Canada has a population density of 12.2 people per square mile compared to 96.3 people in the United States. Canada has 2,602,997 sq ft of land per person vs 310,997 sq ft in the United States. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Canada and the United States are ranked 189th and 149th, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Canada has 0.51% of the world's population and 5.9% of the land area of all countries, compared to 4.18% of the population and 6.14% of the land area for the United States, hence the population density in Canada is 87.4% lower than in the United States.
Population density comparison
Canada
|
United States
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 12.2 ppl/mi² | 96.3 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 189/197 | 149/197 |
| Population |
41972421
|
343323530
|
| Land area | 3,393,336 sq mi | 3,531,839 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 2,291,208 sq ft | 289,500 sq ft |
| Rural population | 18% | 16.5% |
| Urban population | 82% | 83.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 19.2% | 7.68% |
Canada vs the United States:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Canada increased by 31.9%, compared to a 16.3% growth in the United States.
In 2004, Canada ranked 184th for population density and is in 189th place now. The United States was 145th in 2004 and ranks 149th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Canada
|
United States
|
|
| 2024 | 12.2 | 96.3 |
| 2023 | 11.8 | 94.8 |
| 2022 | 11.5 | 94.4 |
| 2021 | 11.3 | 94 |
| 2020 | 11 | 93.9 |
| 2019 | 10.9 | 93 |
| 2018 | 10.7 | 92.5 |
| 2017 | 10.6 | 92.1 |
| 2016 | 10.4 | 91.5 |
| 2015 | 10.3 | 90.8 |
| 2014 | 10.2 | 90.1 |
| 2013 | 10.1 | 89.5 |
| 2012 | 10 | 88.9 |
| 2011 | 9.92 | 88.2 |
| 2010 | 9.82 | 87.6 |
| 2009 | 9.72 | 86.9 |
| 2008 | 9.6 | 86.1 |
| 2007 | 9.5 | 85.2 |
| 2006 | 9.41 | 84.3 |
| 2005 | 9.31 | 83.5 |
| 2004 | 9.23 | 82.8 |
| 2003 | 9.14 | 82 |
| 2002 | 9.06 | 81.3 |
| 2001 | 8.96 | 80.6 |
| 2000 | 8.86 | 79.8 |
| 1999 | 8.78 | 79 |
| 1998 | 8.71 | 78.1 |
| 1997 | 8.64 | 77.2 |
| 1996 | 8.55 | 76.3 |
| 1995 | 8.46 | 75.4 |
| 1994 | 8.38 | 74.5 |
| 1993 | 8.29 | 73.6 |
| 1992 | 8.2 | 72.6 |
| 1991 | 8.1 | 71.7 |
| 1990 | 8 | 70.7 |
| 1989 | 7.88 | 69.8 |
| 1988 | 7.74 | 69.1 |
| 1987 | 7.64 | 68.5 |
| 1986 | 7.54 | 67.9 |
| 1985 | 7.47 | 67.3 |
| 1984 | 7.4 | 66.7 |
| 1983 | 7.33 | 66.1 |
| 1982 | 7.26 | 65.5 |
| 1981 | 7.17 | 64.9 |
| 1980 | 7.08 | 64.1 |
| 1979 | 6.99 | 63.6 |
| 1978 | 6.92 | 62.9 |
| 1977 | 6.85 | 62.3 |
| 1976 | 6.77 | 61.7 |
| 1975 | 6.69 | 61.1 |
| 1974 | 6.59 | 60.5 |
| 1973 | 6.5 | 59.9 |
| 1972 | 6.42 | 59.4 |
| 1971 | 6.34 | 58.7 |
| 1970 | 6.16 | 58 |
| 1969 | 6.07 | 57.3 |
| 1968 | 5.99 | 56.8 |
| 1967 | 5.9 | 56.2 |
| 1966 | 5.79 | 55.6 |
| 1965 | 5.68 | 54.9 |
| 1964 | 5.58 | 54.3 |
| 1963 | 5.48 | 53.5 |
| 1962 | 5.38 | 52.7 |
| 1961 | 5.28 | 51.9 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Canada
|
United States
|
|
| 2024 | 82% | 83.5% |
| 2023 | 81.9% | 83.3% |
| 2022 | 81.8% | 83.1% |
| 2021 | 81.7% | 82.9% |
| 2020 | 81.6% | 82.7% |
| 2019 | 81.5% | 82.5% |
| 2018 | 81.4% | 82.3% |
| 2017 | 81.4% | 82.1% |
| 2016 | 81.3% | 81.9% |
| 2015 | 81.3% | 81.7% |
| 2014 | 81.2% | 81.5% |
| 2013 | 81.2% | 81.3% |
| 2012 | 81.1% | 81.1% |
| 2011 | 81.1% | 80.9% |
| 2010 | 80.9% | 80.8% |
| 2009 | 80.8% | 80.6% |
| 2008 | 80.6% | 80.4% |
| 2007 | 80.4% | 80.3% |
| 2006 | 80.2% | 80.1% |
| 2005 | 80.1% | 79.9% |
| 2004 | 80% | 79.8% |
| 2003 | 80% | 79.6% |
| 2002 | 79.9% | 79.4% |
| 2001 | 79.8% | 79.2% |
| 2000 | 79.5% | 79.1% |
| 1999 | 79.1% | 78.7% |
| 1998 | 78.7% | 78.4% |
| 1997 | 78.3% | 78% |
| 1996 | 78% | 77.6% |
| 1995 | 77.7% | 77.3% |
| 1994 | 77.4% | 76.9% |
| 1993 | 77.2% | 76.5% |
| 1992 | 76.9% | 76.1% |
| 1991 | 76.6% | 75.7% |
| 1990 | 76.6% | 75.3% |
| 1989 | 76.6% | 75.1% |
| 1988 | 76.5% | 74.9% |
| 1987 | 76.5% | 74.8% |
| 1986 | 76.5% | 74.6% |
| 1985 | 76.4% | 74.5% |
| 1984 | 76.2% | 74.3% |
| 1983 | 76% | 74.2% |
| 1982 | 75.9% | 74% |
| 1981 | 75.7% | 73.9% |
| 1980 | 75.7% | 73.7% |
| 1979 | 75.6% | 73.7% |
| 1978 | 75.6% | 73.7% |
| 1977 | 75.5% | 73.7% |
| 1976 | 75.5% | 73.7% |
| 1975 | 75.6% | 73.7% |
| 1974 | 75.7% | 73.6% |
| 1973 | 75.9% | 73.6% |
| 1972 | 76% | 73.6% |
| 1971 | 76.1% | 73.6% |
| 1970 | 75.7% | 73.6% |
| 1969 | 75.2% | 73.3% |
| 1968 | 74.7% | 73% |
| 1967 | 74.2% | 72.6% |
| 1966 | 73.6% | 72.2% |
| 1965 | 72.9% | 71.9% |
| 1964 | 72.1% | 71.5% |
| 1963 | 71.3% | 71.1% |
| 1962 | 70.5% | 70.8% |
| 1961 | 69.7% | 70.4% |
| 1960 | 69.1% | 70% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 80% to 82% in Canada and from 79.8% to 83.5% in the United States.
Densely populated cities
|
Canada
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Toronto | 2.79M |
| Montreal | 1.8M |
| Calgary | 1.31M |
| Ottawa | 1.02M |
| Edmonton | 1.01M |
| Winnipeg | 750K |
| Mississauga | 718K |
| Vancouver | 662K |
| Brampton | 656K |
| Hamilton | 569K |
|
United States
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| New York | 8.8M |
| Los Angeles | 3.9M |
| Chicago | 2.75M |
| Houston | 2.3M |
| Phoenix | 1.61M |
| Philadelphia | 1.6M |
| San Antonio | 1.43M |
| San Diego | 1.39M |
| Dallas | 1.3M |
| San Jose | 1.01M |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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comparisons:
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