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Population density: Guatemala vs United States compared

Updated on by Georank team

Guatemala has a population density of 459 people per square mile compared to 97.3 people in the United States. Guatemala has 63,678 sq ft of land per person vs 309,474 sq ft in the United States. Guatemala and the United States rank 60th and 149th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Guatemala has 0.23% of the world's population and 0.07% 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 Guatemala 371% higher than in the United States.

Population density by year

Guatemala
United States

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Guatemala United States
2026 459 97.3
2025 452 96.8
2024 445 96.3
2023 438 94.8
2022 431 94.4
2021 425 94
2020 420 93.9
2019 413 93
2018 407 92.5
2017 400 92.1
2016 393 91.5
2015 386 90.8
2014 379 90.1
2013 372 89.5
2012 365 88.9
2011 358 88.2
2010 350 87.6
2009 344 86.9
2008 337 86.1
2007 330 85.2
2006 323 84.3
2005 316 83.5
2004 310 82.8
2003 303 82
2002 296 81.3
2001 289.3 80.6
2000 282.7 79.8
1999 276.1 79
1998 269.2 78.1
1997 262.4 77.2
1996 255.8 76.3
1995 249.3 75.4
1994 242.8 74.5
1993 236.4 73.6
1992 230.1 72.6
1991 224.1 71.7
1990 218.1 70.7
1989 212.1 69.8
1988 206.2 69.1
1987 200.5 68.5
1986 195.1 67.9
1985 189.7 67.3
1984 184.4 66.7
1983 179.3 66.1
1982 175 65.5
1981 171 64.9
1980 166.8 64.1
1979 162.6 63.6
1978 158.6 62.9
1977 154.7 62.3
1976 151.4 61.7
1975 148.1 61.1
1974 144.6 60.5
1973 140.9 59.9
1972 137.4 59.4
1971 133.9 58.7
1970 130.4 58
1969 127.1 57.3
1968 123.7 56.8
1967 120.3 56.2
1966 117 55.6
1965 113.7 54.9
1964 110.5 54.3
1963 107.3 53.5
1962 104.2 52.7
1961 101.2 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/guatemala/united-states | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Guatemala increased by 41.9%, compared to a 15.3% growth in the United States.

In 2006, Guatemala ranked 62nd by population density and is 60th now. The United States was 146th in 2006 and ranks 149th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Guatemala
United States
1x
Year Urban population
Guatemala United States
2024 56% 80.1%
2023 55.6% 80.1%
2022 55.3% 80%
2021 54.9% 80%
2020 54.5% 80%
2019 54.2% 80.1%
2018 53.8% 80.3%
2017 53.8% 80.4%
2016 53.7% 80.5%
2015 53.4% 80.6%
2014 53.1% 80.6%
2013 52.8% 80.7%
2012 52.4% 80.7%
2011 51.9% 80.7%
2010 51.3% 80.7%
2009 50.7% 80.7%
2008 50.1% 80.6%
2007 49.5% 80.5%
2006 48.8% 80.4%
2005 48.1% 80.2%
2004 47.3% 80%
2003 46.6% 79.8%
2002 45.8% 79.5%
2001 44.7% 79.3%
2000 43.2% 79.1%
1999 41.6% 78.8%
1998 39.9% 78.5%
1997 38.3% 78.1%
1996 36.9% 77.7%
1995 35.8% 77.2%
1994 35.1% 76.7%
1993 34.7% 76.3%
1992 34.4% 75.9%
1991 34.2% 75.5%
1990 33.9% 75.3%
1989 33.7% 75.1%
1988 33.5% 74.8%
1987 33.3% 74.7%
1986 33.1% 74.5%
1985 33% 74.3%
1984 32.9% 74.2%
1983 32.8% 74%
1982 32.7% 73.9%
1981 32.7% 73.8%
1980 32.8% 73.8%
1979 33.2% 73.7%
1978 33.7% 73.7%
1977 34.4% 73.7%
1976 35.1% 73.6%
1975 35.7% 73.6%
1974 36.2% 73.6%
1973 36.4% 73.6%
1972 36.4% 73.6%
1971 36.2% 73.5%
1970 36% 73.5%
1969 35.7% 73.4%
1968 35.4% 73.2%
1967 35% 73%
1966 34.5% 72.7%
1965 34.1% 72.3%
1964 33.7% 71.9%
1963 33.3% 71.4%
1962 32.8% 70.9%
1961 32.4% 70.4%
1960 31.8% 70%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 47.3% to 56% in Guatemala and from 80% to 80.1% in the United States.

Densely populated cities

Guatemala
City Population
Guatemala 995K
Mixco 528K
Coban 229K
Quetzaltenango 208K
Jalapa 193K
San Miguel Petapa 151K
Momostenango 140K
Mazatenango 83.8K
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/guatemala/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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