South Korea has a population density of 1,371 people per square mile compared to 97.3 people in the United States. South Korea has 20,861 sq ft of land per person vs 309,474 sq ft in the United States. South Korea and the United States rank 18th and 149th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. South Korea has 0.64% 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 South Korea 1,309% higher than in the United States.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
South Korea
|
United States
|
|
| 2026 | 1,371 | 97.3 |
| 2025 | 1,372 | 96.8 |
| 2024 | 1,373 | 96.3 |
| 2023 | 1,372 | 94.8 |
| 2022 | 1,371 | 94.4 |
| 2021 | 1,374 | 94 |
| 2020 | 1,376 | 93.9 |
| 2019 | 1,374 | 93 |
| 2018 | 1,370 | 92.5 |
| 2017 | 1,364 | 92.1 |
| 2016 | 1,361 | 91.5 |
| 2015 | 1,356 | 90.8 |
| 2014 | 1,349 | 90.1 |
| 2013 | 1,341 | 89.5 |
| 2012 | 1,336 | 88.9 |
| 2011 | 1,331 | 88.2 |
| 2010 | 1,320 | 87.6 |
| 2009 | 1,316 | 86.9 |
| 2008 | 1,310 | 86.1 |
| 2007 | 1,301 | 85.2 |
| 2006 | 1,295 | 84.3 |
| 2005 | 1,289 | 83.5 |
| 2004 | 1,286 | 82.8 |
| 2003 | 1,281 | 82 |
| 2002 | 1,275 | 81.3 |
| 2001 | 1,268 | 80.6 |
| 2000 | 1,262 | 79.8 |
| 1999 | 1,252 | 79 |
| 1998 | 1,243 | 78.1 |
| 1997 | 1,234 | 77.2 |
| 1996 | 1,222 | 76.3 |
| 1995 | 1,211 | 75.4 |
| 1994 | 1,199 | 74.5 |
| 1993 | 1,187 | 73.6 |
| 1992 | 1,175 | 72.6 |
| 1991 | 1,163 | 71.7 |
| 1990 | 1,151 | 70.7 |
| 1989 | 1,140 | 69.8 |
| 1988 | 1,129 | 69.1 |
| 1987 | 1,118 | 68.5 |
| 1986 | 1,107 | 67.9 |
| 1985 | 1,096 | 67.3 |
| 1984 | 1,085 | 66.7 |
| 1983 | 1,072 | 66.1 |
| 1982 | 1,056 | 65.5 |
| 1981 | 1,040 | 64.9 |
| 1980 | 1,024 | 64.1 |
| 1979 | 1,008 | 63.6 |
| 1978 | 993 | 62.9 |
| 1977 | 978 | 62.3 |
| 1976 | 963 | 61.7 |
| 1975 | 947 | 61.1 |
| 1974 | 932 | 60.5 |
| 1973 | 916 | 59.9 |
| 1972 | 900 | 59.4 |
| 1971 | 883 | 58.7 |
| 1970 | 866 | 58 |
| 1969 | 847 | 57.3 |
| 1968 | 828 | 56.8 |
| 1967 | 809 | 56.2 |
| 1966 | 790 | 55.6 |
| 1965 | 771 | 54.9 |
| 1964 | 751 | 54.3 |
| 1963 | 732 | 53.5 |
| 1962 | 712 | 52.7 |
| 1961 | 692 | 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/south-korea/united-states | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in South Korea increased by 5.84%, compared to a 15.3% growth in the United States.
In 2006, South Korea ranked 14th by population density and is 18th now. The United States was 146th in 2006 and ranks 149th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
South Korea
|
United States
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,371 ppl/mi² | 97.3 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 18/197 | 149/197 |
| Population |
51649918
|
344023146
|
| Land area | 37,684 sq mi | 3,531,839 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 20,300 sq ft | 288,082 sq ft |
| Rural population | 18.8% | 19.9% |
| Urban population | 81.2% | 80.1% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 54.1% | 7.59% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Korea
|
United States
|
|
| 2024 | 81.2% | 80.1% |
| 2023 | 81.2% | 80.1% |
| 2022 | 81.2% | 80% |
| 2021 | 81.2% | 80% |
| 2020 | 81.2% | 80% |
| 2019 | 81.3% | 80.1% |
| 2018 | 81.4% | 80.3% |
| 2017 | 81.5% | 80.4% |
| 2016 | 81.6% | 80.5% |
| 2015 | 81.6% | 80.6% |
| 2014 | 81.7% | 80.6% |
| 2013 | 81.8% | 80.7% |
| 2012 | 81.9% | 80.7% |
| 2011 | 82% | 80.7% |
| 2010 | 82% | 80.7% |
| 2009 | 81.9% | 80.7% |
| 2008 | 81.8% | 80.6% |
| 2007 | 81.7% | 80.5% |
| 2006 | 81.6% | 80.4% |
| 2005 | 81.4% | 80.2% |
| 2004 | 81.1% | 80% |
| 2003 | 80.7% | 79.8% |
| 2002 | 80.3% | 79.5% |
| 2001 | 79.9% | 79.3% |
| 2000 | 79.6% | 79.1% |
| 1999 | 79.4% | 78.8% |
| 1998 | 79.2% | 78.5% |
| 1997 | 79% | 78.1% |
| 1996 | 78.8% | 77.7% |
| 1995 | 78.4% | 77.2% |
| 1994 | 77.9% | 76.7% |
| 1993 | 77.1% | 76.3% |
| 1992 | 76.2% | 75.9% |
| 1991 | 75.2% | 75.5% |
| 1990 | 74% | 75.3% |
| 1989 | 72.5% | 75.1% |
| 1988 | 70.6% | 74.8% |
| 1987 | 68.6% | 74.7% |
| 1986 | 66.6% | 74.5% |
| 1985 | 64.8% | 74.3% |
| 1984 | 63.1% | 74.2% |
| 1983 | 61.5% | 74% |
| 1982 | 60% | 73.9% |
| 1981 | 58.3% | 73.8% |
| 1980 | 56.7% | 73.8% |
| 1979 | 54.9% | 73.7% |
| 1978 | 53.1% | 73.7% |
| 1977 | 51.3% | 73.7% |
| 1976 | 49.6% | 73.6% |
| 1975 | 48% | 73.6% |
| 1974 | 46.5% | 73.6% |
| 1973 | 45.1% | 73.6% |
| 1972 | 43.8% | 73.6% |
| 1971 | 42.3% | 73.5% |
| 1970 | 40.7% | 73.5% |
| 1969 | 38.7% | 73.4% |
| 1968 | 36.5% | 73.2% |
| 1967 | 34.6% | 73% |
| 1966 | 33.1% | 72.7% |
| 1965 | 32% | 72.3% |
| 1964 | 31% | 71.9% |
| 1963 | 30.1% | 71.4% |
| 1962 | 29.2% | 70.9% |
| 1961 | 28.4% | 70.4% |
| 1960 | 27.7% | 70% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/south-korea/united-states | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 81.1% to 81.2% in South Korea and from 80% to 80.1% in the United States.
Densely populated cities
|
South Korea
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Seoul | 9.67M |
| Busan | 3.45M |
| Incheon | 3.05M |
| Daegu | 2.38M |
| Daejeon | 1.48M |
| Gwangju | 1.41M |
| Suwon | 1.23M |
| Ulsan | 1.13M |
| Yongin | 1.08M |
| Goyang | 1.06M |
|
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/south-korea/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 (2018–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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