List of U.S. states by population density

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Map of states showing population density (2000)
Map of counties showing population density (2000)

This article includes a sortable table of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, and territories ordered by population density. 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, 2011,[1] and total land area is also from the Census Bureau.[2]

The population density of the United States is relatively low compared to many other developed countries due to its size and its colonial history. For example, the population density of the U.S. is one twelfth that of the Netherlands, and one fifteenth that of South Korea (as of 2010).[3]

New Jersey is the most densely populated state. It is also the second wealthiest.
Despite being home to the most populous city in the country, New York state ranks 7th in overall density.
Washington State is ranked 25th in density, but is still above the national average.
Despite a fairly average population density Vermont has one of the smallest populations due to its small overall area.
Idaho's population has increased rapidly in recent decades, but its population density, relative to other states, is low.
About half of the population of Alaska lives in the Anchorage metropolitan area.
Puerto Rico ranks third among the most densely populated areas in the U.S. (behind DC and NJ)
U.S. states and territories by population density

Rank State Population density (2012)
--  District of Columbia[4] 10,357 inhabitants per square mile (3,999 /km2)
01  New Jersey 1,205 inhabitants per square mile (465 /km2)
--  Puerto Rico 1,082 inhabitants per square mile (418 /km2)
02  Rhode Island 1,016 inhabitants per square mile (392 /km2)
--  U.S. Virgin Islands 916.9 inhabitants per square mile (354.0 /km2)
--  American Samoa 914.0 inhabitants per square mile (352.9 /km2)
03  Massachusetts 852.1 inhabitants per square mile (329.0 /km2)
--  Guam 830.0 inhabitants per square mile (320.5 /km2)
04  Connecticut 741.4 inhabitants per square mile (286.3 /km2)
05  Maryland 606.2 inhabitants per square mile (234.1 /km2)
06  Delaware 470.7 inhabitants per square mile (181.7 /km2)
07  New York 415.3 inhabitants per square mile (160.3 /km2)
08  Florida 360.2 inhabitants per square mile (139.1 /km2)
09  Pennsylvania 285.3 inhabitants per square mile (110.2 /km2)
10  Ohio 282.5 inhabitants per square mile (109.1 /km2)
11  California 244.2 inhabitants per square mile (94.3 /km2)
12  Illinois 231.9 inhabitants per square mile (89.5 /km2)
13  Hawaii 216.8 inhabitants per square mile (83.7 /km2)
14  Virginia 207.3 inhabitants per square mile (80.0 /km2)
15  North Carolina 200.6 inhabitants per square mile (77.5 /km2)
16  Indiana 182.5 inhabitants per square mile (70.5 /km2)
17  Michigan 174.8 inhabitants per square mile (67.5 /km2)
18  Georgia 172.5 inhabitants per square mile (66.6 /km2)
19  South Carolina 157.1 inhabitants per square mile (60.7 /km2)
20  Tennessee 156.6 inhabitants per square mile (60.5 /km2)
21  New Hampshire 147.0 inhabitants per square mile (56.8 /km2)
22  Kentucky 110.0 inhabitants per square mile (42.5 /km2)
23  Wisconsin 105.2 inhabitants per square mile (40.6 /km2)
24  Louisiana 105.0 inhabitants per square mile (40.5 /km2)
25  Washington 102.6 inhabitants per square mile (39.6 /km2)
26  Texas 98.07 inhabitants per square mile (37.87 /km2)
27  Alabama 94.65 inhabitants per square mile (36.54 /km2)
 United States* 88.08 inhabitants per square mile (34.01 /km2)
28  Missouri 87.26 inhabitants per square mile (33.69 /km2)
29  West Virginia 77.06 inhabitants per square mile (29.75 /km2)
30  Vermont 67.73 inhabitants per square mile (26.15 /km2)
31  Minnesota 67.14 inhabitants per square mile (25.92 /km2)
--  Northern Mariana Islands 63.8 inhabitants per square mile (24.6 /km2)
32  Mississippi 63.50 inhabitants per square mile (24.52 /km2)
33  Arizona 57.05 inhabitants per square mile (22.03 /km2)
34  Arkansas 56.43 inhabitants per square mile (21.79 /km2)
35  Oklahoma 55.22 inhabitants per square mile (21.32 /km2)
36  Iowa 54.81 inhabitants per square mile (21.16 /km2)
37  Colorado 49.33 inhabitants per square mile (19.05 /km2)
38  Maine 43.04 inhabitants per square mile (16.62 /km2)
39  Oregon 40.33 inhabitants per square mile (15.57 /km2)
40  Kansas 35.09 inhabitants per square mile (13.55 /km2)
41  Utah 34.30 inhabitants per square mile (13.24 /km2)
42  Nevada 24.80 inhabitants per square mile (9.58 /km2)
43  Nebraska 23.97 inhabitants per square mile (9.25 /km2)
44  Idaho 19.15 inhabitants per square mile (7.39 /km2)
45  New Mexico 17.16 inhabitants per square mile (6.63 /km2)
46  South Dakota 10.86 inhabitants per square mile (4.19 /km2)
47  North Dakota 9.916 inhabitants per square mile (3.829 /km2)
48  Montana 6.858 inhabitants per square mile (2.648 /km2)
49  Wyoming 5.851 inhabitants per square mile (2.259 /km2)
50  Alaska 1.264 inhabitants per square mile (0.488 /km2)

*Does not include territories


See also [edit]

References [edit]

General
Specific
  1. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2011" (CSV). 2011 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. December 2011. Retrieved December 21, 2011. 
  2. ^ "2010 Census State Area Measurements and Internal Point Coordinates". 2010 United States Census. United States Census Bureau. February 11, 2011. Retrieved December 21, 2011. 
  3. ^ United Nations World Population Prospects
  4. ^ The District of Columbia is not a U.S. state, but is used in the calculation of the total average U.S. population density.

External links [edit]