Japan has a population density of 872 people per square mile compared to 97.3 people in the United States. Japan has 32,817 sq ft of land per person vs 309,474 sq ft in the United States. Japan and the United States rank 28th and 149th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Japan has 1.53% of the world's population and 0.24% 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 Japan 796% higher than in the United States.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Japan
|
United States
|
|
| 2026 | 872 | 97.3 |
| 2025 | 876 | 96.8 |
| 2024 | 881 | 96.3 |
| 2023 | 885 | 94.8 |
| 2022 | 889 | 94.4 |
| 2021 | 893 | 94 |
| 2020 | 897 | 93.9 |
| 2019 | 900 | 93 |
| 2018 | 901 | 92.5 |
| 2017 | 902 | 92.1 |
| 2016 | 903 | 91.5 |
| 2015 | 903 | 90.8 |
| 2014 | 904 | 90.1 |
| 2013 | 906 | 89.5 |
| 2012 | 907 | 88.9 |
| 2011 | 908 | 88.2 |
| 2010 | 910 | 87.6 |
| 2009 | 910 | 86.9 |
| 2008 | 910 | 86.1 |
| 2007 | 910 | 85.2 |
| 2006 | 908 | 84.3 |
| 2005 | 908 | 83.5 |
| 2004 | 908 | 82.8 |
| 2003 | 908 | 82 |
| 2002 | 906 | 81.3 |
| 2001 | 903 | 80.6 |
| 2000 | 901 | 79.8 |
| 1999 | 900 | 79 |
| 1998 | 898 | 78.1 |
| 1997 | 896 | 77.2 |
| 1996 | 894 | 76.3 |
| 1995 | 891 | 75.4 |
| 1994 | 889 | 74.5 |
| 1993 | 887 | 73.6 |
| 1992 | 884 | 72.6 |
| 1991 | 881 | 71.7 |
| 1990 | 877 | 70.7 |
| 1989 | 874 | 69.8 |
| 1988 | 871 | 69.1 |
| 1987 | 867 | 68.5 |
| 1986 | 863 | 67.9 |
| 1985 | 858 | 67.3 |
| 1984 | 853 | 66.7 |
| 1983 | 844 | 66.1 |
| 1982 | 838 | 65.5 |
| 1981 | 832 | 64.9 |
| 1980 | 826 | 64.1 |
| 1979 | 819 | 63.6 |
| 1978 | 812 | 62.9 |
| 1977 | 805 | 62.3 |
| 1976 | 797 | 61.7 |
| 1975 | 788 | 61.1 |
| 1974 | 778 | 60.5 |
| 1973 | 768 | 59.9 |
| 1972 | 757 | 59.4 |
| 1971 | 747 | 58.7 |
| 1970 | 730 | 58 |
| 1969 | 722 | 57.3 |
| 1968 | 713 | 56.8 |
| 1967 | 705 | 56.2 |
| 1966 | 698 | 55.6 |
| 1965 | 692 | 54.9 |
| 1964 | 684 | 54.3 |
| 1963 | 677 | 53.5 |
| 1962 | 671 | 52.7 |
| 1961 | 664 | 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/japan/united-states | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Japan decreased by 4.07%, compared to a 15.3% growth in the United States.
In 2006, Japan ranked 19th by population density and is 28th now. The United States was 146th in 2006 and ranks 149th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Japan
|
United States
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 872 ppl/mi² | 97.3 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 28/197 | 149/197 |
| Population |
122677250
|
344023146
|
| Land area | 140,761 sq mi | 3,531,839 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 31,653 sq ft | 288,082 sq ft |
| Rural population | 7.81% | 19.9% |
| Urban population | 92.2% | 80.1% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 28.3% | 7.59% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Japan
|
United States
|
|
| 2024 | 92.2% | 80.1% |
| 2023 | 92.1% | 80.1% |
| 2022 | 92% | 80% |
| 2021 | 91.9% | 80% |
| 2020 | 91.8% | 80% |
| 2019 | 91.7% | 80.1% |
| 2018 | 91.6% | 80.3% |
| 2017 | 91.5% | 80.4% |
| 2016 | 91.5% | 80.5% |
| 2015 | 91.4% | 80.6% |
| 2014 | 91.3% | 80.6% |
| 2013 | 91.2% | 80.7% |
| 2012 | 91% | 80.7% |
| 2011 | 90.9% | 80.7% |
| 2010 | 90.6% | 80.7% |
| 2009 | 90.1% | 80.7% |
| 2008 | 89.3% | 80.6% |
| 2007 | 88.3% | 80.5% |
| 2006 | 87.1% | 80.4% |
| 2005 | 86% | 80.2% |
| 2004 | 84.4% | 80% |
| 2003 | 82.4% | 79.8% |
| 2002 | 80.5% | 79.5% |
| 2001 | 79.2% | 79.3% |
| 2000 | 78.6% | 79.1% |
| 1999 | 78.4% | 78.8% |
| 1998 | 78.3% | 78.5% |
| 1997 | 78.2% | 78.1% |
| 1996 | 78.1% | 77.7% |
| 1995 | 78% | 77.2% |
| 1994 | 77.9% | 76.7% |
| 1993 | 77.7% | 76.3% |
| 1992 | 77.6% | 75.9% |
| 1991 | 77.5% | 75.5% |
| 1990 | 77.3% | 75.3% |
| 1989 | 77.2% | 75.1% |
| 1988 | 77.1% | 74.8% |
| 1987 | 76.9% | 74.7% |
| 1986 | 76.8% | 74.5% |
| 1985 | 76.7% | 74.3% |
| 1984 | 76.6% | 74.2% |
| 1983 | 76.5% | 74% |
| 1982 | 76.3% | 73.9% |
| 1981 | 76.3% | 73.8% |
| 1980 | 76.2% | 73.8% |
| 1979 | 76.1% | 73.7% |
| 1978 | 76.1% | 73.7% |
| 1977 | 76% | 73.7% |
| 1976 | 76% | 73.6% |
| 1975 | 75.9% | 73.6% |
| 1974 | 75.4% | 73.6% |
| 1973 | 74.6% | 73.6% |
| 1972 | 73.7% | 73.6% |
| 1971 | 72.7% | 73.5% |
| 1970 | 71.9% | 73.5% |
| 1969 | 71.1% | 73.4% |
| 1968 | 70.3% | 73.2% |
| 1967 | 69.5% | 73% |
| 1966 | 68.7% | 72.7% |
| 1965 | 67.9% | 72.3% |
| 1964 | 67% | 71.9% |
| 1963 | 66.1% | 71.4% |
| 1962 | 65.2% | 70.9% |
| 1961 | 64.3% | 70.4% |
| 1960 | 63.3% | 70% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/japan/united-states | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 84.4% to 92.2% in Japan and from 80% to 80.1% in the United States.
Densely populated cities
|
Japan
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Tokyo | 14.3M |
| Yokohama | 3.76M |
| Osaka | 2.75M |
| Nagoya | 2.33M |
| Sapporo | 1.96M |
| Fukuoka | 1.6M |
| Kawasaki | 1.54M |
| Kobe | 1.52M |
| Kyoto | 1.46M |
| Saitama | 1.33M |
|
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
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/japan/united-states | 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)
- Wikidata (2020–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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