Switzerland has a population density of 592 people per square mile compared to 96.3 people in the United States. Switzerland has 49,190 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, Switzerland and the United States are ranked 51st and 149th, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Switzerland has 0.11% of the world's population and 0.03% 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 Switzerland is 515% higher than in the United States.
Population density comparison
Switzerland
|
United States
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 592 ppl/mi² | 96.3 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 51/197 | 149/197 |
| Population |
9112950
|
343323530
|
| Land area | 15,255 sq mi | 3,531,839 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 47,075 sq ft | 289,500 sq ft |
| Rural population | 25.7% | 16.5% |
| Urban population | 74.3% | 83.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 7.68% |
Switzerland vs the United States:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Switzerland increased by 22.3%, compared to a 16.3% growth in the United States.
In 2004, Switzerland ranked 44th for population density and is in 51st place now. The United States was 145th in 2004 and ranks 149th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Switzerland
|
United States
|
|
| 2024 | 592 | 96.3 |
| 2023 | 583 | 94.8 |
| 2022 | 575 | 94.4 |
| 2021 | 571 | 94 |
| 2020 | 566 | 93.9 |
| 2019 | 562 | 93 |
| 2018 | 558 | 92.5 |
| 2017 | 554 | 92.1 |
| 2016 | 549 | 91.5 |
| 2015 | 543 | 90.8 |
| 2014 | 537 | 90.1 |
| 2013 | 530 | 89.5 |
| 2012 | 524 | 88.9 |
| 2011 | 519 | 88.2 |
| 2010 | 513 | 87.6 |
| 2009 | 508 | 86.9 |
| 2008 | 501 | 86.1 |
| 2007 | 495 | 85.2 |
| 2006 | 491 | 84.3 |
| 2005 | 487 | 83.5 |
| 2004 | 484 | 82.8 |
| 2003 | 481 | 82 |
| 2002 | 477 | 81.3 |
| 2001 | 474 | 80.6 |
| 2000 | 471 | 79.8 |
| 1999 | 468 | 79 |
| 1998 | 466 | 78.1 |
| 1997 | 464 | 77.2 |
| 1996 | 463 | 76.3 |
| 1995 | 461 | 75.4 |
| 1994 | 458 | 74.5 |
| 1993 | 455 | 73.6 |
| 1992 | 450 | 72.6 |
| 1991 | 446 | 71.7 |
| 1990 | 440 | 70.7 |
| 1989 | 436 | 69.8 |
| 1988 | 432 | 69.1 |
| 1987 | 429 | 68.5 |
| 1986 | 426 | 67.9 |
| 1985 | 424 | 67.3 |
| 1984 | 422 | 66.7 |
| 1983 | 421 | 66.1 |
| 1982 | 419 | 65.5 |
| 1981 | 416 | 64.9 |
| 1980 | 414 | 64.1 |
| 1979 | 412 | 63.6 |
| 1978 | 412 | 62.9 |
| 1977 | 412 | 62.3 |
| 1976 | 413 | 61.7 |
| 1975 | 415 | 61.1 |
| 1974 | 416 | 60.5 |
| 1973 | 413 | 59.9 |
| 1972 | 410 | 59.4 |
| 1971 | 407 | 58.7 |
| 1970 | 405 | 58 |
| 1969 | 402 | 57.3 |
| 1968 | 398 | 56.8 |
| 1967 | 393 | 56.2 |
| 1966 | 388 | 55.6 |
| 1965 | 384 | 54.9 |
| 1964 | 379 | 54.3 |
| 1963 | 373 | 53.5 |
| 1962 | 365 | 52.7 |
| 1961 | 356 | 51.9 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Switzerland
|
United States
|
|
| 2024 | 74.3% | 83.5% |
| 2023 | 74.2% | 83.3% |
| 2022 | 74.1% | 83.1% |
| 2021 | 74% | 82.9% |
| 2020 | 73.9% | 82.7% |
| 2019 | 73.8% | 82.5% |
| 2018 | 73.8% | 82.3% |
| 2017 | 73.8% | 82.1% |
| 2016 | 73.7% | 81.9% |
| 2015 | 73.7% | 81.7% |
| 2014 | 73.7% | 81.5% |
| 2013 | 73.7% | 81.3% |
| 2012 | 73.7% | 81.1% |
| 2011 | 73.6% | 80.9% |
| 2010 | 73.6% | 80.8% |
| 2009 | 73.6% | 80.6% |
| 2008 | 73.6% | 80.4% |
| 2007 | 73.5% | 80.3% |
| 2006 | 73.5% | 80.1% |
| 2005 | 73.5% | 79.9% |
| 2004 | 73.5% | 79.8% |
| 2003 | 73.4% | 79.6% |
| 2002 | 73.4% | 79.4% |
| 2001 | 73.4% | 79.2% |
| 2000 | 73.4% | 79.1% |
| 1999 | 73.4% | 78.7% |
| 1998 | 73.5% | 78.4% |
| 1997 | 73.5% | 78% |
| 1996 | 73.6% | 77.6% |
| 1995 | 73.7% | 77.3% |
| 1994 | 73.7% | 76.9% |
| 1993 | 73.8% | 76.5% |
| 1992 | 73.8% | 76.1% |
| 1991 | 73.9% | 75.7% |
| 1990 | 73.9% | 75.3% |
| 1989 | 74% | 75.1% |
| 1988 | 74% | 74.9% |
| 1987 | 74.1% | 74.8% |
| 1986 | 74.2% | 74.6% |
| 1985 | 74.2% | 74.5% |
| 1984 | 74.3% | 74.3% |
| 1983 | 74.3% | 74.2% |
| 1982 | 74.4% | 74% |
| 1981 | 74.5% | 73.9% |
| 1980 | 74.5% | 73.7% |
| 1979 | 74.4% | 73.7% |
| 1978 | 74.4% | 73.7% |
| 1977 | 74.3% | 73.7% |
| 1976 | 74.3% | 73.7% |
| 1975 | 74.2% | 73.7% |
| 1974 | 74.2% | 73.6% |
| 1973 | 74.1% | 73.6% |
| 1972 | 74% | 73.6% |
| 1971 | 74% | 73.6% |
| 1970 | 73.8% | 73.6% |
| 1969 | 73.6% | 73.3% |
| 1968 | 73.3% | 73% |
| 1967 | 73% | 72.6% |
| 1966 | 72.7% | 72.2% |
| 1965 | 72.4% | 71.9% |
| 1964 | 72.1% | 71.5% |
| 1963 | 71.8% | 71.1% |
| 1962 | 71.5% | 70.8% |
| 1961 | 71.2% | 70.4% |
| 1960 | 70.9% | 70% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 73.5% to 74.3% in Switzerland and from 79.8% to 83.5% in the United States.
Densely populated cities
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Zurich | 449K |
| Geneva | 207K |
| Basel | 176K |
| Bern | 146K |
| Lausanne | 144K |
| Winterthur | 119K |
| Biel/Bienne | 55.9K |
|
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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