China has a population density of 389 people per square mile compared to 96.3 people in the United States. China has 73,316 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, China and the United States are ranked 64th and 149th, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. China has 17.3% of the world's population and 6.3% 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 China is 304% higher than in the United States.
Population density comparison
China
|
United States
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 389 ppl/mi² | 96.3 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 64/197 | 149/197 |
| Population |
1405773318
|
343323530
|
| Land area | 3,624,808 sq mi | 3,531,839 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 71,722 sq ft | 289,500 sq ft |
| Rural population | 34.5% | 16.5% |
| Urban population | 65.5% | 83.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 95.3% | 7.68% |
China vs the United States:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in China increased by 8.71%, compared to a 16.3% growth in the United States.
In 2004, China ranked 55th for population density and is in 64th place now. The United States was 145th in 2004 and ranks 149th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
United States
|
|
| 2024 | 389 | 96.3 |
| 2023 | 389 | 94.8 |
| 2022 | 390 | 94.4 |
| 2021 | 390 | 94 |
| 2020 | 389 | 93.9 |
| 2019 | 388 | 93 |
| 2018 | 387 | 92.5 |
| 2017 | 385 | 92.1 |
| 2016 | 383 | 91.5 |
| 2015 | 381 | 90.8 |
| 2014 | 378 | 90.1 |
| 2013 | 376 | 89.5 |
| 2012 | 374 | 88.9 |
| 2011 | 371 | 88.2 |
| 2010 | 369 | 87.6 |
| 2009 | 367 | 86.9 |
| 2008 | 365 | 86.1 |
| 2007 | 364 | 85.2 |
| 2006 | 362 | 84.3 |
| 2005 | 360 | 83.5 |
| 2004 | 358 | 82.8 |
| 2003 | 355 | 82 |
| 2002 | 353 | 81.3 |
| 2001 | 351 | 80.6 |
| 2000 | 348 | 79.8 |
| 1999 | 346 | 79 |
| 1998 | 343 | 78.1 |
| 1997 | 339 | 77.2 |
| 1996 | 336 | 76.3 |
| 1995 | 332 | 75.4 |
| 1994 | 329 | 74.5 |
| 1993 | 325 | 73.6 |
| 1992 | 321 | 72.6 |
| 1991 | 317 | 71.7 |
| 1990 | 313 | 70.7 |
| 1989 | 309 | 69.8 |
| 1988 | 304 | 69.1 |
| 1987 | 299.1 | 68.5 |
| 1986 | 294.3 | 67.9 |
| 1985 | 290 | 67.3 |
| 1984 | 286 | 66.7 |
| 1983 | 282.3 | 66.1 |
| 1982 | 278.3 | 65.5 |
| 1981 | 274.2 | 64.9 |
| 1980 | 270.7 | 64.1 |
| 1979 | 267.3 | 63.6 |
| 1978 | 263.8 | 62.9 |
| 1977 | 260.3 | 62.3 |
| 1976 | 256.8 | 61.7 |
| 1975 | 252.8 | 61.1 |
| 1974 | 248.4 | 60.5 |
| 1973 | 243.3 | 59.9 |
| 1972 | 237.8 | 59.4 |
| 1971 | 232 | 58.7 |
| 1970 | 225.8 | 58 |
| 1969 | 219.6 | 57.3 |
| 1968 | 213.7 | 56.8 |
| 1967 | 208.2 | 56.2 |
| 1966 | 202.9 | 55.6 |
| 1965 | 197.3 | 54.9 |
| 1964 | 192.7 | 54.3 |
| 1963 | 188.2 | 53.5 |
| 1962 | 183.7 | 52.7 |
| 1961 | 182.2 | 51.9 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
United States
|
|
| 2024 | 65.5% | 83.5% |
| 2023 | 64.6% | 83.3% |
| 2022 | 63.6% | 83.1% |
| 2021 | 62.5% | 82.9% |
| 2020 | 61.4% | 82.7% |
| 2019 | 60.3% | 82.5% |
| 2018 | 59.2% | 82.3% |
| 2017 | 58% | 82.1% |
| 2016 | 56.7% | 81.9% |
| 2015 | 55.5% | 81.7% |
| 2014 | 54.3% | 81.5% |
| 2013 | 53% | 81.3% |
| 2012 | 51.8% | 81.1% |
| 2011 | 50.5% | 80.9% |
| 2010 | 49.2% | 80.8% |
| 2009 | 47.9% | 80.6% |
| 2008 | 46.5% | 80.4% |
| 2007 | 45.2% | 80.3% |
| 2006 | 43.9% | 80.1% |
| 2005 | 42.5% | 79.9% |
| 2004 | 41.1% | 79.8% |
| 2003 | 39.8% | 79.6% |
| 2002 | 38.4% | 79.4% |
| 2001 | 37.1% | 79.2% |
| 2000 | 35.9% | 79.1% |
| 1999 | 34.9% | 78.7% |
| 1998 | 33.9% | 78.4% |
| 1997 | 32.9% | 78% |
| 1996 | 31.9% | 77.6% |
| 1995 | 31% | 77.3% |
| 1994 | 30% | 76.9% |
| 1993 | 29.1% | 76.5% |
| 1992 | 28.2% | 76.1% |
| 1991 | 27.3% | 75.7% |
| 1990 | 26.4% | 75.3% |
| 1989 | 25.7% | 75.1% |
| 1988 | 25% | 74.9% |
| 1987 | 24.3% | 74.8% |
| 1986 | 23.6% | 74.6% |
| 1985 | 22.9% | 74.5% |
| 1984 | 22.2% | 74.3% |
| 1983 | 21.5% | 74.2% |
| 1982 | 20.9% | 74% |
| 1981 | 20.1% | 73.9% |
| 1980 | 19.4% | 73.7% |
| 1979 | 18.6% | 73.7% |
| 1978 | 17.9% | 73.7% |
| 1977 | 17.5% | 73.7% |
| 1976 | 17.5% | 73.7% |
| 1975 | 17.4% | 73.7% |
| 1974 | 17.3% | 73.6% |
| 1973 | 17.2% | 73.6% |
| 1972 | 17.2% | 73.6% |
| 1971 | 17.3% | 73.6% |
| 1970 | 17.4% | 73.6% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 73.3% |
| 1968 | 17.7% | 73% |
| 1967 | 17.8% | 72.6% |
| 1966 | 17.9% | 72.2% |
| 1965 | 18.1% | 71.9% |
| 1964 | 18.3% | 71.5% |
| 1963 | 17.8% | 71.1% |
| 1962 | 17.2% | 70.8% |
| 1961 | 16.7% | 70.4% |
| 1960 | 16.2% | 70% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 41.1% to 65.5% in China and from 79.8% to 83.5% in the United States.
Densely populated cities
|
China
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Chongqing | 32.1M |
| Shanghai | 24.9M |
| Beijing | 21.9M |
| Chengdu | 20.9M |
| Guangzhou | 18.7M |
| Shenzhen | 17.5M |
| Tianjin | 13.9M |
| Xi'an | 13M |
| Suzhou | 12.7M |
| Zhengzhou | 12.6M |
|
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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