Chad’s urban population rose to 27.6% of population in 2025.

Neither way is good in itself. A rising urban share can come from people moving towards jobs and schools, or from people leaving rural areas under pressure from drought, conflict or poor land. The same movement can therefore carry a different meaning in each household, which is why the measure has no good or bad direction. The latest figure is 27.6% of population in January 2025, up from 26.9% a year earlier, a rise of 0.63 percentage points. Since 2016 the share has ranged from a low of 23.1% of population in January 2016 to the current 27.6%, so the latest reading is the highest in that span.

Why it matters. At 27.6% of population, more than a quarter of Chadians live in urban areas. Households in towns buy food, rent and fuel in markets, so they feel price changes more directly than farming families. A growing urban share raises demand for housing, water, electricity and schooling, and the state and local authorities have to fund that growth from a narrow tax base.