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Population density: Singapore vs United States compared

Updated on by Georank team

Singapore has a population density of 22,064 people per square mile compared to 97.3 people in the United States. Singapore has 1,282 sq ft of land per person vs 309,474 sq ft in the United States. Singapore and the United States rank 2nd and 149th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Singapore has 0.07% of the world's population and 0.0005% 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 Singapore 22,581% higher than in the United States.

Population density by year

Singapore
United States

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Singapore United States
2026 22,064 97.3
2025 21,926 96.8
2024 21,776 96.3
2023 21,346 94.8
2022 20,334 94.4
2021 19,672 94
2020 20,510 93.9
2019 20,632 93
2018 20,454 92.5
2017 20,415 92.1
2016 20,483 91.5
2015 20,219 90.8
2014 19,981 90.1
2013 19,779 89.5
2012 19,489 88.9
2011 19,071 88.2
2010 18,730 87.6
2009 18,454 86.9
2008 17,906 86.1
2007 17,100 85.2
2006 16,426 84.3
2005 16,035 83.5
2004 15,663 82.8
2003 15,513 82
2002 16,023 81.3
2001 15,996 80.6
2000 15,570 79.8
1999 15,303 79
1998 15,181 78.1
1997 14,674 77.2
1996 14,190 76.3
1995 13,625 75.4
1994 13,217 74.5
1993 12,809 73.6
1992 12,489 72.6
1991 12,119 71.7
1990 11,779 70.7
1989 11,330 69.8
1988 11,002 69.1
1987 10,726 68.5
1986 10,566 67.9
1985 10,576 67.3
1984 10,562 66.7
1983 10,364 66.1
1982 10,230 65.5
1981 9,791 64.9
1980 9,331 64.1
1979 9,214 63.6
1978 9,098 62.9
1977 8,989 62.3
1976 8,865 61.7
1975 8,746 61.1
1974 8,620 60.5
1973 8,477 59.9
1972 8,320 59.4
1971 8,168 58.7
1970 8,019 58
1969 7,896 57.3
1968 7,778 56.8
1967 7,645 56.2
1966 7,478 55.6
1965 7,294 54.9
1964 7,119 54.3
1963 6,939 53.5
1962 6,766 52.7
1961 6,581 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/singapore/united-states | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Singapore increased by 34.3%, compared to a 15.3% growth in the United States.

In 2006, Singapore ranked 2nd by population density and is 2nd still. The United States was 146th in 2006 and ranks 149th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Singapore
United States
1x
Year Urban population
Singapore United States
2024 100% 80.1%
2023 100% 80.1%
2022 100% 80%
2021 100% 80%
2020 100% 80%
2019 100% 80.1%
2018 100% 80.3%
2017 100% 80.4%
2016 100% 80.5%
2015 100% 80.6%
2014 100% 80.6%
2013 100% 80.7%
2012 100% 80.7%
2011 100% 80.7%
2010 100% 80.7%
2009 100% 80.7%
2008 100% 80.6%
2007 100% 80.5%
2006 100% 80.4%
2005 100% 80.2%
2004 100% 80%
2003 100% 79.8%
2002 100% 79.5%
2001 100% 79.3%
2000 100% 79.1%
1999 100% 78.8%
1998 100% 78.5%
1997 100% 78.1%
1996 100% 77.7%
1995 100% 77.2%
1994 100% 76.7%
1993 100% 76.3%
1992 100% 75.9%
1991 100% 75.5%
1990 100% 75.3%
1989 100% 75.1%
1988 100% 74.8%
1987 100% 74.7%
1986 100% 74.5%
1985 100% 74.3%
1984 100% 74.2%
1983 100% 74%
1982 100% 73.9%
1981 100% 73.8%
1980 100% 73.8%
1979 100% 73.7%
1978 100% 73.7%
1977 100% 73.7%
1976 100% 73.6%
1975 100% 73.6%
1974 100% 73.6%
1973 100% 73.6%
1972 100% 73.6%
1971 100% 73.5%
1970 100% 73.5%
1969 100% 73.4%
1968 100% 73.2%
1967 100% 73%
1966 100% 72.7%
1965 100% 72.3%
1964 100% 71.9%
1963 100% 71.4%
1962 100% 70.9%
1961 100% 70.4%
1960 100% 70%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 100% to 100% in Singapore and from 80% to 80.1% in the United States.

Densely populated cities

Singapore
City Population
Singapore 5.87M
Bukit Merah 152K
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/singapore/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. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2018–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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