Costa Rica has a population density of 260.2 people per square mile compared to 174.4 people in Mexico. Costa Rica has 107,389 sq ft of land per person vs 162,251 sq ft in Mexico. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Costa Rica and Mexico are ranked 91st and 123rd, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Costa Rica has 0.06% of the world's population and 0.03% of the land area of all countries, compared to 1.61% of the population and 1.31% of the land area for Mexico, hence the population density in Costa Rica is 49.2% higher than in Mexico.
Population density comparison
Costa Rica
|
Mexico
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 260.2 ppl/mi² | 174.4 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 91/197 | 123/197 |
| Population |
5170484
|
132790957
|
| Land area | 19,714 sq mi | 750,563 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 107,137 sq ft | 159,899 sq ft |
| Rural population | 16.8% | 18.1% |
| Urban population | 83.2% | 81.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 17.3% |
Costa Rica vs Mexico:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Costa Rica increased by 22.1%, compared to a 25.4% growth in Mexico.
In 2004, Costa Rica ranked 88th for population density and is in 91st place now. Mexico was 120th in 2004 and ranks 123rd out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Costa Rica
|
Mexico
|
|
| 2024 | 260.2 | 174.4 |
| 2023 | 259 | 172.9 |
| 2022 | 257.8 | 171.4 |
| 2021 | 256.7 | 170.1 |
| 2020 | 255.4 | 168.9 |
| 2019 | 253.6 | 167.6 |
| 2018 | 251.5 | 166 |
| 2017 | 249.2 | 164.4 |
| 2016 | 246.9 | 162.9 |
| 2015 | 244.4 | 161.3 |
| 2014 | 241.8 | 159.6 |
| 2013 | 239.2 | 157.7 |
| 2012 | 236.6 | 155.6 |
| 2011 | 233.8 | 153.5 |
| 2010 | 231.1 | 151.4 |
| 2009 | 228.2 | 149.2 |
| 2008 | 225.2 | 147.1 |
| 2007 | 222.2 | 144.9 |
| 2006 | 219.2 | 142.9 |
| 2005 | 216.1 | 141 |
| 2004 | 213 | 139.1 |
| 2003 | 209.9 | 137.2 |
| 2002 | 206.7 | 135.3 |
| 2001 | 203.4 | 133.4 |
| 2000 | 199.7 | 131.4 |
| 1999 | 195.9 | 129.4 |
| 1998 | 191.9 | 127.3 |
| 1997 | 187.8 | 125.3 |
| 1996 | 183.6 | 123.2 |
| 1995 | 179.3 | 121.1 |
| 1994 | 175.1 | 118.9 |
| 1993 | 170.8 | 116.8 |
| 1992 | 166.6 | 114.6 |
| 1991 | 162.4 | 112.5 |
| 1990 | 158.3 | 110.3 |
| 1989 | 154.4 | 108.2 |
| 1988 | 150.6 | 106.2 |
| 1987 | 146.7 | 104.1 |
| 1986 | 142.9 | 102 |
| 1985 | 139.1 | 100 |
| 1984 | 135.3 | 97.9 |
| 1983 | 131.6 | 95.9 |
| 1982 | 128.1 | 93.8 |
| 1981 | 124.6 | 91.8 |
| 1980 | 121.3 | 89.7 |
| 1979 | 118 | 87.5 |
| 1978 | 114.9 | 85.2 |
| 1977 | 111.8 | 83 |
| 1976 | 108.9 | 80.8 |
| 1975 | 106.2 | 78.6 |
| 1974 | 103.5 | 76.4 |
| 1973 | 100.9 | 74.2 |
| 1972 | 98.3 | 72 |
| 1971 | 95.8 | 69.8 |
| 1970 | 93.3 | 67.7 |
| 1969 | 90.8 | 65.6 |
| 1968 | 88.2 | 63.5 |
| 1967 | 85.7 | 61.5 |
| 1966 | 83.1 | 59.5 |
| 1965 | 80.5 | 57.5 |
| 1964 | 77.8 | 55.7 |
| 1963 | 75.2 | 53.9 |
| 1962 | 72.5 | 52.1 |
| 1961 | 69.9 | 50.5 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Costa Rica
|
Mexico
|
|
| 2024 | 83.2% | 81.9% |
| 2023 | 82.6% | 81.6% |
| 2022 | 82% | 81.3% |
| 2021 | 81.4% | 81% |
| 2020 | 80.8% | 80.7% |
| 2019 | 80.1% | 80.4% |
| 2018 | 79.3% | 80.2% |
| 2017 | 78.6% | 79.9% |
| 2016 | 77.7% | 79.6% |
| 2015 | 76.9% | 79.3% |
| 2014 | 75.9% | 79% |
| 2013 | 75% | 78.7% |
| 2012 | 73.9% | 78.4% |
| 2011 | 72.9% | 78.1% |
| 2010 | 71.7% | 77.8% |
| 2009 | 70.6% | 77.5% |
| 2008 | 69.4% | 77.2% |
| 2007 | 68.2% | 76.9% |
| 2006 | 66.9% | 76.6% |
| 2005 | 65.7% | 76.3% |
| 2004 | 64.4% | 76% |
| 2003 | 63.1% | 75.7% |
| 2002 | 61.8% | 75.4% |
| 2001 | 60.4% | 75% |
| 2000 | 59.1% | 74.7% |
| 1999 | 58.2% | 74.4% |
| 1998 | 57.3% | 74.2% |
| 1997 | 56.4% | 73.9% |
| 1996 | 55.5% | 73.7% |
| 1995 | 54.6% | 73.4% |
| 1994 | 53.7% | 73% |
| 1993 | 52.7% | 72.6% |
| 1992 | 51.8% | 72.2% |
| 1991 | 50.9% | 71.8% |
| 1990 | 50% | 71.4% |
| 1989 | 49.1% | 71% |
| 1988 | 48.2% | 70.5% |
| 1987 | 47.3% | 70% |
| 1986 | 46.4% | 69.5% |
| 1985 | 45.4% | 69% |
| 1984 | 44.5% | 68.4% |
| 1983 | 44.2% | 67.9% |
| 1982 | 43.8% | 67.4% |
| 1981 | 43.5% | 66.9% |
| 1980 | 43.1% | 66.3% |
| 1979 | 42.7% | 65.6% |
| 1978 | 42.4% | 64.9% |
| 1977 | 42% | 64.2% |
| 1976 | 41.7% | 63.5% |
| 1975 | 41.3% | 62.8% |
| 1974 | 41% | 62% |
| 1973 | 40.7% | 61.3% |
| 1972 | 40.1% | 60.5% |
| 1971 | 39.4% | 59.8% |
| 1970 | 38.8% | 59% |
| 1969 | 38.2% | 58.2% |
| 1968 | 37.6% | 57.4% |
| 1967 | 37% | 56.6% |
| 1966 | 36.4% | 55.8% |
| 1965 | 35.8% | 54.9% |
| 1964 | 35.2% | 54.1% |
| 1963 | 34.6% | 53.3% |
| 1962 | 34.4% | 52.4% |
| 1961 | 34.3% | 51.6% |
| 1960 | 34.3% | 50.8% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 64.4% to 83.2% in Costa Rica and from 76% to 81.9% in Mexico.
Densely populated cities
|
Costa Rica
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| San Jose | 342K |
| Limon | 71.5K |
| Liberia | 65.9K |
|
Mexico
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Mexico | 9.21M |
| Tijuana | 1.96M |
| Ecatepec de Morelos | 1.93M |
| Leon | 1.58M |
| Zapopan | 1.48M |
| Guadalajara | 1.46M |
| Puebla | 1.43M |
| Ciudad Juarez | 1.32M |
| Monterrey | 1.14M |
| Ciudad Nezahualcoyotl | 1.07M |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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