Spain has a population density of 253 people per square mile compared to 96.3 people in the United States. Spain has 111,591 sq ft of land per person vs 310,997 sq ft in the United States. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Spain and the United States are ranked 95th and 149th, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Spain has 0.6% of the world's population and 0.34% of the land area of all countries, compared to 4.18% of the population and 6.14% of the land area for the United States, hence the population density in Spain is 162.7% higher than in the United States.
Population density comparison
Spain
|
United States
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 253 ppl/mi² | 96.3 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 95/197 | 149/197 |
| Population |
48786181
|
343323530
|
| Land area | 192,934 sq mi | 3,531,839 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 110,203 sq ft | 289,500 sq ft |
| Rural population | 18.2% | 16.5% |
| Urban population | 81.8% | 83.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10.5% | 7.68% |
Spain vs the United States:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Spain increased by 13.6%, compared to a 16.3% growth in the United States.
In 2004, Spain ranked 85th for population density and is in 95th place now. The United States was 145th in 2004 and ranks 149th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Spain
|
United States
|
|
| 2024 | 253 | 96.3 |
| 2023 | 250.6 | 94.8 |
| 2022 | 247.7 | 94.4 |
| 2021 | 245.9 | 94 |
| 2020 | 245.5 | 93.9 |
| 2019 | 244.3 | 93 |
| 2018 | 242.5 | 92.5 |
| 2017 | 241.5 | 92.1 |
| 2016 | 240.9 | 91.5 |
| 2015 | 240.6 | 90.8 |
| 2014 | 240.6 | 90.1 |
| 2013 | 241.3 | 89.5 |
| 2012 | 242.2 | 88.9 |
| 2011 | 242.2 | 88.2 |
| 2010 | 241.3 | 87.6 |
| 2009 | 240.8 | 86.9 |
| 2008 | 238.6 | 86.1 |
| 2007 | 234.7 | 85.2 |
| 2006 | 230.4 | 84.3 |
| 2005 | 226.5 | 83.5 |
| 2004 | 222.7 | 82.8 |
| 2003 | 218.9 | 82 |
| 2002 | 215 | 81.3 |
| 2001 | 212.2 | 80.6 |
| 2000 | 210.6 | 79.8 |
| 1999 | 209.4 | 79 |
| 1998 | 208.6 | 78.1 |
| 1997 | 207.7 | 77.2 |
| 1996 | 206.9 | 76.3 |
| 1995 | 206 | 75.4 |
| 1994 | 205.1 | 74.5 |
| 1993 | 204.1 | 73.6 |
| 1992 | 203.1 | 72.6 |
| 1991 | 202.1 | 71.7 |
| 1990 | 201.6 | 70.7 |
| 1989 | 201.4 | 69.8 |
| 1988 | 201 | 69.1 |
| 1987 | 200.6 | 68.5 |
| 1986 | 200.1 | 67.9 |
| 1985 | 199.5 | 67.3 |
| 1984 | 198.8 | 66.7 |
| 1983 | 198 | 66.1 |
| 1982 | 197 | 65.5 |
| 1981 | 195.8 | 64.9 |
| 1980 | 194.4 | 64.1 |
| 1979 | 192.8 | 63.6 |
| 1978 | 191.1 | 62.9 |
| 1977 | 189.3 | 62.3 |
| 1976 | 187.4 | 61.7 |
| 1975 | 185.4 | 61.1 |
| 1974 | 183.3 | 60.5 |
| 1973 | 181.3 | 59.9 |
| 1972 | 179.3 | 59.4 |
| 1971 | 177.4 | 58.7 |
| 1970 | 175.2 | 58 |
| 1969 | 173.3 | 57.3 |
| 1968 | 171.6 | 56.8 |
| 1967 | 169.4 | 56.2 |
| 1966 | 167.3 | 55.6 |
| 1965 | 165.6 | 54.9 |
| 1964 | 163.8 | 54.3 |
| 1963 | 162.2 | 53.5 |
| 1962 | 160.8 | 52.7 |
| 1961 | 159.3 | 51.9 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Spain
|
United States
|
|
| 2024 | 81.8% | 83.5% |
| 2023 | 81.6% | 83.3% |
| 2022 | 81.3% | 83.1% |
| 2021 | 81.1% | 82.9% |
| 2020 | 80.8% | 82.7% |
| 2019 | 80.6% | 82.5% |
| 2018 | 80.3% | 82.3% |
| 2017 | 80.1% | 82.1% |
| 2016 | 79.8% | 81.9% |
| 2015 | 79.6% | 81.7% |
| 2014 | 79.4% | 81.5% |
| 2013 | 79.1% | 81.3% |
| 2012 | 78.9% | 81.1% |
| 2011 | 78.7% | 80.9% |
| 2010 | 78.4% | 80.8% |
| 2009 | 78.2% | 80.6% |
| 2008 | 78% | 80.4% |
| 2007 | 77.7% | 80.3% |
| 2006 | 77.5% | 80.1% |
| 2005 | 77.3% | 79.9% |
| 2004 | 77% | 79.8% |
| 2003 | 76.8% | 79.6% |
| 2002 | 76.5% | 79.4% |
| 2001 | 76.3% | 79.2% |
| 2000 | 76.3% | 79.1% |
| 1999 | 76.2% | 78.7% |
| 1998 | 76.1% | 78.4% |
| 1997 | 76% | 78% |
| 1996 | 75.9% | 77.6% |
| 1995 | 75.9% | 77.3% |
| 1994 | 75.8% | 76.9% |
| 1993 | 75.7% | 76.5% |
| 1992 | 75.6% | 76.1% |
| 1991 | 75.5% | 75.7% |
| 1990 | 75.4% | 75.3% |
| 1989 | 75.1% | 75.1% |
| 1988 | 74.9% | 74.9% |
| 1987 | 74.7% | 74.8% |
| 1986 | 74.4% | 74.6% |
| 1985 | 74.2% | 74.5% |
| 1984 | 74% | 74.3% |
| 1983 | 73.7% | 74.2% |
| 1982 | 73.5% | 74% |
| 1981 | 73.3% | 73.9% |
| 1980 | 72.8% | 73.7% |
| 1979 | 72.2% | 73.7% |
| 1978 | 71.5% | 73.7% |
| 1977 | 70.9% | 73.7% |
| 1976 | 70.2% | 73.7% |
| 1975 | 69.6% | 73.7% |
| 1974 | 68.9% | 73.6% |
| 1973 | 68.2% | 73.6% |
| 1972 | 67.5% | 73.6% |
| 1971 | 66.8% | 73.6% |
| 1970 | 66% | 73.6% |
| 1969 | 65.1% | 73.3% |
| 1968 | 64.2% | 73% |
| 1967 | 63.2% | 72.6% |
| 1966 | 62.3% | 72.2% |
| 1965 | 61.3% | 71.9% |
| 1964 | 60.3% | 71.5% |
| 1963 | 59.3% | 71.1% |
| 1962 | 58.3% | 70.8% |
| 1961 | 57.3% | 70.4% |
| 1960 | 56.6% | 70% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 77% to 81.8% in Spain and from 79.8% to 83.5% in the United States.
Densely populated cities
|
Spain
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Madrid | 3.42M |
| Barcelona | 1.7M |
| Tenerife | 955K |
| Valencia | 826K |
| Seville | 687K |
| Zaragoza | 687K |
| Murcia | 673K |
| Malaga | 592K |
| Palma de Mallorca | 432K |
| Las Palmas | 380K |
|
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
people per square mile
Population density
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comparisons:
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