Guide Rankings Demographics Updated May 7, 2026

Population Density by State

Map of the United States showing population density by state

Population Density by State

Ranking - Demographics

Quick Answer

Population Density by State

  1. 1

    New Jersey is the most densely populated U.S. state with 1,304 people per square mile. Rhode Island (1,082/sq mi), Massachusetts (919/sq mi), and Connecticut (765/sq mi) round out the top four.

  2. 2

    Alaska is the least densely populated state with just 1.3 people per square mile — nearly 1,000 times less dense than New Jersey. Wyoming (6.1/sq mi), Montana (7.9/sq mi), and North Dakota (12/sq mi) are also among the least dense.

Map

U.S. States by Population Density Map

people/sq mi
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New Jersey, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maryland have the highest state density values in the table.
U.S. States by Population Density Map
Rank State people/sq mi
1 New Jersey 1,304
2 Rhode Island 1,082
3 Massachusetts 919
4 Connecticut 765
5 Maryland 648
6 Delaware 549
7 Florida 441
8 New York 424
9 Pennsylvania 292
10 Ohio 292
11 California 253
12 North Carolina 233
13 Illinois 229
14 Virginia 226
15 Hawaii 223
16 Georgia 198
17 Indiana 196
18 South Carolina 188
19 Michigan 180
20 Tennessee 179
21 New Hampshire 159
22 Texas 123
23 Washington 121
24 Kentucky 117
25 Wisconsin 111
26 Louisiana 107
27 Alabama 103
28 Missouri 92
29 Minnesota 74
30 West Virginia 73
31 Vermont 70
32 Arizona 68
33 Mississippi 63
34 Oklahoma 60
35 Arkansas 60
36 Colorado 58
37 Iowa 58
38 Maine 46
39 Oregon 45
40 Utah 44
41 Kansas 37
42 Nevada 30
43 Nebraska 26
44 Idaho 25
45 New Mexico 18
46 South Dakota 12
47 North Dakota 12
48 Montana 7.9
49 Wyoming 6.1
50 Alaska 1.3

New Jersey, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maryland have the highest state density values in the table.

Population Density by State Table

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Print-ready table — Population Density by State

Most and Least Densely Populated U.S. States

Highest

1304
New Jersey flag
New Jersey #1

Lowest

1.3
Alaska flag
Alaska #50

Top 10 Highest — People/Sq Mi

#1 New Jersey flag New Jersey
1304
#2 Rhode Island flag Rhode Island
1082
#3 Massachusetts flag Massachusetts
919
#4 Connecticut flag Connecticut
765
#5 Maryland flag Maryland
648
#6 Delaware flag Delaware
549
#7 Florida flag Florida
441
#8 New York flag New York
424
#9 Pennsylvania flag Pennsylvania
292
#10 Ohio flag Ohio
292

Top 10 Lowest — People/Sq Mi

#50 Alaska flag Alaska
1.3
#49 Wyoming flag Wyoming
6.1
#48 Montana flag Montana
7.9
#47 North Dakota flag North Dakota
12
#46 South Dakota flag South Dakota
12
#45 New Mexico flag New Mexico
18
#44 Idaho flag Idaho
25
#43 Nebraska flag Nebraska
26
#42 Nevada flag Nevada
30
#41 Kansas flag Kansas
37

Why the Northeast Is So Dense

The five most densely populated states are New Jersey (1,304 people/sq mi), Rhode Island (1,082), Massachusetts (919), Connecticut (765), and Maryland (648). Each combines a relatively small land area with a population large enough to push density far above the national pattern.

New Jersey ranks first because 9.6 million residents fit into 7,354 square miles. Rhode Island ranks second with 1.1 million residents in just 1,034 square miles.

The next group drops quickly: Delaware is sixth at 549 people per square mile, Florida is seventh at 441, and New York is eighth at 424.

Why Western States Have the Lowest Population Density

Alaska, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota have the lowest density values. Alaska is the outlier at 1.3 people per square mile across 567,695 square miles of land.

Wyoming ranks 49th at 6.1 people per square mile, with 590,784 residents spread across 96,850 square miles. Montana ranks 48th at 7.9 people per square mile and has the second-largest land area in the bottom five.

North Dakota and South Dakota are both listed at 12 people per square mile. South Dakota has more residents, while North Dakota has less land area, which keeps their density values close.

Most Populous vs. Most Dense: Why Big States Rank Lower

California has the largest population in the table at 39.3 million, but it ranks #11 in density because its land area is 155,517 square miles. For raw headcounts rather than people per square mile, see the U.S. states by population list.

Texas shows an even wider gap between population rank and density rank. It has 32.1 million residents, but with 261,065 square miles of land, it ranks #22 at 123 people per square mile.

Small states can rank high even with much smaller populations. Rhode Island has 1.1 million residents and ranks #2 in density because its land area is only 1,034 square miles.

What Population Density Shows

Density changes how many people share the same square mile of land. In New Jersey, the figure is 1,304 people per square mile; in Wyoming, it is 6.1; in Alaska, it is 1.3.

The contrast is visible even among large-population states. Florida has 23.7 million residents and a density of 441, while Texas has 32.1 million residents but a density of 123 because its land area is nearly five times larger.

Density also separates neighboring ranks in the table. Pennsylvania and Ohio both show 292 people per square mile, but Pennsylvania has a larger population and a larger land area.

States Getting Denser (and Sparser)

This table is a snapshot based on population divided by land area. A state's density rises when its population grows while its land area stays the same.

Current density does not always track current population size. Idaho has 2.1 million residents and 82,344 square miles of land, giving it 25 people per square mile; New Hampshire has fewer residents but much less land, giving it 159 people per square mile.

States with similar densities can have different underlying totals. Colorado and Iowa both list 58 people per square mile, but Colorado has 6.0 million residents across 104,079 square miles while Iowa has 3.2 million across 55,971.

Quick Answers

What is the most densely populated state in the United States?
New Jersey is the most densely populated U.S. state with approximately 1,304 people per square mile. It has 9.6 million residents across 7,354 square miles of land.
What is the least densely populated state?
Alaska is the least densely populated state with approximately 1.3 people per square mile. It has 738,003 residents across 567,695 square miles of land.
What is the population density of the United States?
The average population density of the United States is approximately 95 people per square mile. State values range from 1,304 people per square mile in New Jersey to 1.3 in Alaska.
Why is New Jersey the most densely populated state?
New Jersey is the most densely populated state because 9.6 million people live in 7,354 square miles. That works out to 1,304 people per square mile, ahead of Rhode Island at 1,082.
Is California the most densely populated state?
No, California ranks #11 in population density despite being the most populous state. California has 39.3 million people and 155,517 square miles of land, which works out to 253 people per square mile.
What is the population density of Texas?
Texas has a population density of approximately 123 people per square mile, ranking #22 among states. It has 32.1 million residents and 261,065 square miles of land.
Which region of the United States is most densely populated?
The Northeast has the densest group of states in this ranking. New Jersey, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maryland take the top five spots.

Methodology

Density is population divided by land area, excluding water. Population uses Census 2025 estimates.

Sources

Information is cross-referenced with official state archives.
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