The United States has a population density of 97.3 people per square mile compared to 115.6 people in Zimbabwe. The United States has 309,474 sq ft of land per person vs 252,854 sq ft in Zimbabwe. The United States and Zimbabwe rank 149th and 144th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. The United States has 4.21% of the world's population and 6.14% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.2% of the population and 0.26% of the land area for Zimbabwe, making the population density in the United States 15.9% lower than in Zimbabwe.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
United States
|
Zimbabwe
|
|
| 2026 | 97.3 | 115.6 |
| 2025 | 96.8 | 113.5 |
| 2024 | 96.3 | 111.4 |
| 2023 | 94.8 | 109.4 |
| 2022 | 94.4 | 107.6 |
| 2021 | 94 | 105.8 |
| 2020 | 93.9 | 104 |
| 2019 | 93 | 102.2 |
| 2018 | 92.5 | 100.7 |
| 2017 | 92.1 | 99.2 |
| 2016 | 91.5 | 97.8 |
| 2015 | 90.8 | 96.4 |
| 2014 | 90.1 | 95.1 |
| 2013 | 89.5 | 93.8 |
| 2012 | 88.9 | 92.5 |
| 2011 | 88.2 | 91 |
| 2010 | 87.6 | 89.4 |
| 2009 | 86.9 | 88 |
| 2008 | 86.1 | 86.8 |
| 2007 | 85.2 | 85.7 |
| 2006 | 84.3 | 84.6 |
| 2005 | 83.5 | 83.6 |
| 2004 | 82.8 | 82.8 |
| 2003 | 82 | 81.9 |
| 2002 | 81.3 | 80.9 |
| 2001 | 80.6 | 80.2 |
| 2000 | 79.8 | 79.6 |
| 1999 | 79 | 78.9 |
| 1998 | 78.1 | 77.6 |
| 1997 | 77.2 | 76.1 |
| 1996 | 76.3 | 74.7 |
| 1995 | 75.4 | 73.5 |
| 1994 | 74.5 | 72.8 |
| 1993 | 73.6 | 72.7 |
| 1992 | 72.6 | 71.7 |
| 1991 | 71.7 | 69.7 |
| 1990 | 70.7 | 67.9 |
| 1989 | 69.8 | 66 |
| 1988 | 69.1 | 64.2 |
| 1987 | 68.5 | 62.2 |
| 1986 | 67.9 | 60.1 |
| 1985 | 67.3 | 58.2 |
| 1984 | 66.7 | 56.2 |
| 1983 | 66.1 | 54.2 |
| 1982 | 65.5 | 52.2 |
| 1981 | 64.9 | 50.2 |
| 1980 | 64.1 | 47.1 |
| 1979 | 63.6 | 44.5 |
| 1978 | 62.9 | 43.8 |
| 1977 | 62.3 | 43.2 |
| 1976 | 61.7 | 42.1 |
| 1975 | 61.1 | 40.8 |
| 1974 | 60.5 | 39.6 |
| 1973 | 59.9 | 38.3 |
| 1972 | 59.4 | 37.1 |
| 1971 | 58.7 | 36 |
| 1970 | 58 | 34.9 |
| 1969 | 57.3 | 33.9 |
| 1968 | 56.8 | 32.8 |
| 1967 | 56.2 | 31.8 |
| 1966 | 55.6 | 30.8 |
| 1965 | 54.9 | 29.8 |
| 1964 | 54.3 | 28.9 |
| 1963 | 53.5 | 28 |
| 1962 | 52.7 | 27.2 |
| 1961 | 51.9 | 26.3 |
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/united-states/zimbabwe | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in the United States increased by 15.3%, compared to a 36.7% growth in Zimbabwe.
In 2006, the United States ranked 146th by population density and is 149th now. Zimbabwe was 145th in 2006 and ranks 144th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
United States
|
Zimbabwe
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 97.3 ppl/mi² | 115.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 149/197 | 144/197 |
| Population |
344023146
|
17361868
|
| Land area | 3,531,839 sq mi | 149,364 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 288,082 sq ft | 250,326 sq ft |
| Rural population | 19.9% | 60.1% |
| Urban population | 80.1% | 39.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 7.59% | 21.8% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
United States
|
Zimbabwe
|
|
| 2024 | 80.1% | 39.9% |
| 2023 | 80.1% | 39.3% |
| 2022 | 80% | 38.7% |
| 2021 | 80% | 37.9% |
| 2020 | 80% | 37% |
| 2019 | 80.1% | 36.2% |
| 2018 | 80.3% | 35.4% |
| 2017 | 80.4% | 34.7% |
| 2016 | 80.5% | 34.1% |
| 2015 | 80.6% | 33.6% |
| 2014 | 80.6% | 33.2% |
| 2013 | 80.7% | 32.9% |
| 2012 | 80.7% | 32.8% |
| 2011 | 80.7% | 32.8% |
| 2010 | 80.7% | 32.7% |
| 2009 | 80.7% | 32.7% |
| 2008 | 80.6% | 32.7% |
| 2007 | 80.5% | 32.7% |
| 2006 | 80.4% | 32.7% |
| 2005 | 80.2% | 32.6% |
| 2004 | 80% | 32.6% |
| 2003 | 79.8% | 32.6% |
| 2002 | 79.5% | 32.6% |
| 2001 | 79.3% | 32.5% |
| 2000 | 79.1% | 32.4% |
| 1999 | 78.8% | 32.3% |
| 1998 | 78.5% | 32.1% |
| 1997 | 78.1% | 31.9% |
| 1996 | 77.7% | 31.7% |
| 1995 | 77.2% | 31.4% |
| 1994 | 76.7% | 31.2% |
| 1993 | 76.3% | 30.9% |
| 1992 | 75.9% | 30.6% |
| 1991 | 75.5% | 30.2% |
| 1990 | 75.3% | 29.6% |
| 1989 | 75.1% | 28.9% |
| 1988 | 74.8% | 28.1% |
| 1987 | 74.7% | 27.3% |
| 1986 | 74.5% | 26.5% |
| 1985 | 74.3% | 25.6% |
| 1984 | 74.2% | 24.8% |
| 1983 | 74% | 24.1% |
| 1982 | 73.9% | 23.5% |
| 1981 | 73.8% | 22.9% |
| 1980 | 73.8% | 22.3% |
| 1979 | 73.7% | 21.8% |
| 1978 | 73.7% | 21.3% |
| 1977 | 73.7% | 20.8% |
| 1976 | 73.6% | 20.3% |
| 1975 | 73.6% | 19.8% |
| 1974 | 73.6% | 19.4% |
| 1973 | 73.6% | 18.9% |
| 1972 | 73.6% | 18.4% |
| 1971 | 73.5% | 17.9% |
| 1970 | 73.5% | 17.4% |
| 1969 | 73.4% | 16.9% |
| 1968 | 73.2% | 16.4% |
| 1967 | 73% | 15.8% |
| 1966 | 72.7% | 15.1% |
| 1965 | 72.3% | 14.5% |
| 1964 | 71.9% | 14% |
| 1963 | 71.4% | 13.5% |
| 1962 | 70.9% | 13.1% |
| 1961 | 70.4% | 12.8% |
| 1960 | 70% | 12.5% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/united-states/zimbabwe | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 80% to 80.1% in the United States and from 32.6% to 39.9% in Zimbabwe.
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 |
|
Zimbabwe
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Harare | 2.15M |
| Masvingo | 1.64M |
| Bulawayo | 666K |
| Chitungwiza | 371K |
| Mutare | 225K |
| Gweru | 141K |
| Kadoma | 116K |
| Kwekwe | 93.1K |
| Chinhoyi | 56.8K |
| Marondera | 52.3K |
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/united-states/zimbabwe | 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 (2002–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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