CorrelateAI › Pairs
Atmospheric CO₂ (Mauna Loa) vs US Urban Population
Atmospheric CO₂ (Mauna Loa) and US Urban Population correlate at r = +0.93 over 66 years (1960–2025), p < 0.0001. With the time trend removed, r = -0.44. Direction flips without the trend.
Verdict: Direction flips without the trend. The raw correlation is 0.93, but once each series' time trend is removed it becomes -0.44. The year-to-year movements run the opposite way to the long-run trends, so the headline number is misleading.
- Pearson r
- +0.93
- p-value
- < 0.0001
- Years compared (n)
- 66 (1960–2025)
- 95% confidence interval
- 0.89 to 0.96
- Correlation with the time trend removed
- -0.44
Sources
- Atmospheric CO₂ (Mauna Loa) (ppm): NOAA GML. Annual mean atmospheric carbon dioxide measured at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii (NOAA GML).
- US Urban Population (% of total): World Bank. US Urban Population (World Bank indicator SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS).
Related pairs
- US Rural Population vs US Urban Population (r = -1.00)
- Atmospheric CO₂ (Mauna Loa) vs US GDP per Capita (r = +0.99)
- Atmospheric CO₂ (Mauna Loa) vs US Population (r = +0.99)
- Atmospheric CO₂ (Mauna Loa) vs US GDP (current US$) (r = +0.98)
- Atmospheric CO₂ (Mauna Loa) vs US Cereal Yield (r = +0.98)
- Atmospheric CO₂ (Mauna Loa) vs Atmospheric Methane (global) (r = +0.98)
Correlation does not imply causation. How the verdict is worked out.