Rural population as a share of total population fell 3.14% to 16.8% in Costa Rica in 2024, according to the National Statistical Office.
Historically, rural population as a share of total population in Costa Rica reached an all time high of 65.7% in 1960 and an all time low of 16.8% in 2024. When compared to Costa Rica's main peers, rural population as a share of total population in Guatemala amounted to 46.5%, 39.2% in Honduras, 39.8% in Nicaragua and 30.1% in Panama in 2024.
Costa Rica has been ranked 140th within the group of 171 countries we follow in terms of rural population as a share of total population, 14 places below the position seen 10 years ago.
| Rural Population (As % of Total) | Unit | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Belize | % | 54.3% | 54.1% | 54.0% | 53.8% | 53.6% | ||||||||||||||||
| Colombia | % | 19.2% | 18.9% | 18.6% | 18.3% | 18.0% | ||||||||||||||||
| Costa Rica | % | 20.7% | 19.9% | 19.2% | 18.6% | 18.0% | ||||||||||||||||
| El Salvador | % | 28.0% | 27.3% | 26.6% | 25.9% | 25.2% | ||||||||||||||||
| Guatemala | % | 48.9% | 48.6% | 48.2% | 47.8% | 47.3% | ||||||||||||||||
| Honduras | % | 42.9% | 42.3% | 41.6% | 41.0% | 40.4% | ||||||||||||||||
| Mexico | % | 19.8% | 19.6% | 19.3% | 19.0% | 18.7% | ||||||||||||||||
| Nicaragua | % | 41.5% | 41.2% | 41.0% | 40.7% | 40.4% | ||||||||||||||||
| Panama | % | 32.3% | 31.9% | 31.6% | 31.2% | 30.9% | ||||||||||||||||
| USA | % | 17.7% | 17.5% | 17.3% | 17.1% | 16.9% |
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