Population in the largest city in United States of America
United States of America: Population in the largest city was 7.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
7.0%
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
148th
of 153 countries
All-time high
11.2%
in 1960
All-time low
7.0%
in 2024
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population in the largest city in United States of America, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
United States of America recorded 7.0% for population in the largest city in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in United States of America peaked at 11.2% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 7.0%, in 2024.
That places United States of America 148th out of 153 countries 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.
Population in the largest city in United States of America, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 11.2% | — |
| 1961 | 11.1% | -0.9% |
| 1962 | 11.0% | -0.8% |
| 1963 | 10.9% | -0.7% |
| 1964 | 10.9% | -0.6% |
| 1965 | 10.8% | -0.5% |
| 1966 | 10.8% | -0.3% |
| 1967 | 10.8% | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 10.8% | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 10.8% | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 10.7% | -0.3% |
| 1971 | 10.6% | -1.7% |
| 1972 | 10.4% | -1.5% |
| 1973 | 10.3% | -1.4% |
| 1974 | 10.1% | -1.3% |
| 1975 | 10.0% | -1.4% |
| 1976 | 9.9% | -1.4% |
| 1977 | 9.7% | -1.4% |
| 1978 | 9.6% | -1.5% |
| 1979 | 9.4% | -1.5% |
| 1980 | 9.3% | -1.2% |
| 1981 | 9.2% | -0.8% |
| 1982 | 9.2% | -0.8% |
| 1983 | 9.1% | -0.8% |
| 1984 | 9.0% | -0.8% |
| 1985 | 9.0% | -0.8% |
| 1986 | 8.9% | -0.9% |
| 1987 | 8.8% | -0.8% |
| 1988 | 8.7% | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 8.6% | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 8.6% | -0.9% |
| 1991 | 8.5% | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 8.4% | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 8.4% | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 8.3% | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 8.2% | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 8.2% | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 8.1% | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 8.1% | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 8.0% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 8.0% | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 7.9% | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 7.8% | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 7.8% | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 7.7% | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 7.6% | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 7.6% | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 7.5% | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 7.4% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 7.4% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 7.4% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 7.3% | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 7.3% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 7.3% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 7.2% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 7.2% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 7.2% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 7.1% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 7.1% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 7.1% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 7.1% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 7.1% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 7.1% | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 7.0% | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 7.0% | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 7.0% | +0.0% |
United States of America compared with similar countries
- United States of America's 7.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 28.2%, 25% of the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 10.9% | 10.8% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.1% | 9.4% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.0% | 8.6% | 9.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.3% | 8.0% | 8.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.7% | 7.4% | 8.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.2% | 7.1% | 7.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.0% | 7.0% | 7.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
More urban development data for United States of America
- Population density 36.81 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 6.97 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.4704 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 160.79 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 0.9145 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 17.26 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 19.15 million (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 10,913 Hectares (2020)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 3.3% (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in the largest city in United States of America?
- Population in the largest city in United States of America was 7.0% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 11.2% in 1960.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.0% in 2024.
- How does United States of America rank for population in the largest city?
- United States of America ranks 148th out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States of America data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in the largest city (% of urban population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population in largest city is the percentage of a country's urban population living in that country's largest metropolitan area.