Costa Rica has a population density of 262.6 people per square mile, compared to the average of 144 people in other countries. Costa Rica has 107,389 sq ft of land per person and ranks 93rd out of 197 countries (most to least densely populated).
Costa Rica has 0.06% of the world's population and 0.03% of the total land area of all countries.
Costa Rica population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 262.6 | 93 |
| 2025 | 261.4 | 93 |
| 2024 | 260.2 | 91 |
| 2023 | 259 | 91 |
| 2022 | 257.8 | 91 |
| 2021 | 256.7 | 91 |
| 2020 | 255.4 | 90 |
| 2019 | 253.6 | 90 |
| 2018 | 251.5 | 90 |
| 2017 | 249.2 | 91 |
| 2016 | 246.9 | 90 |
| 2015 | 244.4 | 90 |
| 2014 | 241.8 | 91 |
| 2013 | 239.2 | 90 |
| 2012 | 236.6 | 89 |
| 2011 | 233.8 | 88 |
| 2010 | 231.1 | 87 |
| 2009 | 228.2 | 87 |
| 2008 | 225.2 | 88 |
| 2007 | 222.2 | 87 |
| 2006 | 219.2 | 88 |
| 2005 | 216.1 | 87 |
| 2004 | 213 | 88 |
| 2003 | 209.9 | 89 |
| 2002 | 206.7 | 89 |
| 2001 | 203.4 | 90 |
| 2000 | 199.7 | 91 |
| 1999 | 195.9 | 89 |
| 1998 | 191.9 | 90 |
| 1997 | 187.8 | 90 |
| 1996 | 183.6 | 90 |
| 1995 | 179.3 | 90 |
| 1994 | 175.1 | 91 |
| 1993 | 170.8 | 91 |
| 1992 | 166.6 | 89 |
| 1991 | 162.4 | 80 |
| 1990 | 158.3 | 79 |
| 1989 | 154.4 | 81 |
| 1988 | 150.6 | 81 |
| 1987 | 146.7 | 81 |
| 1986 | 142.9 | 81 |
| 1985 | 139.1 | 81 |
| 1984 | 135.3 | 81 |
| 1983 | 131.6 | 82 |
| 1982 | 128.1 | 82 |
| 1981 | 124.6 | 82 |
| 1980 | 121.3 | 82 |
| 1979 | 118 | 82 |
| 1978 | 114.9 | 82 |
| 1977 | 111.8 | 82 |
| 1976 | 108.9 | 82 |
| 1975 | 106.2 | 83 |
| 1974 | 103.5 | 82 |
| 1973 | 100.9 | 83 |
| 1972 | 98.3 | 83 |
| 1971 | 95.8 | 84 |
| 1970 | 93.3 | 84 |
| 1969 | 90.8 | 84 |
| 1968 | 88.2 | 84 |
| 1967 | 85.7 | 84 |
| 1966 | 83.1 | 83 |
| 1965 | 80.5 | 82 |
| 1964 | 77.8 | 82 |
| 1963 | 75.2 | 83 |
| 1962 | 72.5 | 84 |
| 1961 | 69.9 | 84 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).
GeoRank.org/population-density/costa-rica | CC BY 
This chart shows how population density in Costa Rica has changed over time. From 2006 to 2026, population density increased by 19.8%. Costa Rica ranked 88th by population density 20 years ago and ranks 93rd today.
Density metrics
Costa Rica
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 262.6 ppl/mi² | 93/197 |
| Population |
5181862
|
126/197 |
| Land area | 19,714 sq mi | 126/197 |
| Land area per capita | 107,137 sq ft | 107/197 |
| Rural population | 20.7% | 149/195 |
| Urban population | 79.3% | 47/195 |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 120/197 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 79.3% | 47 |
| 2023 | 78.9% | 48 |
| 2022 | 78.4% | 51 |
| 2021 | 78% | 51 |
| 2020 | 77.5% | 52 |
| 2019 | 77% | 53 |
| 2018 | 76.6% | 54 |
| 2017 | 76.1% | 54 |
| 2016 | 75.5% | 54 |
| 2015 | 75% | 55 |
| 2014 | 74.5% | 56 |
| 2013 | 73.9% | 57 |
| 2012 | 73.4% | 57 |
| 2011 | 72.8% | 57 |
| 2010 | 71.5% | 58 |
| 2009 | 70.1% | 60 |
| 2008 | 68.8% | 63 |
| 2007 | 67.5% | 68 |
| 2006 | 66.2% | 73 |
| 2005 | 64.9% | 74 |
| 2004 | 63.7% | 77 |
| 2003 | 62.5% | 77 |
| 2002 | 61.3% | 81 |
| 2001 | 60.1% | 81 |
| 2000 | 59% | 84 |
| 1999 | 58% | 86 |
| 1998 | 56.9% | 86 |
| 1997 | 55.8% | 90 |
| 1996 | 54.7% | 92 |
| 1995 | 53.6% | 95 |
| 1994 | 52.5% | 96 |
| 1993 | 51.5% | 99 |
| 1992 | 50.5% | 100 |
| 1991 | 49.5% | 102 |
| 1990 | 48.6% | 103 |
| 1989 | 47.7% | 102 |
| 1988 | 46.9% | 104 |
| 1987 | 46.1% | 104 |
| 1986 | 45.5% | 104 |
| 1985 | 44.9% | 104 |
| 1984 | 44.4% | 103 |
| 1983 | 43.9% | 103 |
| 1982 | 43.5% | 104 |
| 1981 | 43.2% | 104 |
| 1980 | 42.9% | 102 |
| 1979 | 42.6% | 102 |
| 1978 | 42.3% | 103 |
| 1977 | 42% | 101 |
| 1976 | 41.7% | 100 |
| 1975 | 41.4% | 99 |
| 1974 | 41.1% | 99 |
| 1973 | 40.7% | 96 |
| 1972 | 40.2% | 96 |
| 1971 | 39.5% | 98 |
| 1970 | 38.8% | 97 |
| 1969 | 38% | 99 |
| 1968 | 37.3% | 97 |
| 1967 | 36.5% | 99 |
| 1966 | 35.8% | 99 |
| 1965 | 35.2% | 99 |
| 1964 | 34.8% | 98 |
| 1963 | 34.5% | 98 |
| 1962 | 34.3% | 97 |
| 1961 | 34.2% | 93 |
| 1960 | 34.1% | 91 |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/costa-rica | CC BY
This chart shows the share of urban population in Costa Rica from 1960 to 2024: 34.1% lived in urban areas in 1960, 59% in 2000, and 79.3% in 2024.
Densely populated cities
|
Costa Rica
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| San Jose | 335K |
| Limon | 71.5K |
| Liberia | 65.9K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population-density/costa-rica | CC BY
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2024, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- Wikidata (2022–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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