As of July 2026, the population of North Macedonia is 1.8 million. The number of inhabitants has decreased by 10 thousand in the last year, representing a decline of 0.54%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 37.3 years in 2016 to 41.4 years in 2026. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 77.8 years and population density is 72.4 inhabitants per square kilometer.
The population growth rate of North Macedonia peaked in 1952, reaching around 1.95% annually, but has since declined to approximately -0.56% in 2026. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 28.07 thousand in 1970 to nearly -10.03 thousand in 2026.
In North Macedonia, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 73.8 years in 2006 to 77.8 years in 2026, representing an increase de 4 years over the past 2 decades.
The cities of North Macedonia are small, with the 5 most populated adding up to around 757.8 thousand inhabitants. The most populous city is Skopje, Grad Skopje, con una diferencia significativa sobre las demás, alcanzando approximately 474.9 thousand inhabitants. It is followed by Kumanovo with 75.1 thousand and Prilep with 73.8 thousand.
These are the 20 most populous cities in North Macedonia:
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Skopje, Grad Skopje | 474,889 |
| 2 | Kumanovo | 75,051 |
| 3 | Prilep | 73,814 |
| 4 | Bitola | 69,287 |
| 5 | Čair, Grad Skopje | 64,773 |
| 6 | Tetovo | 63,176 |
| 7 | Kisela Voda, Grad Skopje | 58,216 |
| 8 | Veles | 57,873 |
| 9 | Gostivar | 50,974 |
| 10 | Shtip | 48,279 |
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Centar Župa, Centar Zhupa | 45,412 |
| 12 | Ohrid | 42,033 |
| 13 | Gjorče Petro, Grad Skopje | 41,000 |
| 14 | Kavadarci | 38,799 |
| 15 | Struga | 37,387 |
| 16 | Butel, Grad Skopje | 36,154 |
| 17 | Kochani | 34,258 |
| 18 | Strumica | 33,825 |
| 19 | Kičevo, Kichevo | 31,123 |
| 20 | Lipkovo | 28,102 |