.8 | 78.8 |
| 1998 | 79.6 | 78.5 |
| 1997 | 79.4 | 78.1 |
| 1996 | 79.2 | 77.7 |
| 1995 | 78.9 | 77.2 |
| 1994 | 78.7 | 76.7 |
| 1993 | 78.3 | 76.3 |
| 1992 | 78 | 75.9 |
| 1991 | 77.6 | 75.5 |
| 1990 | 77 | 75.3 |
| 1989 | 76.3 | 75.1 |
| 1988 | 75.6 | 74.9 |
| 1987 | 74.8 | 74.7 |
| 1986 | 73.9 | 74.5 |
| 1985 | 72.9 | 74.3 |
| 1984 | 71.9 | 74.2 |
| 1983 | 70.6 | 74 |
| 1982 | 69.3 | 73.9 |
| 1981 | 67.9 | 73.8 |
| 1980 | 66.4 | 73.8 |
| 1979 | 64.9 | 73.7 |
| 1978 | 63.3 | 73.7 |
| 1977 | 61.7 | 73.7 |
| 1976 | 60.1 | 73.6 |
| 1975 | 58.4 | 73.6 |
| 1974 | 56.8 | 73.6 |
| 1973 | 55.1 | 73.6 |
| 1972 | 53.2 | 73.6 |
| 1971 | 51.2 | 73.5 |
| 1970 | 49.2 | 73.5 |
| 1969 | 47.1 | 73.4 |
| 1968 | 45 | 73.3 |
| 1967 | 42.9 | 73 |
| 1966 | 40.9 | 72.7 |
| 1965 | 39 | 72.3 |
| 1964 | 37.2 | 71.9 |
| 1963 | 35.6 | 71.4 |
| 1962 | 34.1 | 70.9 |
| 1961 | 32.8 | 70.5 |
| 1960 | 31.4 | 70 |
| 1959 | 30.2 | 69.5 |
| 1958 | 29 | 69 |
| 1957 | 27.8 | 68.5 |
| 1956 | 26.7 | 67.9 |
| 1955 | 25.6 | 67.3 |
| 1954 | 24.6 | 66.6 |
| 1953 | 23.7 | 66 |
| 1952 | 22.8 | 65.3 |
| 1951 | 22 | 64.7 |
| 1950 | 21.3 | 64 |
UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) · 2026–2050
| Year | Saudi Arabia | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 84.8 | 80.3 |
| 2027 | 84.9 | 80.4 |
| 2028 | 85.1 | 80.5 |
| 2029 | 85.2 | 80.6 |
| 2030 | 85.4 | 80.7 |
| 2031 | 85.5 | 80.9 |
| 2032 | 85.6 | 81.1 |
| 2033 | 85.8 | 81.2 |
| 2034 | 85.9 | 81.4 |
| 2035 | 86 | 81.7 |
| 2036 | 86.2 | 81.9 |
| 2037 | 86.3 | 82.1 |
| 2038 | 86.4 | 82.4 |
| 2039 | 86.5 | 82.6 |
| 2040 | 86.6 | 82.9 |
| 2041 | 86.7 | 83.2 |
| 2042 | 86.8 | 83.5 |
| 2043 | 86.9 | 83.8 |
| 2044 | 87 | 84.2 |
| 2045 | 87.1 | 84.5 |
| 2046 | 87.2 | 84.9 |
| 2047 | 87.3 | 85.3 |
| 2048 | 87.3 | 85.7 |
| 2049 | 87.4 | 86.1 |
| 2050 | 87.5 | 86.5 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of people living in places the country itself counts as urban.
- Source: UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025), a scenario rather than a forecast.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time