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Population density: Ghana vs United States compared

Updated on by Georank team

Ghana has a population density of 407 people per square mile compared to 97.3 people in the United States. Ghana has 74,579 sq ft of land per person vs 309,474 sq ft in the United States. Ghana and the United States rank 63rd and 149th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Ghana has 0.42% of the world's population and 0.15% 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 Ghana 318% higher than in the United States.

Population density by year

Ghana
United States

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Ghana United States
2026 407 97.3
2025 399 96.8
2024 392 96.3
2023 385 94.8
2022 377 94.4
2021 370 94
2020 363 93.9
2019 356 93
2018 349 92.5
2017 342 92.1
2016 334 91.5
2015 327 90.8
2014 319 90.1
2013 312 89.5
2012 304 88.9
2011 297 88.2
2010 290 87.6
2009 283 86.9
2008 276 86.1
2007 269.1 85.2
2006 262.3 84.3
2005 255.5 83.5
2004 248.9 82.8
2003 242.4 82
2002 236 81.3
2001 229.6 80.6
2000 223.5 79.8
1999 218 79
1998 212.7 78.1
1997 207.6 77.2
1996 202.7 76.3
1995 198 75.4
1994 193.4 74.5
1993 188.8 73.6
1992 184.2 72.6
1991 179.7 71.7
1990 175.2 70.7
1989 170.8 69.8
1988 166.6 69.1
1987 162.6 68.5
1986 159 67.9
1985 155.5 67.3
1984 152.2 66.7
1983 148.3 66.1
1982 143.9 65.5
1981 139.8 64.9
1980 135.9 64.1
1979 132 63.6
1978 128 62.9
1977 124.2 62.3
1976 120.6 61.7
1975 117.2 61.1
1974 113.8 60.5
1973 110.6 59.9
1972 107.4 59.4
1971 104.4 58.7
1970 101.6 58
1969 98.9 57.3
1968 96.5 56.8
1967 94.2 56.2
1966 91.9 55.6
1965 89.7 54.9
1964 87.6 54.3
1963 85.5 53.5
1962 83.5 52.7
1961 81.5 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/ghana/united-states | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Ghana increased by 55%, compared to a 15.3% growth in the United States.

In 2006, Ghana ranked 78th by population density and is 63rd now. The United States was 146th in 2006 and ranks 149th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Ghana
United States
1x
Year Urban population
Ghana United States
2024 58.4% 80.1%
2023 57.8% 80.1%
2022 57.3% 80%
2021 56.7% 80%
2020 56.2% 80%
2019 55.7% 80.1%
2018 55.2% 80.3%
2017 54.7% 80.4%
2016 54.2% 80.5%
2015 53.6% 80.6%
2014 53.1% 80.6%
2013 52.5% 80.7%
2012 51.9% 80.7%
2011 51.3% 80.7%
2010 50.7% 80.7%
2009 50.1% 80.7%
2008 49.5% 80.6%
2007 48.8% 80.5%
2006 48.1% 80.4%
2005 47.5% 80.2%
2004 46.8% 80%
2003 46.1% 79.8%
2002 45.3% 79.5%
2001 44.6% 79.3%
2000 43.9% 79.1%
1999 43.2% 78.8%
1998 42.5% 78.5%
1997 41.6% 78.1%
1996 40.8% 77.7%
1995 40% 77.2%
1994 39.1% 76.7%
1993 38.2% 76.3%
1992 37.4% 75.9%
1991 36.5% 75.5%
1990 35.7% 75.3%
1989 35% 75.1%
1988 34.3% 74.8%
1987 33.6% 74.7%
1986 33% 74.5%
1985 32.5% 74.3%
1984 32.1% 74.2%
1983 31.8% 74%
1982 31.5% 73.9%
1981 31.2% 73.8%
1980 31% 73.8%
1979 30.8% 73.7%
1978 30.7% 73.7%
1977 30.5% 73.7%
1976 30.3% 73.6%
1975 30.1% 73.6%
1974 30% 73.6%
1973 29.8% 73.6%
1972 29.5% 73.6%
1971 29.3% 73.5%
1970 29% 73.5%
1969 28.6% 73.4%
1968 28.2% 73.2%
1967 27.7% 73%
1966 27.2% 72.7%
1965 26.6% 72.3%
1964 26% 71.9%
1963 25.3% 71.4%
1962 24.6% 70.9%
1961 23.9% 70.4%
1960 23.3% 70%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 46.8% to 58.4% in Ghana and from 80% to 80.1% in the United States.

Densely populated cities

Ghana
City Population
Kumasi 3.9M
Accra 1.78M
Tamale 730K
Sekondi-Takoradi 540K
Ashaiman 208K
Obuasi 180K
Tema 162K
Koforidua 127K
Ho 126K
Hohoe 56.2K
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/ghana/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 (2010–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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