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New Jersey
1,267
Rhode Island
1,062
Massachusetts
900
Connecticut
749
Maryland
638
Delaware
536
Florida
428
New York
413
Pennsylvania
289
Ohio
289
California
250
North Carolina
226
Illinois
225
Hawaii
223
Virginia
222
Georgia
194
Indiana
192
South Carolina
182
Michigan
178
Tennessee
175
New Hampshire
157
Texas
119
Washington
118
Kentucky
115
Wisconsin
110
Louisiana
106
Alabama
102
Missouri
90
West Virginia
73
Minnesota
72
Vermont
70
Arizona
66
Mississippi
63
Oklahoma
60
Arkansas
59
Iowa
58
Colorado
57
Maine
45
Oregon
44
Utah
42
Kansas
36
Nevada
29
Nebraska
26
Idaho
24
New Mexico
17
South Dakota
12
North Dakota
11
Montana
8
Wyoming
6
Alaska
1

United States by Density 2024

United States by Density 2024

Population density is the number of human inhabitants per unit of area, typically square mile (mi² or mile²) or square kilometer (km²).

High population densities have their advantages and disadvantages. High population density has enabled economic and social development. However, it can lead to skyrocketing housing costs, more traffic, higher pollution, and additional stress on natural resources such as fresh water. Conversely, areas with low population density may have little economic development, political, economic, and technological isolation, and little or no access to regular human interaction.

The United States has a population density of 93.29 people per mile². The individual states have a wide range of population densities, from 1.28 people per mile² to 11,685.51 people per mile².

What are the least-densely-populated states in the U.S.? The ten states with the lowest population densities, expressed as people per square mile, are:

For those who enjoy wide-open spaces, the United States offers plenty of options. The large states of Alaska, Wyoming, and Wisconsin have the lowest population densities in the country, with Montana having 7 people per mile² in a population of 1,085,000, Wyoming 6 people per mile² with a population of just 581,075 (also the lowest population in the country), and Alaska topping them all with only 1.28 people per mile² relative to its population of 724,357 and a total area of 570,641 miles². Alaska is the largest states in the U.S.

Compared to the other states, the District of Columbia covers a tiny area of just 68 miles², yet it has a population of 703,608, which makes it by far the densest state of all at 11,685.61 people per mile². New Jersey follows, with a population density of 1,207.83 people per mile², and Massachusetts with 883.68 people per mile².

Statistics show a range of population densities in the most highly populated states. California has a total population of 39,613,500, and a population density of 252.74 people per mile². Texas has 29.730,300 people, and its population density is about 110 people per mile² (this is due to its land area being 261,232mi²). In comparison, Florida's population of 21,312,211 has a population density of 405.45 people per mile².

Several states have very populous cities, which look much different than the states as a whole. For example, New York has a total population of 19,300,000 and a population density of 410.32 people per mile². New York City, the most highly populated city in the United States, accounts for over 8.23 million of the state's population and has a land area of 302.6 miles², giving it a population density of 27,000 people per mile².

United States by Density 2024

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State
Density (/mi²)
Population
Area (mi²)
New Jersey1,2679,320,8658,723
Rhode Island1,0621,098,0821,545
Massachusetts9007,020,05810,554
Connecticut7493,625,6465,543
Maryland6386,196,52512,406
Delaware5361,044,3212,489
Florida42822,975,93165,758
New York41319,469,23254,555
Pennsylvania28912,951,27546,054
Ohio28911,812,17344,826
California25038,889,770163,696
North Carolina22610,975,01753,819
Illinois22512,516,86357,914
Hawaii2231,430,87710,932
Virginia2228,752,29742,775
Georgia19411,145,30459,425
Indiana1926,892,12436,420
South Carolina1825,464,15532,020
Michigan17810,041,24196,714
Tennessee1757,204,00242,144
New Hampshire1571,405,1059,349
Texas11930,976,754268,596
Washington1187,841,28371,298
Kentucky1154,540,74540,408
Wisconsin1105,931,36765,496
Louisiana1064,559,47552,378
Alabama1025,143,03352,420
Missouri906,215,14469,707
West Virginia731,766,10724,230
Minnesota725,761,53086,936
Vermont70647,8189,616
Arizona667,497,004113,990
Mississippi632,940,45248,432
Oklahoma604,088,37769,899
Arkansas593,089,06053,179
Iowa583,214,31556,273
Colorado575,914,181104,094
Maine451,402,10635,380
Oregon444,227,33798,379
Utah423,454,23284,897
Kansas362,944,37682,278
Nevada293,210,931110,572
Nebraska261,988,69877,348
Idaho241,990,45683,569
New Mexico172,115,266121,590
South Dakota12928,76777,116
North Dakota11788,94070,698
Montana81,142,746147,040
Wyoming6586,48597,813
Alaska1733,536665,384
United States3,796,677
showing: 50 rows

United States by Density 2024

Sources