The urban population decreased in only three of Kazakhstan’s 20 regions. The North Kazakhstan Region fell by 1.5% to 518,000 people, the Abai Region declined by 1.1% to 599,400, and the Zhetisu Region dropped by 0.8% to 691,100. Migration from rural areas is fueling city growth. This redistribution underscores cities as centers of opportunity, while rural areas continue to lose people. By May 2025, the country had 12.8 million urban residents and 7.5 million rural residents.