Ghana’s urban population hits 19.8 million as housing, sanitation gaps persist

Nearly 19.8 million people, representing 58.7 per cent of Ghana’s population, lived in urban areas in 2025, putting renewed focus on the country’s growing demand for housing, sanitation and other essential services. The latest figures from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) show that the country’s urban population has continued to expand, with significant implications for the planning and delivery of infrastructure, including roads, schools, health facilities, water systems, transport and waste management.

The data, contained in the Ghana in Numbers, 2025 publication released on November 2, also point to persistent inequalities in living conditions, despite improvements in access to electricity, drinking water and sanitation over the years. Government Statistician, Dr Alhassan Iddrisu, said the figures should inform development decisions at the local level rather than relying solely on national statistics.

“Use local figures, not national averages, to decide where the next cedi goes, because averages hide differences,” he said. Urban population keeps rising Ghana became more urban than rural in 2010, when 12.55 million people lived in urban areas, compared with 12.11 million in rural communities. By 2021, the urban population had increased to 17.47 million, while the rural population stood at 13.36 million.

The 2025 projection puts the number of urban residents at approximately 19.8 million, accounting for 58.7 per cent of the national population. The GSS said the growth made accurate local information increasingly important for identifying where homes, roads, schools, health facilities and basic services were most needed. Housing deficit remains significant The publication estimates Ghana’s housing deficit at about 1.8 million units in 2021, down from approximately 2.8 million in 2010.

The 2021 Population and Housing Census counted about 10 million dwelling units. However, the Service cautioned that the housing deficit was an estimate based on the number of homes required and those available. It did not, on its own, measure the quality or affordability of housing, or the number of vacant homes. The report also found that the average household size had fallen to 3.6 people, the lowest recorded level.

According to the GSS, smaller households could increase the number of homes required, even when population growth slows. Basic services improve, but gaps persist Access to essential services has expanded over the years, although significant shortcomings remain in some communities. The proportion of households with electricity increased from 43.8 per cent in 2000 to 86.3 per cent in 2021.

Access to improved drinking water also rose from 60.7 per cent to 92 per cent over the same period, while improved sanitation increased from 44.8 per cent in 2010 to 69 per cent in 2022. Despite these gains, the report estimates that 30.8 per cent of the urban population lives in slums or informal settlements. It further indicates that about one in seven households still has no electricity, while almost one in three lacks an improved toilet.

The figures, the GSS said, underline the need to look beyond national access rates to understand the conditions in individual communities. District data to guide investment The publication emphasises the importance of district-level statistics in identifying areas where housing, water, sanitation, electricity and other essential services are most urgently needed.

Dr Iddrisu said population data should help guide decisions on the location of public infrastructure and social amenities. He said the statistics should help determine “where schools, clinics and homes must go”, with planning based on local evidence rather than national averages alone. The Ghana in Numbers, 2025 publication brings together indicators on population, housing, settlement conditions and access to basic services to provide a common reference for monitoring the country’s changing development needs.

The publication and related district-level data are available on the GSS website, StatsBank, the Ghana in Numbers web portal and the GSS Stats App.