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Population density: France vs United States compared

Updated on by Georank team

France has a population density of 330 people per square mile compared to 97.3 people in the United States. France has 101,089 sq ft of land per person vs 309,474 sq ft in the United States. France and the United States rank 75th and 149th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. France has 0.84% of the world's population and 0.36% of all countries' land area, compared to 4.21% of the population and 6.14% of the land area for the United States, making the population density in France 239.7% higher than in the United States.

Population density by year

France
United States

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
France United States
2026 330 97.3
2025 330 96.8
2024 329 96.3
2023 329 94.8
2022 328 94.4
2021 326 94
2020 325 93.9
2019 324 93
2018 323 92.5
2017 322 92.1
2016 321 91.5
2015 320 90.8
2014 319 90.1
2013 317 89.5
2012 316 88.9
2011 314 88.2
2010 312 87.6
2009 311 86.9
2008 309 86.1
2007 308 85.2
2006 306 84.3
2005 304 83.5
2004 301 82.8
2003 299.1 82
2002 297 81.3
2001 294.9 80.6
2000 292.8 79.8
1999 290.7 79
1998 289.3 78.1
1997 288.2 77.2
1996 287.2 76.3
1995 286.1 75.4
1994 285.1 74.5
1993 284 73.6
1992 282.8 72.6
1991 281.4 71.7
1990 280 70.7
1989 278.5 69.8
1988 276.8 69.1
1987 275.2 68.5
1986 273.7 67.9
1985 272.3 67.3
1984 271 66.7
1983 269.6 66.1
1982 268.2 65.5
1981 267.2 64.9
1980 265.6 64.1
1979 264.2 63.6
1978 263 62.9
1977 261.8 62.3
1976 260.6 61.7
1975 259.5 61.1
1974 258.3 60.5
1973 256.6 59.9
1972 254.5 59.4
1971 252.3 58.7
1970 249.9 58
1969 247.7 57.3
1968 245.6 56.8
1967 243.8 56.2
1966 241.8 55.6
1965 239.7 54.9
1964 237.4 54.3
1963 234.9 53.5
1962 232.5 52.7
1961 230.2 51.9

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).

GeoRank.org/population-density/france/united-states | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in France increased by 8.08%, compared to a 15.3% growth in the United States.

In 2006, France ranked 67th by population density and is 75th now. The United States was 146th in 2006 and ranks 149th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

France
United States
1x
Year Urban population
France United States
2024 78.8% 80.1%
2023 78.8% 80.1%
2022 78.8% 80%
2021 78.7% 80%
2020 78.7% 80%
2019 78.7% 80.1%
2018 78.7% 80.3%
2017 78.6% 80.4%
2016 78.6% 80.5%
2015 77.8% 80.6%
2014 77.4% 80.6%
2013 77.2% 80.7%
2012 77.2% 80.7%
2011 77.1% 80.7%
2010 77.1% 80.7%
2009 77.1% 80.7%
2008 77.2% 80.6%
2007 77.2% 80.5%
2006 77.3% 80.4%
2005 77.4% 80.2%
2004 77.5% 80%
2003 77.5% 79.8%
2002 77.3% 79.5%
2001 76.9% 79.3%
2000 76.5% 79.1%
1999 76.2% 78.8%
1998 75.9% 78.5%
1997 75.6% 78.1%
1996 75.4% 77.7%
1995 75.1% 77.2%
1994 74.8% 76.7%
1993 74.6% 76.3%
1992 74.4% 75.9%
1991 74.2% 75.5%
1990 74.1% 75.3%
1989 73.9% 75.1%
1988 73.8% 74.8%
1987 73.7% 74.7%
1986 73.6% 74.5%
1985 73.6% 74.3%
1984 73.5% 74.2%
1983 73.4% 74%
1982 73.4% 73.9%
1981 73.3% 73.8%
1980 73.2% 73.8%
1979 73.2% 73.7%
1978 73.2% 73.7%
1977 73.1% 73.7%
1976 73.1% 73.6%
1975 73% 73.6%
1974 72.9% 73.6%
1973 72.7% 73.6%
1972 72.3% 73.6%
1971 71.9% 73.5%
1970 71.4% 73.5%
1969 70.8% 73.4%
1968 70.2% 73.2%
1967 69.5% 73%
1966 68.4% 72.7%
1965 67.2% 72.3%
1964 65.9% 71.9%
1963 64.6% 71.4%
1962 63.5% 70.9%
1961 62.5% 70.4%
1960 61.7% 70%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/france/united-states | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 77.5% to 78.8% in France and from 80% to 80.1% in the United States.

Densely populated cities

France
City Population
Paris 2.11M
Marseille 886K
Lyon 519K
Toulouse 515K
Nice 358K
Nantes 328K
Montpellier 310K
Strasbourg 294K
Bordeaux 268K
Lille 238K
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

1x

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/france/united-states | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Wikidata (2020–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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