A century ago, America was a rural nation — most people lived on farms and in small towns. Today, four out of five Americans live in urban areas. The shift from countryside to city is one of the defining transformations of the past 120 years. This guide charts the long rise of urban America and maps which states have urbanized the most — and which remain stubbornly rural.
How urban is America?
About 80% of Americans now live in urban areas — cities and their surrounding suburbs — leaving roughly one in five in rural areas. The chart shows the urban and rural shares of the population at each census since 1900, stacked to 100%. The urban line climbs steadily decade after decade, crossing the halfway mark around 1920 and never looking back. America became a majority-urban country a century ago and has only grown more so.
A century of urbanization
In 1900, urban areas held under 40% of the population; the great majority of Americans lived rurally. The decades since saw a massive migration to cities, driven by the collapse of farm labor needs (as machines replaced workers), the pull of factory and office jobs, and later the explosive growth of suburbs. Even the rural-sounding suburbs count as urban in this measure. The result is the steady climb to today's 80% — an enormous reshaping of where and how Americans live.
Which states are most rural?
Urbanization is far from uniform. The most urban states — California, New Jersey, Nevada, and the like — are over 90% urban, while the most rural — Vermont, Maine, and West Virginia — still have the majority or near-majority of their residents living rurally. The map shades each state by its urban share. The pattern reflects geography and economy: dense coastal and desert states concentrate people in cities, while mountainous, forested New England and Appalachia keep more of their population spread across the countryside.
Why people moved to the cities
The great urbanization had a simple engine: jobs. As farming mechanized, it needed far fewer hands, pushing people off the land; as industry and then services grew, the jobs were in and around cities, pulling people in. Cities also offered amenities, education, and opportunity that the countryside couldn't match. The trend slowed but never reversed — even the recent rise of remote work has spread people into suburbs and small cities more than back to truly rural areas, keeping America a fundamentally urban nation.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of Americans live in urban areas?
About 80% — roughly four out of five — leaving around one in five in rural areas, according to the most recent census.
When did America become majority urban?
Around 1920, when the urban share of the population first crossed 50%. It has climbed steadily ever since to about 80% today.
Which states are the most rural?
Vermont, Maine, and West Virginia are the most rural, with a majority or near-majority of residents living outside urban areas.
Which states are the most urban?
California, New Jersey, and Nevada are among the most urban, each over 90% — dense coastal and desert states that concentrate people in cities.
Why did Americans move to cities?
Mainly jobs — farm mechanization cut rural labor needs while industry and services concentrated work in cities, which also offered amenities, education, and opportunity.