Data / Rankings / Population density / US states

US states by population density

District of Columbia had the highest population density of 51 states in 2020, at 4,238 inhabitants per km². Alaska had the lowest, at 0.5 inhabitants per km². The median was 42 inhabitants per km² and the figure for the United States was 36.2 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest4,238District of Columbia
Lowest0.5Alaska
Median4251 states
United States36.2History

All states, 2020

CSVChart (SVG)

District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 4,238 inhabitants per km²4,238New JerseyNew Jersey: 486.7 inhabitants per km²486.7Rhode IslandRhode Island: 409.5 inhabitants per km²409.5MassachusettsMassachusetts: 345.7 inhabitants per km²345.7ConnecticutConnecticut: 285.4 inhabitants per km²285.4MarylandMaryland: 245.6 inhabitants per km²245.6DelawareDelaware: 196.5 inhabitants per km²196.5New YorkNew York: 164.9 inhabitants per km²164.9FloridaFlorida: 155.4 inhabitants per km²155.4PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 112.1 inhabitants per km²112.1OhioOhio: 111.5 inhabitants per km²111.5CaliforniaCalifornia: 97.9 inhabitants per km²97.9IllinoisIllinois: 89 inhabitants per km²89HawaiiHawaii: 87.2 inhabitants per km²87.2VirginiaVirginia: 84.5 inhabitants per km²84.5North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 83 inhabitants per km²83IndianaIndiana: 73.2 inhabitants per km²73.2GeorgiaGeorgia: 71.8 inhabitants per km²71.8MichiganMichigan: 68.7 inhabitants per km²68.7South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 65.9 inhabitants per km²65.9TennesseeTennessee: 64.9 inhabitants per km²64.9New HampshireNew Hampshire: 59.5 inhabitants per km²59.5WashingtonWashington: 44.9 inhabitants per km²44.9KentuckyKentucky: 44.1 inhabitants per km²44.1TexasTexas: 43.2 inhabitants per km²43.2WisconsinWisconsin: 42 inhabitants per km²42LouisianaLouisiana: 41.6 inhabitants per km²41.6AlabamaAlabama: 38.4 inhabitants per km²38.4MissouriMissouri: 34.6 inhabitants per km²34.6West VirginiaWest Virginia: 28.8 inhabitants per km²28.8MinnesotaMinnesota: 27.7 inhabitants per km²27.7VermontVermont: 26.9 inhabitants per km²26.9ArizonaArizona: 24.4 inhabitants per km²24.4MississippiMississippi: 24.3 inhabitants per km²24.3ArkansasArkansas: 22.4 inhabitants per km²22.4OklahomaOklahoma: 22.3 inhabitants per km²22.3IowaIowa: 22.1 inhabitants per km²22.1ColoradoColorado: 21.6 inhabitants per km²21.6MaineMaine: 17.1 inhabitants per km²17.1OregonOregon: 17.1 inhabitants per km²17.1UtahUtah: 15.4 inhabitants per km²15.4KansasKansas: 13.9 inhabitants per km²13.9NevadaNevada: 11 inhabitants per km²11NebraskaNebraska: 9.9 inhabitants per km²9.9IdahoIdaho: 8.6 inhabitants per km²8.6New MexicoNew Mexico: 6.7 inhabitants per km²6.7South DakotaSouth Dakota: 4.5 inhabitants per km²4.5North DakotaNorth Dakota: 4.4 inhabitants per km²4.4MontanaMontana: 2.9 inhabitants per km²2.9WyomingWyoming: 2.3 inhabitants per km²2.3AlaskaAlaska: 0.5 inhabitants per km²0.5
inhabitants per km². Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Full ranking

RankStates2020
inhabitants per km²
1District of Columbia4,238
2New Jersey486.7
3Rhode Island409.5
4Massachusetts345.7
5Connecticut285.4
6Maryland245.6
7Delaware196.5
8New York164.9
9Florida155.4
10Pennsylvania112.1
11Ohio111.5
12California97.9
13Illinois89
14Hawaii87.2
15Virginia84.5
16North Carolina83
17Indiana73.2
18Georgia71.8
19Michigan68.7
20South Carolina65.9
21Tennessee64.9
22New Hampshire59.5
23Washington44.9
24Kentucky44.1
25Texas43.2
26Wisconsin42
27Louisiana41.6
28Alabama38.4
29Missouri34.6
30West Virginia28.8
31Minnesota27.7
32Vermont26.9
33Arizona24.4
34Mississippi24.3
35Arkansas22.4
36Oklahoma22.3
37Iowa22.1
38Colorado21.6
39Maine17.1
40Oregon17.1
41Utah15.4
42Kansas13.9
43Nevada11
44Nebraska9.9
45Idaho8.6
46New Mexico6.7
47South Dakota4.5
48North Dakota4.4
49Montana2.9
50Wyoming2.3
51Alaska0.5

Other periods

About this ranking

Resident population divided by land area in km². World Bank figures use mid-year population and land area excluding inland water.

United States: Census Bureau population estimates for 1 July divided by land area (water excluded) from the latest Census Gazetteer files. US tables often give people per square mile; multiply persons per km² by 2.59 to compare.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

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Questions

Which state has the highest population density?

District of Columbia, with 4,238 inhabitants per km² in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest population density?

Alaska, with 0.5 inhabitants per km² in 2020.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Population density: other rankings

US states: more rankings