Ghana's urban population reaches 19.8 million
Nearly two million young people aged 15 to 35 are neither employed nor in education or training.
Nearly 19.8 million people, or 58.7 per cent of Ghana’s population, lived in urban areas in 2025, according to the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS). This growth highlights increasing demand for housing and essential services. The GSS data, from the Ghana in Numbers, 2025 publication, also shows persistent inequalities in living conditions.
Government Statistician Dr Alhassan Iddrisu stated that local figures, not national averages, should guide development decisions. The report estimates Ghana’s housing deficit at about 1.8 million units in 2021, a decrease from 2.8 million in 2010. The average household size has fallen to 3.6 people.
Despite improvements in access to electricity, drinking water, and sanitation, 30.8 per cent of the urban population lives in slums. Additionally, nearly two million young Ghanaians between 15 and 35 years old were neither employed nor in education or training as of the third quarter of 2025, with women making up over 60 per cent of this group.
Why it mattersNearly 19.8 million people in Ghana live in urban areas, facing persistent housing and sanitation gaps, while almost two million young people are not in employment, education, or training.