The United Kingdom has a population density of 741 people per square mile compared to 96.3 people in the United States. The United Kingdom has 37,705 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, the United Kingdom and the United States are ranked 35th and 149th, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. The United Kingdom has 0.85% of the world's population and 0.16% 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 the United Kingdom is 670% higher than in the United States.
Population density comparison
United Kingdom
|
United States
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 741 ppl/mi² | 96.3 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 35/197 | 149/197 |
| Population |
69945462
|
343323530
|
| Land area | 93,410 sq mi | 3,531,839 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 37,618 sq ft | 289,500 sq ft |
| Rural population | 15.1% | 16.5% |
| Urban population | 84.9% | 83.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 14.4% | 7.68% |
the United Kingdom vs the United States:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in the United Kingdom increased by 15.4%, compared to a 16.3% growth in the United States.
In 2004, the United Kingdom ranked 35th for population density and is in 35th place still. The United States was 145th in 2004 and ranks 149th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
United Kingdom
|
United States
|
|
| 2024 | 741 | 96.3 |
| 2023 | 733 | 94.8 |
| 2022 | 724 | 94.4 |
| 2021 | 717 | 94 |
| 2020 | 715 | 93.9 |
| 2019 | 713 | 93 |
| 2018 | 710 | 92.5 |
| 2017 | 706 | 92.1 |
| 2016 | 702 | 91.5 |
| 2015 | 697 | 90.8 |
| 2014 | 692 | 90.1 |
| 2013 | 687 | 89.5 |
| 2012 | 682 | 88.9 |
| 2011 | 677 | 88.2 |
| 2010 | 672 | 87.6 |
| 2009 | 667 | 86.9 |
| 2008 | 662 | 86.1 |
| 2007 | 656 | 85.2 |
| 2006 | 651 | 84.3 |
| 2005 | 647 | 83.5 |
| 2004 | 642 | 82.8 |
| 2003 | 639 | 82 |
| 2002 | 636 | 81.3 |
| 2001 | 633 | 80.6 |
| 2000 | 630 | 79.8 |
| 1999 | 628 | 79 |
| 1998 | 626 | 78.1 |
| 1997 | 624 | 77.2 |
| 1996 | 623 | 76.3 |
| 1995 | 621 | 75.4 |
| 1994 | 619 | 74.5 |
| 1993 | 618 | 73.6 |
| 1992 | 616 | 72.6 |
| 1991 | 615 | 71.7 |
| 1990 | 613 | 70.7 |
| 1989 | 611 | 69.8 |
| 1988 | 609 | 69.1 |
| 1987 | 608 | 68.5 |
| 1986 | 607 | 67.9 |
| 1985 | 605 | 67.3 |
| 1984 | 604 | 66.7 |
| 1983 | 603 | 66.1 |
| 1982 | 603 | 65.5 |
| 1981 | 603 | 64.9 |
| 1980 | 603 | 64.1 |
| 1979 | 602 | 63.6 |
| 1978 | 602 | 62.9 |
| 1977 | 602 | 62.3 |
| 1976 | 602 | 61.7 |
| 1975 | 602 | 61.1 |
| 1974 | 602 | 60.5 |
| 1973 | 602 | 59.9 |
| 1972 | 600 | 59.4 |
| 1971 | 598 | 58.7 |
| 1970 | 596 | 58 |
| 1969 | 594 | 57.3 |
| 1968 | 591 | 56.8 |
| 1967 | 588 | 56.2 |
| 1966 | 585 | 55.6 |
| 1965 | 582 | 54.9 |
| 1964 | 578 | 54.3 |
| 1963 | 574 | 53.5 |
| 1962 | 570 | 52.7 |
| 1961 | 565 | 51.9 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
United Kingdom
|
United States
|
|
| 2024 | 84.9% | 83.5% |
| 2023 | 84.6% | 83.3% |
| 2022 | 84.4% | 83.1% |
| 2021 | 84.2% | 82.9% |
| 2020 | 83.9% | 82.7% |
| 2019 | 83.7% | 82.5% |
| 2018 | 83.4% | 82.3% |
| 2017 | 83.1% | 82.1% |
| 2016 | 82.9% | 81.9% |
| 2015 | 82.6% | 81.7% |
| 2014 | 82.4% | 81.5% |
| 2013 | 82.1% | 81.3% |
| 2012 | 81.8% | 81.1% |
| 2011 | 81.6% | 80.9% |
| 2010 | 81.3% | 80.8% |
| 2009 | 81% | 80.6% |
| 2008 | 80.8% | 80.4% |
| 2007 | 80.5% | 80.3% |
| 2006 | 80.2% | 80.1% |
| 2005 | 79.9% | 79.9% |
| 2004 | 79.6% | 79.8% |
| 2003 | 79.3% | 79.6% |
| 2002 | 79% | 79.4% |
| 2001 | 78.8% | 79.2% |
| 2000 | 78.7% | 79.1% |
| 1999 | 78.6% | 78.7% |
| 1998 | 78.5% | 78.4% |
| 1997 | 78.5% | 78% |
| 1996 | 78.4% | 77.6% |
| 1995 | 78.4% | 77.3% |
| 1994 | 78.3% | 76.9% |
| 1993 | 78.2% | 76.5% |
| 1992 | 78.2% | 76.1% |
| 1991 | 78.1% | 75.7% |
| 1990 | 78.1% | 75.3% |
| 1989 | 78.2% | 75.1% |
| 1988 | 78.2% | 74.9% |
| 1987 | 78.3% | 74.8% |
| 1986 | 78.3% | 74.6% |
| 1985 | 78.4% | 74.5% |
| 1984 | 78.4% | 74.3% |
| 1983 | 78.5% | 74.2% |
| 1982 | 78.5% | 74% |
| 1981 | 78.6% | 73.9% |
| 1980 | 78.5% | 73.7% |
| 1979 | 78.3% | 73.7% |
| 1978 | 78.2% | 73.7% |
| 1977 | 78% | 73.7% |
| 1976 | 77.8% | 73.7% |
| 1975 | 77.7% | 73.7% |
| 1974 | 77.5% | 73.6% |
| 1973 | 77.4% | 73.6% |
| 1972 | 77.2% | 73.6% |
| 1971 | 77% | 73.6% |
| 1970 | 77.1% | 73.6% |
| 1969 | 77.3% | 73.3% |
| 1968 | 77.4% | 73% |
| 1967 | 77.5% | 72.6% |
| 1966 | 77.7% | 72.2% |
| 1965 | 77.8% | 71.9% |
| 1964 | 78% | 71.5% |
| 1963 | 78.1% | 71.1% |
| 1962 | 78.2% | 70.8% |
| 1961 | 78.4% | 70.4% |
| 1960 | 78.4% | 70% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 79.6% to 84.9% in the United Kingdom and from 79.8% to 83.5% in the United States.
Densely populated cities
|
United Kingdom
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| London | 8.8M |
| Birmingham | 1.14M |
| Glasgow | 626K |
| Manchester | 548K |
| Leeds | 536K |
| Sheffield | 518K |
| Liverpool | 513K |
| Edinburgh | 488K |
| Bristol | 472K |
| Leicester | 464K |
|
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
Relevant pages:
By topic
vs
comparisons:
Population density comparisons
