In 2023, Washington, D.C. had the highest population density in the United States, with 11,130.69 people per square mile. As a whole, there were about 94.83 residents per square mile in the U.S., and Alaska was the state with the lowest population density, with 1.29 residents per square mile. The problem of population density Simply put, population density is the population of a country divided by the area of the country. While this can be an interesting measure of how many people live in a country and how large the country is, it does not account for the degree of urbanization, or the share of people who live in urban centers. For example, Russia is the largest country in the world and has a comparatively low population, so its population density is very low. However, much of the country is uninhabited, so cities in Russia are much more densely populated than the rest of the country. Urbanization in the United States While the United States is not very densely populated compared to other countries, its population density has increased significantly over the past few decades. The degree of urbanization has also increased, and well over half of the population lives in urban centers.

This graph shows the population density of the United States of America from 1790 to 2019. In 2019, the population density was approximately 92.9 residents per square mile of land area. Population density in the United States Population density has been tracked for over two hundred years in the United States. Over the last two centuries, the number of people living in the United States per square mile has grown from 4.5 in 1790 to 87.4 in 2010. After examining the data in detail, it becomes clear that a major population increase started around 1870. Population density was roughly 11 at the time and has doubled in the last century. Since then, population density grew by about 16 percent each decade. Population density doubled in 1900, and grew in total by around 800 percent until 2010.

The population density of the United States varies from state to state. The most densely populated state is New Jersey, with 1,208 people per square mile living there. Rhode Island is the second most densely populated state, with slightly over 1,000 inhabitants per square mile. A number of New England states follow at the top of the ranking, making the northeastern region of the United States the most densely populated region of the country.

The least populated U.S. state is the vast territory of Alaska. Only 1.3 inhabitants per square mile reside in the largest state of the U.S.

Compared to other countries around the world, the United States does not rank within the top 50, in terms of population density. Most of the leading countries and territories are city states. However, the U.S. is one of the most populous countries in the world, with a total population of over 327 million inhabitants, as of 2018.

This table contains 26 series, with data for years 1851 - 1971 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years). This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Unit of measure (1 items: Persons ...) Geography (13 items: Canada; Newfoundland and Labrador; Nova Scotia; Prince Edward Island ...) Estimates (2 items: Population; Population density per square mile ...).

Population density for Maryland's jurisdictions relies on two different data sources from the U.S. Census Bureau: intercensal population data (2010-2020) and the Population Estimates Program (vintage series) for the 2020–2024 period. The vintage sources will be replaced annually with new releases.

United States US: Population Density: People per Square Km data was reported at 35.608 Person/sq km in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 35.355 Person/sq km for 2016. United States US: Population Density: People per Square Km data is updated yearly, averaging 26.948 Person/sq km from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2017, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 35.608 Person/sq km in 2017 and a record low of 20.056 Person/sq km in 1961. United States US: Population Density: People per Square Km data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.; ; Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates.; Weighted average;

Monaco led the ranking for countries with the highest population density in 2024, with nearly 26,000 residents per square kilometer. The Special Administrative Region of Macao came in second, followed by Singapore. The world’s second smallest country Monaco is the world’s second-smallest country, with an area of about two square kilometers and a population of only around 40,000. It is a constitutional monarchy located by the Mediterranean Sea, and while Monaco is not part of the European Union, it does participate in some EU policies. The country is perhaps most famous for the Monte Carlo casino and for hosting the Monaco Grand Prix, the world's most prestigious Formula One race. The global population Globally, the population density per square kilometer is about 60 inhabitants, and Asia is the most densely populated region in the world. The global population is increasing rapidly, so population density is only expected to increase. In 1950, for example, the global population stood at about 2.54 billion people, and it reached over eight billion during 2023.

This map shows the population density and total population in the United States in 2010. This is shown by state, county, tract, and block group. The color shows the population per square mile (population density), while the size of each feature shows the total population living there. This is a valuable way to represent population by understanding the quantity and density of the people living there. Areas with high population density are more tightly packed, while low population density means the population is more spread out.The map shows this pattern for states, counties, tracts, and block groups. There is increasing geographic detail as you zoom in, and only one geography is configured to show at any time. The data source is the US Census Bureau, and the vintage is 2010. The original service and data metadata can be found here.

This graph shows the population density in the federal state of New Jersey from 1960 to 2018. In 2018, the population density of New Jersey stood at 1,211.3 residents per square mile of land area.

Minnesota on the Map: Minnesota Population Density By CountyThis is a population density map of Minnesota by county with the 5 largest cities in Minnesota labeled.The darker of a color a county has, the denser it's population. The black lines separate the counties. I downloaded the county outlines and county population data, and I made the population density scale and colors. It was hard to figure out a good scale level, but I eventually decided on 1 person per square mile to 510 people per square mile. Though there are counties with higher population density than 510 people per square mile, there are also counties with much lower population densities that are close enough in value to the point where their representative colors would be too close together to effectively show their population density data if a scale with a larger range was used. I used a simple, grey basemap to give context as to where Minnesota is and because maps with more information aren't necessary and draw attention away from population density.It was hard to figure out what map to make, but I figured that a population density map would be useful for people who are interested in moving to a certain county or people who are interested in advertising and want to spend their money wisely.This map helps potential residents, businesses, and anyone curious learn more about the population of Minnesota. This is vital information about Minnesota which will help many people.

This graph shows the population density in the federal state of California from 1960 to 2018. In 2018, the population density of California stood at 253.9 residents per square mile of land area.

This dataset, named "state_trends.csv," contains information about different U.S. states. Let's break down the attributes and understand what each column represents:

1. state: The name of the U.S. state.
2. state_code: The two-letter postal code abbreviation for the state.
3. population: The population of the state.
4. sq_miles: The total land area of the state in square miles.
5. pop_density: Population density, which is the number of people per square mile.
6. region: The geographical region of the United States to which the state belongs (e.g., South, West).
7. psych_region: A description of the psychological region based on personality traits.
8. psy_reg: A shortened version of the psychological region.
9. extraversion: A measure of the state's population tendency toward extraversion.
10. agreeableness: A measure of the state's population tendency toward agreeableness.
11. conscientiousness: A measure of the state's population tendency toward conscientiousness.
12. neuroticism: A measure of the state's population tendency toward neuroticism.
13. openness: A measure of the state's population tendency toward openness.
14. data_science: A score related to the state's interest or proficiency in the field of data science.
15. artificial_intelligence: A score related to the state's interest or proficiency in artificial intelligence.
16. machine_learning: A score related to the state's interest or proficiency in machine learning.
17. data_analysis: A score related to the state's interest or proficiency in data analysis.
18. business_intelligence: A score related to the state's interest or proficiency in business intelligence.
19. spreadsheet: A score related to the state's interest or proficiency in spreadsheet usage.
20. statistics: A score related to the state's interest or proficiency in statistics.
21. art: A score related to the state's interest or involvement in the field of art.
22. dance: A score related to the state's interest or involvement in dance.
23. museum: A score related to the state's interest or presence of museums.
24. basketball: A score related to the state's interest or involvement in basketball.
25. football: A score related to the state's interest or involvement in football.
26. baseball: A score related to the state's interest or involvement in baseball.
27. soccer: A score related to the state's interest or involvement in soccer.
28. hockey: A score related to the state's interest or involvement in hockey.
29. has_nba: Indicates whether the state has a National Basketball Association (NBA) team (Yes/No).
30. has_nfl: Indicates whether the state has a National Football League (NFL) team (Yes/No).
31. has_mlb: Indicates whether the state has a Major League Baseball (MLB) team (Yes/No).
32. has_mls: Indicates whether the state has a Major League Soccer (MLS) team (Yes/No).
33. has_nhl: Indicates whether the state has a National Hockey League (NHL) team (Yes/No).
34. has_any: Indicates whether the state has any of the mentioned professional sports teams (Yes/No).

In summary, this dataset provides a variety of information about U.S. states, including demographic data, geographical region, psychological region, personality traits, and scores related to interests or proficiencies in various fields such as data science, art, and sports.

Resident population density for Maryland and Jurisdictions per square mile from 2010 to 2017. Source: U.S. Bureau of Census

This bar chart presents the estimated population density in the Ile-de-France region (Paris area), in France, in 2025, by district. It appears that the city of Paris counted approximately 19,509 inhabitants per square kilometer, making it the most densely populated department in the region.

This graph shows the population density in the federal state of Texas from 1960 to 2018. In 2018, the population density of Texas stood at 109.9 residents per square mile of land area.

These data contain selected census tract level demographic indicators (estimates) from the 2015-2019 American Community Survey representing the population density by square mile (land area).

Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Canada was reported at 4.5608 sq. Km in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Canada - Population density (people per sq. km) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

United Kingdom UK: Population Density: People per Square Km data was reported at 272.898 Person/sq km in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 271.134 Person/sq km for 2016. United Kingdom UK: Population Density: People per Square Km data is updated yearly, averaging 235.922 Person/sq km from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2017, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 272.898 Person/sq km in 2017 and a record low of 218.245 Person/sq km in 1961. United Kingdom UK: Population Density: People per Square Km data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.; ; Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates.; Weighted average;

This graph shows the population density in the federal state of Illinois from 1960 to 2018. In 2018, the population density of Illinois stood at 229.5 residents per square mile of land area.

Content

Population density is a measure of average population per square mile. Density levels have been higher across the Eastern seaboard and the Pacific coastline and lower in much of the West.

Acknowledgements

Data was taken from the USA Government 2010 Census.

This dataset represent 2010 Census block groups that displays 2022 age 0 to 18 population per square mile in Arizona. Using the 2010 Census block groups layer it was joined to the 2022 1-Year Population Estimate dataset from Clarita's. Then, we calculated geometry for each block groups to obtain the area per square mile. Finally, we were able to calculate population density by the total population of 18 years old and younger to the block group area (sq. mile). Last Updated: May 2022Update Frequency: Annual