List of U.S. states by population density
This article includes a sortable table listing the 50 United States by population density, population rank, and land area.
It also includes a sortable table of Density by states, divisions, regions and territories by population rank and land area, and a sortable table for Density by states, divisions, regions and territories in square miles and square kilometers.
Population density is calculated as resident population divided by total land area. Resident population is from the United States Census Bureau estimates for July 1, 2015, for the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico and from the 2010 Census for the other four United States territories (which is the latest data available as of March 5, 2016.) [1] Total land area is from the 2010 Census.[2]
The population density of the United States is relatively low compared to many other developed countries due to its size and the advent of modern transportation during its settlement. For example, the population density of the U.S. is one-twelfth that of the Netherlands and one-fifteenth that of South Korea.[3]
Density by states by population rank and land area
State | Pop. dens.
Rank |
Density (Pop. |
Density (Pop. |
Pop.
Rank |
2015 population |
Land
Rank |
Land area (mi²) |
Land area (km²) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New Jersey | 1 | 1,210.1 | 467.2 | 11 | 8,958,013 | 46 | 7,354 | 19,046.8 |
Rhode Island | 2 | 1,021.6 | 394.4 | 43 | 1,056,298 | 50 | 1,034 | 2,678.0 |
Massachusetts | 3 | 871.1 | 336.3 | 15 | 6,794,422 | 45 | 7,800 | 20,201.9 |
Connecticut | 4 | 741.6 | 286.3 | 29 | 3,590,886 | 48 | 4,842 | 12,540.7 |
Maryland | 5 | 618.7 | 238.9 | 19 | 6,006,401 | 42 | 9,707 | 25,141.0 |
Delaware | 6 | 485.3 | 187.4 | 45 | 945,934 | 49 | 1,949 | 5,047.9 |
New York | 7 | 420.1 | 162.2 | 4 | 19,795,791 | 30 | 47,126 | 122,055.8 |
Florida | 8 | 378.0 | 145.9 | 3 | 20,271,272 | 26 | 53,625 | 138,888.1 |
Pennsylvania | 9 | 286.1 | 110.5 | 6 | 12,802,503 | 32 | 44,743 | 115,883.8 |
Ohio | 10 | 284.2 | 109.7 | 7 | 11,613,423 | 35 | 40,861 | 105,829.5 |
California | 11 | 251.3 | 97.0 | 1 | 39,144,818 | 3 | 155,779 | 403,465.8 |
Illinois | 12 | 231.6 | 89.4 | 5 | 12,859,995 | 24 | 55,519 | 143,793.5 |
Hawaii | 13 | 222.9 | 86.1 | 40 | 1,431,603 | 47 | 6,423 | 16,635.5 |
Virginia | 14 | 212.3 | 82.0 | 12 | 8,382,993 | 36 | 39,490 | 102,278.6 |
North Carolina | 15 | 206.6 | 79.8 | 9 | 10,042,802 | 29 | 48,618 | 125,920.0 |
Indiana | 16 | 184.8 | 71.4 | 16 | 6,619,680 | 38 | 35,826 | 92,788.9 |
Georgia | 17 | 177.6 | 68.6 | 8 | 10,214,860 | 21 | 57,513 | 148,958.0 |
Michigan | 18 | 175.5 | 67.8 | 10 | 9,922,576 | 22 | 56,539 | 146,435.3 |
South Carolina | 19 | 162.9 | 62.9 | 23 | 4,896,146 | 40 | 30,061 | 77,857.6 |
Tennessee | 20 | 160.1 | 61.8 | 17 | 6,600,299 | 34 | 41,235 | 106,798.2 |
New Hampshire | 21 | 148.6 | 57.4 | 41 | 1,330,608 | 44 | 8,953 | 23,188.2 |
Kentucky | 22 | 112.0 | 43.2 | 26 | 4,425,092 | 37 | 39,486 | 102,268.3 |
Louisiana | 23 | 108.1 | 41.7 | 25 | 4,670,724 | 33 | 43,204 | 111,897.8 |
Washington | 24 | 107.9 | 41.7 | 13 | 7,170,351 | 20 | 66,456 | 172,120.2 |
Wisconsin | 25 | 106.6 | 41.2 | 20 | 5,771,337 | 25 | 54,158 | 140,268.6 |
Texas | 26 | 105.2 | 40.6 | 2 | 27,469,114 | 2 | 261,232 | 676,587.8 |
Alabama | 27 | 95.9 | 37.0 | 24 | 4,858,979 | 28 | 50,645 | 131,169.9 |
Missouri | 28 | 88.5 | 34.2 | 18 | 6,083,672 | 18 | 68,742 | 178,041.0 |
West Virginia | 29 | 76.7 | 29.6 | 38 | 1,844,128 | 41 | 24,038 | 62,258.1 |
Minnesota | 30 | 68.9 | 26.6 | 21 | 5,489,594 | 14 | 79,627 | 206,233.0 |
Vermont | 31 | 67.9 | 26.2 | 49 | 626,042 | 43 | 9,217 | 23,871.9 |
Mississippi | 32 | 63.8 | 24.6 | 32 | 2,992,333 | 31 | 46,923 | 121,530.0 |
Arizona | 33 | 60.1 | 23.2 | 14 | 6,828,065 | 6 | 113,594 | 294,207.1 |
Arkansas | 34 | 57.2 | 22.1 | 33 | 2,978,204 | 27 | 52,035 | 134,770.0 |
Oklahoma | 35 | 57.0 | 22.0 | 28 | 3,911,338 | 19 | 68,595 | 177,660.2 |
Iowa | 36 | 55.9 | 21.6 | 30 | 3,123,899 | 23 | 55,857 | 144,669.0 |
Colorado | 37 | 52.6 | 20.3 | 22 | 5,456,574 | 8 | 103,642 | 268,431.5 |
Maine | 38 | 43.1 | 16.6 | 42 | 1,329,328 | 39 | 30,843 | 79,883.0 |
Oregon | 39 | 42.0 | 16.2 | 27 | 4,028,977 | 10 | 95,988 | 248,607.8 |
Utah | 40 | 36.5 | 14.1 | 31 | 2,995,919 | 12 | 82,170 | 212,819.3 |
Kansas | 41 | 35.6 | 13.7 | 34 | 2,911,641 | 13 | 81,759 | 211,754.8 |
Nevada | 42 | 26.3 | 10.2 | 35 | 2,890,845 | 7 | 109,781 | 284,331.5 |
Nebraska | 43 | 24.7 | 9.5 | 37 | 1,896,190 | 15 | 76,824 | 198,973.2 |
Idaho | 44 | 20.0 | 7.7 | 39 | 1,654,930 | 11 | 82,643 | 214,044.4 |
New Mexico | 45 | 17.2 | 6.6 | 36 | 2,085,109 | 5 | 121,298 | 314,160.4 |
South Dakota | 46 | 11.3 | 4.4 | 46 | 858,469 | 16 | 75,811 | 196,349.6 |
North Dakota | 47 | 11.0 | 4.2 | 47 | 756,927 | 17 | 69,001 | 178,711.8 |
Montana | 48 | 7.1 | 2.7 | 44 | 1,032,949 | 4 | 145,546 | 376,962.4 |
Wyoming | 49 | 6.0 | 2.3 | 50 | 586,107 | 9 | 97,093 | 251,469.7 |
Alaska | 50 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 48 | 738,432 | 1 | 570,641 | 1,477,953.4 |
Density by states, divisions, regions and territories by population rank and land area
Legend |
---|
Division totals – 9 divisions for 50 States and DC |
Region totals – 4 regions (2 or 3 divisions each) |
Individual territories |
Total U.S. Territories |
50 States + DC and District of Columbia |
Divisions & regions as defined by U.S. Census Bureau |
Last col. shows larger region which contains entity in col. 1 |
State/Territory/ Division/Region |
Dens.
R |
Density (Pop. |
Density (Pop. |
Pop.
R |
2013 pop. |
Land
R |
Land area (mi²) |
Land area (km²) |
Geog. sort |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New Jersey | 1 | 1,218.1 | 470.3 | 11 | 8,899,339 | 46 | 7,354 | 19,046.8 | MdAtl |
Rhode Island | 2 | 1,021.6 | 394.4 | 43 | 1,051,511 | 50 | 1,034 | 2,678.0 | NEng |
Massachusetts | 3 | 858.0 | 331.3 | 14 | 6,692,824 | 45 | 7,800 | 20,201.9 | NEng |
Connecticut | 4 | 742.6 | 286.7 | 29 | 3,596,080 | 48 | 4,842 | 12,540.7 | NEng |
Maryland | 5 | 610.7 | 235.8 | 19 | 5,928,814 | 42 | 9,707 | 25,141.0 | SAtl |
Delaware | 6 | 475.1 | 183.4 | 45 | 925,749 | 49 | 1,949 | 5,047.9 | SAtl |
New York | 7 | 417.0 | 161.0 | 3 | 19,651,127 | 30 | 47,126 | 122,055.8 | MdAtl |
Florida | 8 | 364.6 | 140.8 | 4 | 19,552,860 | 26 | 53,625 | 138,888.1 | SAtl |
Pennsylvania | 9 | 285.5 | 110.2 | 6 | 12,773,801 | 32 | 44,743 | 115,883.8 | MdAtl |
Ohio | 10 | 283.2 | 109.3 | 7 | 11,570,808 | 35 | 40,861 | 105,829.5 | ENC |
California | 11 | 246.1 | 95.0 | 1 | 38,332,521 | 3 | 155,779 | 403,465.8 | Pac |
Illinois | 12 | 232.0 | 89.6 | 5 | 12,882,135 | 24 | 55,519 | 143,793.5 | ENC |
Hawaii | 13 | 218.6 | 84.4 | 40 | 1,404,054 | 47 | 6,423 | 16,635.5 | Pac |
Virginia | 14 | 209.2 | 80.8 | 12 | 8,260,405 | 36 | 39,490 | 102,278.6 | SAtl |
North Carolina | 15 | 202.6 | 78.2 | 10 | 9,848,060 | 29 | 48,618 | 125,920.0 | SAtl |
Indiana | 16 | 183.4 | 70.8 | 16 | 6,570,902 | 38 | 35,826 | 92,788.9 | ENC |
Michigan | 17 | 175.0 | 67.6 | 9 | 9,895,622 | 22 | 56,539 | 146,435.3 | ENC |
Georgia | 18 | 173.7 | 67.1 | 8 | 9,992,167 | 21 | 57,513 | 148,958.0 | SAtl |
South Carolina | 19 | 158.8 | 61.3 | 24 | 4,774,839 | 40 | 30,061 | 77,857.6 | SAtl |
Tennessee | 20 | 157.5 | 60.8 | 17 | 6,495,978 | 34 | 41,235 | 106,798.2 | ESC |
New Hampshire | 21 | 147.8 | 57.1 | 42 | 1,323,459 | 44 | 8,953 | 23,188.2 | NEng |
Kentucky | 22 | 111.3 | 43.0 | 26 | 4,395,295 | 37 | 39,486 | 102,268.3 | ESC |
Louisiana | 23 | 107.1 | 41.4 | 25 | 4,625,470 | 33 | 43,204 | 111,897.8 | WSC |
Wisconsin | 24 | 106.0 | 40.9 | 20 | 5,742,713 | 25 | 54,158 | 140,268.6 | ENC |
Washington | 25 | 104.9 | 40.5 | 13 | 6,971,406 | 20 | 66,456 | 172,120.2 | Pac |
Texas | 26 | 101.2 | 39.1 | 2 | 26,448,193 | 2 | 261,232 | 676,587.8 | WSC |
Alabama | 27 | 95.4 | 36.8 | 23 | 4,833,722 | 28 | 50,645 | 131,169.9 | ESC |
Missouri | 28 | 87.9 | 33.9 | 18 | 6,044,171 | 18 | 68,742 | 178,041.0 | WNC |
West Virginia | 29 | 77.2 | 29.8 | 38 | 1,854,305 | 41 | 24,034 | 62,247.8 | SAtl |
Minnesota | 30 | 68.1 | 26.3 | 21 | 5,420,380 | 14 | 79,627 | 206,233.0 | WNC |
Vermont | 31 | 68.0 | 26.3 | 49 | 626,630 | 43 | 9,217 | 23,871.9 | NEng |
Mississippi | 32 | 63.7 | 24.6 | 31 | 2,991,207 | 31 | 46,923 | 121,530.0 | ESC |
Arizona | 33 | 58.3 | 22.5 | 15 | 6,626,624 | 6 | 113,594 | 294,207.1 | Mtn |
Arkansas | 34 | 56.9 | 22.0 | 32 | 2,959,373 | 27 | 52,035 | 134,770.0 | WSC |
Oklahoma | 35 | 56.1 | 21.7 | 28 | 3,850,568 | 19 | 68,595 | 177,660.2 | WSC |
Iowa | 36 | 55.3 | 21.4 | 30 | 3,090,416 | 23 | 55,857 | 144,669.0 | WNC |
Colorado | 37 | 50.8 | 19.6 | 22 | 5,268,367 | 8 | 103,642 | 268,431.5 | Mtn |
Maine | 38 | 43.1 | 16.6 | 41 | 1,328,302 | 39 | 30,843 | 79,883.0 | NEng |
Oregon | 39 | 40.9 | 15.8 | 27 | 3,930,065 | 10 | 95,988 | 248,607.8 | Pac |
Kansas | 40 | 35.4 | 13.7 | 34 | 2,893,957 | 13 | 81,759 | 211,754.8 | WNC |
Utah | 41 | 35.3 | 13.6 | 33 | 2,900,872 | 12 | 82,170 | 212,819.3 | Mtn |
Nevada | 42 | 25.4 | 9.8 | 35 | 2,790,136 | 7 | 109,781 | 284,331.5 | Mtn |
Nebraska | 43 | 24.3 | 9.4 | 37 | 1,868,516 | 15 | 76,824 | 198,973.2 | WNC |
Idaho | 44 | 19.5 | 7.5 | 39 | 1,612,136 | 11 | 82,643 | 214,044.4 | Mtn |
New Mexico | 45 | 17.2 | 6.6 | 36 | 2,085,287 | 5 | 121,298 | 314,160.4 | Mtn |
South Dakota | 46 | 11.1 | 4.3 | 46 | 844,877 | 16 | 75,811 | 196,349.6 | WNC |
North Dakota | 47 | 10.5 | 4.1 | 48 | 723,393 | 17 | 69,001 | 178,711.8 | WNC |
Montana | 48 | 7.0 | 2.7 | 44 | 1,015,165 | 4 | 145,546 | 376,962.4 | Mtn |
Wyoming | 49 | 6.0 | 2.3 | 50 | 582,658 | 9 | 97,093 | 251,469.7 | Mtn |
Alaska | 50 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 47 | 735,132 | 1 | 570,641 | 1,477,953.4 | Pac |
Mid-Atlantic | 1 | 416.5 | 160.8 | 4 | 41,324,267 | 8 | 99,223 | 256,986.4 | NEast |
New England | 2 | 233.2 | 90.0 | 9 | 14,618,806 | 9 | 62,688 | 162,361.2 | NEast |
South Atlantic | 3 | 233.1 | 90.0 | 1 | 61,783,647 | 5 | 265,062 | 686,507.4 | South |
East North Central | 4 | 192.1 | 74.2 | 3 | 46,662,180 | 6 | 242,902 | 629,113.3 | MWest |
East South Central | 5 | 105.0 | 40.5 | 8 | 18,716,202 | 7 | 178,290 | 461,769.0 | South |
West South Central | 6 | 89.1 | 34.4 | 5 | 37,883,604 | 4 | 425,066 | 1,100,915.9 | South |
Pacific | 7 | 57.4 | 22.2 | 2 | 51,373,178 | 1 | 895,286 | 2,318,780.1 | West |
West North Central | 8 | 41.1 | 15.9 | 7 | 20,885,710 | 3 | 507,620 | 1,314,729.8 | MWest |
Mountain | 9 | 26.7 | 10.3 | 6 | 22,881,245 | 2 | 855,767 | 2,216,426.4 | West |
Northeast | 1 | 345.5 | 133.4 | 4 | 55,943,073 | 4 | 161,912 | 419,350.2 | USA |
South | 2 | 136.3 | 52.6 | 1 | 118,383,453 | 2 | 868,418 | 2,249,192.3 | USA |
Midwest | 3 | 90.0 | 34.7 | 3 | 67,547,890 | 3 | 750,523 | 1,943,845.6 | USA |
West | 4 | 42.4 | 16.4 | 2 | 74,254,423 | 1 | 1,751,053 | 4,535,206.5 | USA |
District of Columbia | -- | 10,588.8 | 4,088.4 | -- | 646,449 | -- | 61 | 158.0 | SAtl |
50 States & DC | -- | 89.5 | 34.6 | -- | 316,128,839 | -- | 3,531,905 | 9,147,592.0 | NAmer |
Puerto Rico | 1 | 1,055.9 | 407.7 | 1 | 3,615,086 | 1 | 3,424 | 8,868.1 | Terr. |
U.S. Virgin Islands | 2 | 792.2 | 305.9 | 3 | 106,405 | 4 | 134 | 347.1 | Terr. |
Guam | 3 | 759.6 | 293.3 | 2 | 159,358 | 2 | 210 | 543.9 | Terr. |
American Samoa | 4 | 726.1 | 280.3 | 4 | 55,519 | 5 | 76 | 196.8 | Terr. |
Northern Mariana Islands | 5 | 295.5 | 114.1 | 5 | 53,883 | 3 | 182 | 471.4 | Terr. |
Total Territories | -- | 991.0 | 382.6 | -- | 3,990,251 | -- | 4,027 | 10,429.9 | USA |
Density by states, divisions, regions and territories in square miles and square kilometers
Legend |
Division totals – 9 divisions for 50 states and DC |
Region totals – 4 regions (2 or 3 divisions each) |
Individual territories |
Total U.S. Territories |
50 states + DC and District of Columbia |
Divisions & regions as defined by U.S. Census Bureau |
Last col. shows larger region which contains entity in col. 2 |
Rank | State/Territory/ Division/Region |
Density (Pop. |
Density (Pop. |
Geog. sort |
---|---|---|---|---|
-- | District of Columbia | 10,588.8 | 4,088.4 | MdAtl |
1 | New Jersey | 1,210.1 | 467.2 | MdAtl |
1 | Puerto Rico | 1,055.9 | 407.7 | Terr. |
2 | Rhode Island | 1,017.1 | 392.7 | NEng |
-- | Territories | 991.0 | 382.6 | USA |
3 | Massachusetts | 858.0 | 331.3 | NEng |
2 | U.S. Virgin Islands | 792.2 | 305.9 | Terr. |
3 | Guam | 759.6 | 293.3 | Terr. |
4 | Connecticut | 742.6 | 286.7 | NEng |
4 | American Samoa | 726.1 | 280.4 | Terr. |
5 | Maryland | 610.8 | 235.8 | MdAtl |
6 | Delaware | 475.1 | 183.4 | MdAtl |
7 | New York | 417.0 | 161.0 | MdAtl |
1 | Mid-Atlantic | 416.5 | 160.8 | NEast |
8 | Florida | 364.6 | 140.8 | SAtl |
1 | Northeast | 345.5 | 133.4 | USA |
5 | Northern Mariana Islands | 295.5 | 114.1 | Terr. |
9 | Pennsylvania | 285.5 | 110.2 | MdAtl |
10 | Ohio | 283.2 | 109.3 | ENC |
11 | California | 246.1 | 95.0 | Pac |
2 | New England | 233.2 | 90.0 | NEast |
3 | South Atlantic | 233.1 | 90.0 | South |
12 | Illinois | 232.0 | 89.6 | ENC |
13 | Hawaii | 218.6 | 84.4 | Pac |
14 | Virginia | 209.2 | 80.8 | SAtl |
15 | North Carolina | 202.6 | 78.2 | SAtl |
4 | East North Central | 192.1 | 74.2 | MWest |
16 | Indiana | 183.4 | 70.8 | ENC |
17 | Michigan | 175.0 | 67.6 | ENC |
18 | Georgia | 173.7 | 67.1 | SAtl |
19 | South Carolina | 158.8 | 61.3 | SAtl |
20 | Tennessee | 157.5 | 60.8 | ESC |
21 | New Hampshire | 147.8 | 57.1 | NEng |
2 | South | 136.3 | 52.6 | USA |
22 | Kentucky | 111.3 | 43.0 | ESC |
23 | Louisiana | 107.1 | 41.3 | WSC |
24 | Wisconsin | 106.0 | 40.9 | ENC |
5 | East South Central | 105.0 | 40.5 | South |
25 | Washington | 104.9 | 40.5 | Pac |
26 | Texas | 103.1 | 40.8 | WSC |
27 | Alabama | 95.4 | 36.9 | ESC |
3 | Midwest | 90.0 | 34.7 | USA |
-- | 50 States + DC | 89.5 | 34.6 | NAmer |
6 | West South Central | 89.1 | 34.4 | South |
28 | Missouri | 87.9 | 33.9 | WNC |
29 | West Virginia | 77.1 | 29.8 | SAtl |
30 | Minnesota | 68.1 | 26.3 | WNC |
31 | Vermont | 68.0 | 26.3 | NEng |
32 | Mississippi | 63.7 | 24.6 | ESC |
33 | Arizona | 58.3 | 22.5 | Mtn |
7 | Pacific | 57.4 | 22.2 | West |
34 | Arkansas | 56.9 | 21.8 | WSC |
35 | Oklahoma | 56.1 | 21.3 | WSC |
36 | Iowa | 54.8 | 21.2 | WNC |
37 | Colorado | 50.8 | 19.6 | Mtn |
4 | West | 49.5 | 19.1 | USA |
38 | Maine | 43.1 | 16.6 | NEng |
8 | West North Central | 41.1 | 15.9 | MWest |
39 | Oregon | 40.9 | 15.8 | Pac |
40 | Kansas | 35.4 | 13.7 | WNC |
41 | Utah | 35.3 | 13.6 | Mtn |
9 | Mountain | 26.7 | 10.3 | West |
42 | Nevada | 25.4 | 9.8 | Mtn |
43 | Nebraska | 24.3 | 9.4 | WNC |
44 | Idaho | 19.5 | 7.5 | Mtn |
45 | New Mexico | 17.2 | 6.6 | Mtn |
46 | South Dakota | 11.1 | 4.3 | WNC |
47 | North Dakota | 10.5 | 4.0 | WNC |
48 | Montana | 7.0 | 2.7 | Mtn |
49 | Wyoming | 6.0 | 2.3 | Mtn |
50 | Alaska | 1.3 | 0.5 | Pac |
See also
- Outline of the United States
- Index of United States-related articles
- United States
- Demographics of the United States
- U.S. state
- List of U.S. states
- List of U.S. states by African-American population
- List of U.S. states by area
- List of U.S. states by coastline
- List of U.S. states by date of admission to the Union
- List of U.S. states by elevation
- List of U.S. states by fertility rate
- List of U.S. states by GDP (nominal)
- List of U.S. states by GDP per capita (nominal)
- List of U.S. states by historical population
- List of U.S. states by income equality
- List of U.S. states by population
- List of U.S. states by population growth rate
- List of U.S. states by time zone
- List of U.S. states by vehicles per capita
- List of U.S. states
References
- Resident Population Data - 2010 Census. United States Census Bureau. Last accessed January 10, 2011.
- ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015" (CSV). 2015 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. December 2015. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
- ↑ "State Area Measurements and Internal Point Coordinates". 2010 United States Census. United States Census Bureau. February 11, 2011. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
- ↑ United Nations World Population Prospects Archived December 29, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.