Burkina Faso’s urban population rose to 28.9% of population in 2025.

Neither way is good in itself. A higher urban share can mean more people have moved to towns for work, and it can also mean towns are growing into villages around them. Either way it brings gains in access to markets and services alongside pressure on housing, water and transport, which is why neither direction is good in itself. The latest figure is 28.9% of population for 2025, up from 28.3% a year earlier, a rise of 0.59 percentage points. Since 2016 the share has ranged from 25.8% of population in 2016 to 28.9% of population in 2025, so the latest reading is the highest in that span.

Why it matters. With 28.9% of population in towns and cities, most households in Burkina Faso still live in rural areas and depend on farming and village markets. The steady rise since 2016 means urban demand for housing, water, electricity and transport grows each year, and the state and city authorities must plan for it. Firms serving towns draw on a larger customer base and labour pool than they did in 2016.