Higher expenditure linked to slower urban growth
Comparing Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per capita with Urban population, annual growth rate across 160 countries, 2025–2025.
- Rank correlation
- -0.63
- Holding size constant
- -0.52
- Countries compared
- 160
- Period
- 2025–2025
What might link these
The relationship between gross national expenditure per capita and urban population growth rate might be influenced by factors such as urban planning and resource allocation. A careful reader should consider the potential impact of education levels, as more educated populations may lead to both higher expenditure and more controlled urban growth. However, correlation does not imply causation.
Why this is not proof of anything
This is a correlation across countries, not an experiment. It cannot show that either indicator causes the other, and both may simply follow a third thing. This correlation could mislead by overlooking other confounding factors such as government policies or technological advancements that influence both expenditure and urban growth.
The second figure above repeats the measurement with national population and income held constant. It is the more conservative number: a relationship that largely disappears there was mostly telling you that larger, richer countries have more of most things.
How this was measured
Both indicators were ranked across every country reporting each, and the two rankings compared — ranks rather than raw values, because a handful of very large countries can otherwise manufacture a relationship on their own. The calculation is arithmetic over figures already published on this site; the commentary above is drafted from the two indicator names and the resulting coefficients.