Objective To analyze the incidence and mortality of bladder cancer patients among permanent residents in Yangpu district of Shanghai from January 2002 to December 2012. Methods The data of bladder cancer patients among the permanent residents of Yangpu district were obtained from the database of cancer registration and management system in Shanghai. The temporal trend in the incidence and mortality of bladder cancer was assessed using annual percent change (APC) model. Kaplan-Meier analysis with log-rank test was performed for survival analysis. The incidence and mortality were standardized with age composition of standard population from a nationwide census carried out in 2000. Results A total of 1 252 cases with bladder cancer were newly diagnosed between 2002 and 2012 in Yangpu district, and it accounted for 2.69% of the total patients with malignant diseases. The annual crude incidence of bladder cancer was 10.51/10⁵, with that of males being significantly higher than that of females (15.59/10⁵ vs 5.18/10⁵, P<0.01). The standardized incidence was 4.83/10⁵, with that of males being also significantly higher than that of females (7.26/10⁵ vs 2.32/10⁵, P<0.01). The crude incidence of bladder cancer showed a significant increase (APC=4.14, P<0.01) from 2002 to 2012; however, the standardized incidence showed no significant increase. The incidence increased rapidly after 50 years old. A total of 690 cases died of bladder cancer during the study period. The annual crude mortality of bladder cancer was 8.61/10⁵ in males, which was significantly higher than that in females (2.84/10⁵, P<0.01). The standardized martality was 3.64/10⁵ in males and 1.15/10⁵ in females (P<0.01). The crude mortality of bladder cancer were increased significantly and the standardized one did not alter significantly during this period. The 5-year survival rate of the newly diagnosed bladder cancer patients was 63.15%, with that of surgically treated ones being significantly higher that of non-surgically treated ones (74.31% vs 51.80%, P<0.01). Conclusion The crude incidence and mortality of bladder cancer are greatly increased during 2002-2012. Surgical treatment can significantly prolong the survival of bladder cancer patients. Early diagnosis and prompt surgical resection can improve the overall survival of bladder cancer patients.