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UNCIV · GROWTH & HAPPINESS

City Growth and Happiness

The real formulas behind growth and happiness, read from Unciv's code — with a full food table.

01

Conclusion

A city needs 15 food to grow from size 1, then 8 more per size plus a small extra: 15 + 8 × (size − 1) + (size − 1)1.5, rounded down. Each citizen eats 2 food, and only the surplus counts toward growth.

Happiness is the brake. Every city costs 3 and every citizen 1, while each different luxury gives 4. Once your empire dips below zero, growth drops by 75%; below −10, cities stop growing and units fight 33% weaker.

An analysis-based guide: this guide is based on our analysis of Unciv's growth and happiness code (CityPopulationManager.kt, CityStats.kt) and GlobalUniques.json. It describes what the data shows and is not a guarantee of results.
02

Food Needed to Grow

PopulationFood (Standard)Total from size 1QuickEpicMarathon
1 → 21515102245
2 → 32439163672
3 → 43372224999
4 → 5441162966132
5 → 6551713682165
6 → 7662374499198
7 → 87731451115231
8 → 98940359133267
9 → 1010150467151303
10 → 1111461876171342
11 → 1212674484189378
12 → 1313988393208417
13 → 141521035101228456
14 → 151651200110247495
15 → 161791379119268537
16 → 171931572129289579
17 → 182071779138310621
18 → 192212000148331663
19 → 202352235157352705
20 → 212492484166373747
21 → 222642748176396792
22 → 232793027186418837
23 → 242943321196441882
24 → 253093630207463927
25 → 263243954217486972
26 → 2734042942275101020
27 → 2835546492375321065
28 → 2937150202485561113
29 → 3038754072595801161
30 → 3140358102706041209

Formula from the game's code. Game speed multiplies it; city-states need 50% more; AI cities use the difficulty's AI growth modifier.

03

Where Happiness Comes From

SourceHappinessNotes
Base (difficulty)+15 Settler, +12 Chieftain/Warlord, +9 Prince+
Each city−3−5 for an annexed city you didn't found (until it has a Courthouse); scaled by difficulty.
Each citizen−1Doubled in annexed cities; scaled by difficulty. India halves it.
Annexed city−2 extraRemoved by a Courthouse.
Each different luxury resource+4Only the first copy counts; extra copies are for trading.
Buildings, wonders, policies, natural wondersvariesSee the Buildings and Wonders pages.
04

What Unhappiness Does

Empire happinessEffect (GlobalUniques.json)
−1 to −10−75% growth in all cities
Below −10No growth, −50% production, −33% unit strength, can't build Settlers
Below −20Rebel units may spawn
05

Practical Takeaways

  • Spread your luxuries. A new kind of luxury is worth +4; a second copy of one you have is worth nothing until you trade it.
  • Each new city costs at least 4 happiness (3 for the city, 1 for its first citizen) before buildings.
  • Annexing is expensive. An annexed city starts at −5 and doubles its citizens' unhappiness until it has a Courthouse; a puppet avoids the extra penalty.
  • Growth slows gently, not sharply. Size 10 → 11 needs 114 food and size 20 → 21 needs 249 on Standard speed.
06

FAQ

Why did my city stop growing?

Check empire happiness: below −10 growth stops completely. Also check that the city has a food surplus after its citizens eat 2 food each.

Do specialists eat food?

Yes, 2 food each like any citizen.

Does difficulty change unhappiness?

Yes — your unhappiness is multiplied by 40% on Settler, 60% Chieftain, 75% Warlord and 100% from Prince up.

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Unciv guide home · All 34 Civilizations · City-States: Bonuses and Quests · Combat: Damage Formula and Calculator · Difficulty Levels Explained · Early Game: Key Numbers and Ancient Ruins · Every Building: Cost, Upkeep and Effects · Every Promotion and Effect · Every Religion Belief · Every Unit's Stats by Era · Every World and National Wonder · Game Speed and Starting Era · Great People: Points and the Shared Pool · Mods: Installing and Popular Picks · Multiplayer: Playing Online · Social Policies and Policy Cost · Tech Tree: Every Tech and Unlock · Terrain, Resources and Improvements · Unciv vs Civilization V · Victory Conditions