The United States has a population density of 96.3 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. The United States has 310,997 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, the United States ranked 149th out of 197.
The United States has 4.18% of the world's population and 6.14% of all countries' land area.
Population density in the United States compared to the World's average
United States
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 96.3 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 149/197 | N/A |
| Population |
343323530
|
8266870341
|
| Land area | 3,531,839 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 289,500 sq ft | 196,901 sq ft |
| Rural population | 16.5% | 42.3% |
| Urban population | 83.5% | 57.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 7.68% | 28.6% |
The United States population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in the United States has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 16.3%. The population density rank was 145th 21 years ago and is 149th today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 96.3 | 149 |
| 2023 | 94.8 | 149 |
| 2022 | 94.4 | 148 |
| 2021 | 94 | 148 |
| 2020 | 93.9 | 148 |
| 2019 | 93 | 148 |
| 2018 | 92.5 | 148 |
| 2017 | 92.1 | 148 |
| 2016 | 91.5 | 147 |
| 2015 | 90.8 | 147 |
| 2014 | 90.1 | 146 |
| 2013 | 89.5 | 146 |
| 2012 | 88.9 | 146 |
| 2011 | 88.2 | 146 |
| 2010 | 87.6 | 145 |
| 2009 | 86.9 | 146 |
| 2008 | 86.1 | 146 |
| 2007 | 85.2 | 146 |
| 2006 | 84.3 | 146 |
| 2005 | 83.5 | 144 |
| 2004 | 82.8 | 145 |
| 2003 | 82 | 142 |
| 2002 | 81.3 | 142 |
| 2001 | 80.6 | 141 |
| 2000 | 79.8 | 141 |
| 1999 | 79 | 137 |
| 1998 | 78.1 | 136 |
| 1997 | 77.2 | 135 |
| 1996 | 76.3 | 135 |
| 1995 | 75.4 | 135 |
| 1994 | 74.5 | 135 |
| 1993 | 73.6 | 135 |
| 1992 | 72.6 | 132 |
| 1991 | 71.7 | 115 |
| 1990 | 70.7 | 112 |
| 1989 | 69.8 | 111 |
| 1988 | 69.1 | 110 |
| 1987 | 68.5 | 110 |
| 1986 | 67.9 | 110 |
| 1985 | 67.3 | 109 |
| 1984 | 66.7 | 109 |
| 1983 | 66.1 | 108 |
| 1982 | 65.5 | 108 |
| 1981 | 64.9 | 108 |
| 1980 | 64.1 | 105 |
| 1979 | 63.6 | 104 |
| 1978 | 62.9 | 102 |
| 1977 | 62.3 | 102 |
| 1976 | 61.7 | 102 |
| 1975 | 61.1 | 99 |
| 1974 | 60.5 | 98 |
| 1973 | 59.9 | 98 |
| 1972 | 59.4 | 98 |
| 1971 | 58.7 | 98 |
| 1970 | 58 | 96 |
| 1969 | 57.3 | 96 |
| 1968 | 56.8 | 95 |
| 1967 | 56.2 | 95 |
| 1966 | 55.6 | 95 |
| 1965 | 54.9 | 94 |
| 1964 | 54.3 | 93 |
| 1963 | 53.5 | 94 |
| 1962 | 52.7 | 93 |
| 1961 | 51.9 | 92 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in the United States from 1960 to 2024: 70% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 79.1% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 83.5%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 83.5% | 38 |
| 2023 | 83.3% | 38 |
| 2022 | 83.1% | 38 |
| 2021 | 82.9% | 38 |
| 2020 | 82.7% | 37 |
| 2019 | 82.5% | 37 |
| 2018 | 82.3% | 36 |
| 2017 | 82.1% | 36 |
| 2016 | 81.9% | 36 |
| 2015 | 81.7% | 35 |
| 2014 | 81.5% | 36 |
| 2013 | 81.3% | 36 |
| 2012 | 81.1% | 37 |
| 2011 | 80.9% | 37 |
| 2010 | 80.8% | 37 |
| 2009 | 80.6% | 37 |
| 2008 | 80.4% | 37 |
| 2007 | 80.3% | 37 |
| 2006 | 80.1% | 37 |
| 2005 | 79.9% | 35 |
| 2004 | 79.8% | 35 |
| 2003 | 79.6% | 35 |
| 2002 | 79.4% | 34 |
| 2001 | 79.2% | 34 |
| 2000 | 79.1% | 32 |
| 1999 | 78.7% | 32 |
| 1998 | 78.4% | 34 |
| 1997 | 78% | 35 |
| 1996 | 77.6% | 35 |
| 1995 | 77.3% | 35 |
| 1994 | 76.9% | 35 |
| 1993 | 76.5% | 34 |
| 1992 | 76.1% | 33 |
| 1991 | 75.7% | 34 |
| 1990 | 75.3% | 35 |
| 1989 | 75.1% | 36 |
| 1988 | 74.9% | 35 |
| 1987 | 74.8% | 34 |
| 1986 | 74.6% | 34 |
| 1985 | 74.5% | 34 |
| 1984 | 74.3% | 34 |
| 1983 | 74.2% | 34 |
| 1982 | 74% | 32 |
| 1981 | 73.9% | 31 |
| 1980 | 73.7% | 30 |
| 1979 | 73.7% | 30 |
| 1978 | 73.7% | 29 |
| 1977 | 73.7% | 29 |
| 1976 | 73.7% | 28 |
| 1975 | 73.7% | 28 |
| 1974 | 73.6% | 28 |
| 1973 | 73.6% | 28 |
| 1972 | 73.6% | 26 |
| 1971 | 73.6% | 26 |
| 1970 | 73.6% | 26 |
| 1969 | 73.3% | 26 |
| 1968 | 73% | 26 |
| 1967 | 72.6% | 26 |
| 1966 | 72.2% | 26 |
| 1965 | 71.9% | 25 |
| 1964 | 71.5% | 24 |
| 1963 | 71.1% | 24 |
| 1962 | 70.8% | 23 |
| 1961 | 70.4% | 23 |
| 1960 | 70% | 23 |
Densely populated cities
|
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:
United States topic pages:
Population density comparisons
