Milan, Italy Population 2024

Milan's 2024 population is now estimated at 3,160,630In 1950, the population of Milan was 1,883,420Milan has grown by 6,060 in the last year, which represents a 0.19% annual change.These population estimates and projections come from the latest revision of the UN World Urbanization Prospects. These estimates represent the Urban agglomeration of Milan, which typically includes Milan's population in addition to adjacent suburban areas.

Milan is a global city in Italy, and it is the country’s most populated city. The “moral capital of Italy,” as it is known, is located in northern Italy and is the capital of the Lombardy region. This manufacturing and commercial city has seen recent declines over the years, however, the population is bouncing back in recent years. Milan’s urban area has an estimated population of 3.1 million in 2016.

The urban area of Milan has a population of 3.1 million in 2016, while the city proper is estimated to have a population of around 1.7 million. The metropolitan area has an even larger population, with some estimates placing it as high as 10 million people. Milan has become renowned around the world as a global city that leads the world in sectors including tourism, fashion, manufacturing, education and the arts.

City Size and Population Density

The surface area that Milan occupies comes to a total of 181.76 square kilometers (70.18 square miles). With a population of atleast 1,372,075 in the year 2018, the population density currently sits at approximately 7,551.3 residents per square kilometer.

Milan Demographics

Industrialization during the post-war years led to a population boom that put the Milan city population at a record high of 1,743,427 in 1973, a number that was matched in 2016. This has dropped slightly according to Milans 2017 estimates. The larger urban area boasts a population of over 3 million, while the metropolitan area has an estimated population of 7 to 10 million.

According to Istat information in 2011, over 200,000 residents within the city limits are foreigners. The city is no stranger to influxes of immigrants, having seen over 400,000 people arrive throughout the 1950s through 1970s and experiencing additional immigrant growth during the late 1980s through the 1990s. Much of the immigration has been attributed to the rapid industrialization and public works of the city.

Milan has the largest community of Chinese in the country, with approximately 21,000 Chinese residents last recorded in 2011. There are also a growing number of Filipinos and Sri Lankans migrating to Milan, with 2014 estimates putting their numbers at 42,236 and 16,023, respectively. Other immigrants include those coming from Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America.

The population of Milan is primarily Catholic, although there are also large communities of Buddhists, Jews, Muslims and Protestants. The city is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milan and has its own rites – the Ambrosian Rite – that differs from traditional Catholicism.

The city has seen population declines over the last few decades, most recently due to the financial crisis of the 1990s and declines in industries including textiles and steel production. However, the last official census taken in 2013 showed that there was a population increase of 7% compared to the last census, indicating that Milan was rebounding from these past issues.

Milan History

The history of the settlement of Milan dates back to 600 BC. Early settlement of the area was founded by the Gauls, a Celtic group. During the emperor Augustus’ reign, the already powerful city began gaining increasing power and prestige before becoming a part of the Western Roman Empire. The city was attacked by Attila the Hun in 452 and again in 539 by the Goths, but by the second half of the 10th century, the area had bounced back from the attacks.

Over the next thousands of years, Milan faced multiple conflicts and power struggles but always remained or regained its power as one of the world’s most powerful cities. Rapid industrialization throughout the 1800s and 1900s led to population growth and the city’s role as Italy’s leading financial center. The post-war economic boom led to the construction of skyscrapers and an increase in market capitalization in the stock exchange. The city has not been without controversy and hard times, however, as street violence and terrorism in the 1960s and 1970s and a financial crisis in the 1990s plagued the city.

In the 1980s, fashion powerhouses including Versace and Armani led to Milan becoming one of the fashion capitals of the world, and Milan Fashion Week continues to be one of the most exciting and anticipated events in the world of fashion. In the late 21st century, Milan has undergone redevelopments including the construction of new business districts and development of revenue sources including tourism, logistics, transport, fashion design, finance and banking, to name a few.

Milan Population Growth

Milan has been plagued with decades of a declining population, in part due to the financial crisis and industry declines. However, the city is showing slow signs of growth, with city limits of 1.7 million matching the record-high from years ago. The urban population is expected to see slow but progressive growth over the years, with a 2020 estimated population of 3.124 million and a population of 3.16 million in 2030.

Country
Italy
Growth Rate
0.19%

86 Rows

Year
Population
20353,250,590
20343,242,530
20333,234,310
20323,225,940
20313,217,430
20303,208,820
20293,200,150
20283,191,500
20273,183,040
20263,174,960
20253,167,450
20243,160,630
20233,154,570
20223,149,220
20213,144,470
20203,140,180
20193,136,080
20183,132,060
20173,122,460
20163,112,890
20153,103,350
20143,093,840
20133,084,360
20123,074,910
20113,065,490
20103,056,110
20093,046,750
20083,037,440
20073,028,140
20063,018,870
20053,009,630
20043,000,430
20032,991,240
20022,982,080
20012,977,890
20002,984,840
19992,991,820
19982,998,820
19973,005,820
19963,012,840
19953,019,890
19943,026,950
19933,034,020
19923,041,100
19913,049,980
19903,062,900
19893,075,880
19883,088,890
19873,102,000
19863,115,140
19853,128,340
19843,141,580
19833,154,910
19823,168,280
19813,175,200
19803,168,200
19793,161,190
19783,154,210
19773,147,240
19763,140,300
19753,133,360
19743,126,440
19733,119,530
19723,112,650
19713,085,880
19703,016,930
19692,949,510
19682,883,700
19672,819,170
19662,756,180
19652,694,590
19642,634,460
19632,575,510
19622,517,960
19612,459,010
19602,395,130
19592,332,740
19582,272,060
19572,212,960
19562,155,470
19552,099,330
19542,044,720
19531,991,530
19521,939,800
19511,900,580
19501,883,420

86 Rows

Year
Population
Change
Growth
19501,883,4200%0
19511,900,5800.91%17,160
19521,939,8002.06%39,220
19531,991,5302.67%51,730
19542,044,7202.67%53,190
19552,099,3302.67%54,610
19562,155,4702.67%56,140
19572,212,9602.67%57,490
19582,272,0602.67%59,100
19592,332,7402.67%60,680
19602,395,1302.67%62,390
19612,459,0102.67%63,880
19622,517,9602.4%58,950
19632,575,5102.29%57,550
19642,634,4602.29%58,950
19652,694,5902.28%60,130
19662,756,1802.29%61,590
19672,819,1702.29%62,990
19682,883,7002.29%64,530
19692,949,5102.28%65,810
19703,016,9302.29%67,420
19713,085,8802.29%68,950
19723,112,6500.87%26,770
19733,119,5300.22%6,880
19743,126,4400.22%6,910
19753,133,3600.22%6,920
19763,140,3000.22%6,940
19773,147,2400.22%6,940
19783,154,2100.22%6,970
19793,161,1900.22%6,980
19803,168,2000.22%7,010
19813,175,2000.22%7,000
19823,168,280-0.22%-6,920
19833,154,910-0.42%-13,370
19843,141,580-0.42%-13,330
19853,128,340-0.42%-13,240
19863,115,140-0.42%-13,200
19873,102,000-0.42%-13,140
19883,088,890-0.42%-13,110
19893,075,880-0.42%-13,010
19903,062,900-0.42%-12,980
19913,049,980-0.42%-12,920
19923,041,100-0.29%-8,880
19933,034,020-0.23%-7,080
19943,026,950-0.23%-7,070
19953,019,890-0.23%-7,060
19963,012,840-0.23%-7,050
19973,005,820-0.23%-7,020
19982,998,820-0.23%-7,000
19992,991,820-0.23%-7,000
20002,984,840-0.23%-6,980
20012,977,890-0.23%-6,950
20022,982,0800.14%4,190
20032,991,2400.31%9,160
20043,000,4300.31%9,190
20053,009,6300.31%9,200
20063,018,8700.31%9,240
20073,028,1400.31%9,270
20083,037,4400.31%9,300
20093,046,7500.31%9,310
20103,056,1100.31%9,360
20113,065,4900.31%9,380
20123,074,9100.31%9,420
20133,084,3600.31%9,450
20143,093,8400.31%9,480
20153,103,3500.31%9,510
20163,112,8900.31%9,540
20173,122,4600.31%9,570
20183,132,0600.31%9,600
20193,136,0800.13%4,020
20203,140,1800.13%4,100
20213,144,4700.14%4,290
20223,149,2200.15%4,750
20233,154,5700.17%5,350
20243,160,6300.19%6,060
20253,167,4500.22%6,820
20263,174,9600.24%7,510
20273,183,0400.25%8,080
20283,191,5000.27%8,460
20293,200,1500.27%8,650
20303,208,8200.27%8,670
20313,217,4300.27%8,610
20323,225,9400.26%8,510
20333,234,3100.26%8,370
20343,242,5300.25%8,220
20353,250,5900.25%8,060

Milan Population Data (Urban Area)

Name
2024 Pop.
2024 Growth
Rome4,331,9700.38%
Milan3,160,6300.19%
Naples2,180,0300.03%
Turin1,805,7300.21%
Bergamo918,6750.58%
Palermo850,2330.06%
Bologna816,8480.31%
Florence712,1760.17%
Padova697,7020.43%
Genoa674,002-0.06%
Busto Arsizio666,2840.39%
Venezia641,8450.2%
Verona641,7200.4%
Seregno636,1040.52%
Bari624,4950.14%
Catania587,7840.14%
Brescia494,2990.44%
Como490,7320.43%
Cagliari478,0580.15%
Latina464,7420.67%

Other Cities in Italy

  1. Municipality of Milan - Information from the Municipality of Milan
  2. Municipality of Milan - Milan population data

Sources