Communiqué of the 1% National Population Sample Survey in 2025
Communiqué of the 1% National Population Sample Survey in 2025[1]
National Bureau of Statistics of China
May 22, 2026
The 1% National Population Sample Survey was a major survey of national conditions and strength. According to the Regulations on National Population Census and the Notice of the General Office of the State Council on Conducting the 1% National Population Sample Survey in 2025 [No. (2024) 71], China carried out its 1% National Population Sample Survey in 2025 with 00:00 hours of November 1, 2025 as the reference time. In line with the arrangements of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, with the co-efforts made by all regions, all government departments and the survey agencies at all levels, and with the arduous work of the enumerators and the active cooperation of survey respondents, the 1% National Population Sample Survey in 2025 has completed field enumeration and aggregation and estimation of major data. The main population data estimated from the survey are released as follows:
1. National Population[2][3]
The national population of China was 1,405.45 million, of whom 717.22 million were males, accounting for 51.03 percent; 688.23 million were females, accounting for 48.97 percent. The sex ratio (female=100, male to female) was 104.21.
2. Population of Family Households
In the country, there were 514.65 million family households[4] with 1,296.85 million persons. The average size of family household was 2.52 persons.
3. Age Composition
Of the national population, 214.36 million were in the age group of 0-14, accounting for 15.25 percent; 869.87 million were in the age group of 15-59, accounting for 61.89 percent; 321.22 million were in the age group of 60 and over, accounting for 22.86 percent, of whom 223.09 million were in the age group of 65 and over, accounting for 15.87 percent. [5]
4. Composition of Educational Attainment
Of the national population, there were 272.33 million with university education (referring to junior college and above); 242.72 million with senior secondary school education (including secondary technical school); 452.83 million with junior secondary school education; and 331.22 million with primary school education.
5. Urban and Rural Population[6]
Of the national population, there were 952.08 million living in urban areas, accounting for 67.74 percent; 453.37 million living in rural areas, accounting for 32.26 percent.
6. Floating Population[7]
Of the national population, the floating population numbered 357.88 million.
Notes:
1. The data in this Communiqué are estimates based on survey results at the reference time of 00:00 hours on November 1, 2025. The national sample size was 20.52 million persons, accounting for 1.46 percent of the national population. Due to rounding-off reasons, the subentries may not add up to the aggregate totals.
2. National population refers to the population of 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government and servicemen of the Chinese mainland, excluding residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and foreigners living in the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government.
3. According to the post-enumeration survey, the net population undercount rate of the 1% National Population Sample Survey in 2025 was 0.72 percent, and the national population has included the number of population undercounted as calculated on this basis.
4. Family households refers to households consisting of persons, bonded by family relations, staying under the same roof and sharing living arrangement.
5. The population in the age group of 0-15 was 231.79 million, and the population in the age group of 16-59 was 852.44 million.
6. Urban and rural population refers to the population living in the urban and rural areas within China’s territory which are defined in the Regulation on Classification of Urban and Rural Areas for Statistics issued by the National Bureau of Statistics of China.
7. Floating population refers to the population who live in places other than their household registration excluding those with current residences different from their household registration but still in the same city. Specifically, population who live in places other than their household registration areas refers to those whose current residences are different from the registered towns or streets and have been away from there for over 6 months, totaling 479.85 million; population who live in places other than their household registration areas but still in the same city refers to those whose current residences are different from the registered towns or streets in the same district or in different districts but still in the same municipality or prefecture-level city, totaling 121.98 million.