Urbanization
Projecting Europe’s Metro Population Growth from 2021‒2100
Projecting Europe’s Metro Population Growth from 2021‒2100
European cities have a storied history as global destinations, both for tourism and for immigration.
Despite lengthy histories, they are not immune to the global shifts in population patterns or urbanization. Even though the majority of the EU’s population already lives in urban areas, Europe’s urbanization rate is expected to rise to 84% by 2050.
However, not all cities are subject to that same growth. This visual from Gilbert Fontana uses data from Eurostat and breaks down the expected EU population growth rates for the 50 largest metropolitan regions from 2021 to 2100.
Drivers of Growth
It may come as no surprise that economic prosperity is a key driver of population growth.
Countries like Sweden, France, and Ireland are expected to see large swaths of population growth. Sweden’s largest three cities, Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö, are forecasted to experience the largest population growth by 2100 in percentage terms.
Metro region | Country | Population (2021) | Population (2100) | Growth rate (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Malmö | Sweden | 1,389,336 | 2,009,510 | 44.6% |
Stockholm | Sweden | 2,391,990 | 3,424,317 | 43.1% |
Gothenburg | Sweden | 1,734,443 | 2,449,552 | 41.2% |
Toulouse | France | 1,434,439 | 1,906,359 | 32.8% |
Bordeaux | France | 1,661,929 | 2,185,090 | 31.4% |
Dublin | Ireland | 2,160,781 | 2,831,088 | 31.0% |
Barcelona | Spain | 5,639,523 | 7,319,537 | 29.7% |
Lyon | France | 1,899,599 | 2,401,553 | 26.4% |
Madrid | Spain | 6,755,828 | 8,486,429 | 25.6% |
Nantes | France | 1,461,267 | 1,828,155 | 25.1% |
Rotterdam | Netherlands | 1,834,417 | 2,196,555 | 19.7% |
Prague | Czech Republic | 2,733,081 | 3,204,493 | 17.2% |
Lisbon | Portugal | 2,869,033 | 3,232,623 | 12.6% |
Vienna | Austria | 2,890,577 | 3,244,857 | 12.2% |
Helsinki | Finland | 1,702,678 | 1,899,420 | 11.5% |
Berlin | Germany | 5,351,765 | 5,968,365 | 11.5% |
Utrecht | Netherlands | 1,361,153 | 1,472,055 | 8.1% |
Munich | Germany | 2,932,668 | 3,163,220 | 7.8% |
Dresden | Germany | 1,339,330 | 1,441,602 | 7.6% |
Paris | France | 12,348,605 | 13,212,212 | 6.9% |
Málaga - Marbella | Spain | 1,696,463 | 1,797,664 | 5.9% |
Murcia - Cartagena | Spain | 1,513,076 | 1,599,781 | 5.7% |
Marseille | France | 3,146,578 | 3,318,086 | 5.4% |
Milan | Italy | 4,339,269 | 4,521,518 | 4.1% |
Frankfurt | Germany | 2,735,932 | 2,837,843 | 3.7% |
Cologne | Germany | 2,000,289 | 2,057,925 | 2.8% |
Hamburg | Germany | 3,353,084 | 3,445,284 | 2.7% |
Warsaw | Poland | 3,095,025 | 3,163,505 | 2.2% |
Amsterdam | Netherlands | 3,316,712 | 3,384,305 | 2.0% |
Stuttgart | Germany | 2,787,858 | 2,839,242 | 1.8% |
Alicante - Elche | Spain | 1,895,192 | 1,911,954 | 0.8% |
Lille - Dunkirk - Valenciennes | France | 2,607,879 | 2,628,268 | 0.7% |
Gdansk | Poland | 1,345,623 | 1,344,322 | 0.0% |
Nürnberg | Germany | 1,352,318 | 1,350,907 | -0.1% |
Ruhr | Germany | 5,102,484 | 5,080,567 | -0.4% |
Düsseldorf | Germany | 1,556,846 | 1,516,349 | -2.6% |
Copenhagen | Denmark | 2,067,916 | 1,996,277 | -3.4% |
Rome | Italy | 4,231,451 | 3,969,742 | -6.1% |
Kraków | Poland | 1,510,714 | 1,402,230 | -7.1% |
Budapest | Hungary | 3,033,638 | 2,797,722 | -7.7% |
Valencia | Spain | 2,574,888 | 2,332,960 | -9.3% |
Brussels | Belgium | 3,328,568 | 2,873,299 | -13.6% |
Seville | Spain | 1,960,919 | 1,635,001 | -16.6% |
Torino | Italy | 2,219,206 | 1,844,613 | -16.8% |
Sofia | Bulgaria | 1,667,314 | 1,373,429 | -17.6% |
Naples | Italy | 2,986,745 | 2,299,616 | -23.0% |
Bucharest | Romania | 2,327,057 | 1,683,124 | -27.6% |
Porto | Portugal | 1,727,774 | 1,103,722 | -36.1% |
Katowice | Poland | 2,668,790 | 1,663,542 | -37.6% |
Athens | Greece | 3,547,391 | 2,206,511 | -37.7% |
This forecasted growth underscores the strength of Sweden’s economy and global identity, with a very high GDP-per-capita and consistently ranking highly in economic freedom and prosperity.
Europe’s largest population growth in raw numbers, meanwhile, is expected in Spain. The populations of both Madrid and Barcelona are each forecasted to grow by more than 1.6 million people between 2021 and 2100.
On the flip side, some of the regions with the lowest levels of expected growth face challenging economic environments.
For example, Greece is still suffering from the fallout of its sovereign debt crisis in the 2010s, which significantly harmed economic prospects for everyday people. Even though many working-class people have already left the country, Athens is currently expected to see a further population reduction of 1.3 million people or 38% of its population by the end of the century.

This article was published as a part of Visual Capitalist's Creator Program, which features data-driven visuals from some of our favorite Creators around the world.
United States
Ranked: U.S. Cities With the Longest Commutes
In 2023, the average one-way commute time for U.S. workers was 26.8 minutes. Which cities recorded the highest commute times?

Longest Commutes by U.S. City
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
After a brief pause during the remote-first pandemic era, long commutes have once again become a significant part of workers’ daily routines, with many spending substantial time traveling to and from their workplaces.
In 2023, the average one-way commute time for U.S. workers was 26.8 minutes.
This visualization shows the 10 U.S. cities with the longest average one-way commutes in 2022. Commute times are in minutes and includes workers aged 16 or older.
The data comes from a LLC analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data from 2022. The analysis included 170 of the most populated cities in the U.S.
Which U.S. Cities Have The Longest Commutes?
Below, we show the top 10 cities with the longest average one-way commutes in minutes.
Rank | City | State | Average commute in minutes (one-way) |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Palmdale | California | 45.5 |
2 | New York | New York | 40.7 |
3 | Jersey City | New Jersey | 37.4 |
4 | Yonkers | New York | 36.4 |
5 | Moreno Valley | California | 35 |
6 | Corona | California | 34.2 |
7 | Chicago | Illinois | 33.5 |
8 | Fontana | California | 33.3 |
9 | Lancaster | California | 32.9 |
10 | Stockton | California | 32.7 |
Based on the rankings, California commuters endure some of the longest commutes to work. Six of the top 10 cities with the longest commutes are located in Golden State, mainly suburbs in the Bay Area or near Los Angeles.
California’s sprawling suburban landscape often necessitates long commutes due to a combination of housing unaffordability pushing residents farther from job hubs and inadequate public transit options.
Cities like Palmdale and Moreno Valley are known to be commuter towns, where many residents travel to urban centers like Los Angeles for work.
As California continues to grapple with high housing costs and urban sprawl, experts say addressing transit infrastructure and local job creation could ease these burdens.
Studies have shown that long commute times can negatively impact workers’ mental health and wellbeing.
A South Korean study found a significant link between long commutes (60 minutes and over) and increased depressive symptoms, while a University of Waterloo study found that longer commutes are associated with lower life satisfaction and higher time pressure.
Learn More on the Voronoi App 
To learn more about work trends by U.S. cities, check out this graphic that shows the U.S. cities with the greatest share of remote workers.
-
Misc4 weeks ago
Ranked: The Most Reliable Car Brands in 2025
-
Misc6 days ago
Mapped: The Most Popular Beer in Each U.S. State
-
Money3 weeks ago
The Income Needed to be Middle Class in Every U.S. State (2025)
-
Business3 weeks ago
Mapped: How Much a 24-Pack of Beer Costs in Each U.S. State
-
Markets2 weeks ago
Mapped: Which U.S. States Import the Most from China?
-
Business3 weeks ago
Visualized: Where Automakers Build Cars Sold in America
-
Environment4 weeks ago
Charted: The Longest-Living Animals on Earth
-
Money2 weeks ago
Ranked: Daily Incomes of the Richest and Poorest in 25 Countries