List of U.S. states by population density

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, and total land area is also from the Census Bureau.

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).

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	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

• Outline of the United States
• Index of United States-related articles
• United States
  • Demographics of the United States
    • List of United States cities by population density
  • 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 statehood
      • 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 density
      • 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
• Population density

References

General

• Resident Population Data - 2010 Census. United States Census Bureau. Last accessed January 10, 2011.

Specific