Population Density Comparison
Demographics

California vs New York: Population Density

New York is more densely populated than California.

California flag
California
CA • West
241.5 per sq mi
Number of residents per square mile.
New York flag
New York
NY • Northeast
Winner
370.3 per sq mi
Number of residents per square mile.

Visual Comparison

California 241.5 per sq mi
New York 370.3 per sq mi

Difference: 128.8 per sq mi — New York leads.

Related Context

Density in Context

Population density shapes commutes, housing costs, and the feel of daily life.

What This Means

California vs New York: Population Density in context

New York has a population density of 370.3 per sq mi, compared with 241.5 per sq mi in California, a gap of 53.3%. Number of residents per square mile.

California
241.5 per sq mi
New York
370.3 per sq mi
Difference
128.8 per sq mi

People Also Ask

California vs New York Population Density — Common Questions

Q What is California's population density?

California's population density is 241.5 per sq mi.

Q What is New York's population density?

New York's population density is 370.3 per sq mi.

Q Which state has a higher population density — California or New York?

New York is more densely populated than California.

Q How much more population density does New York have compared to California?

128.8 per sq mi.

Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset, with minimum wage data from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.