RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Most densely populated, US states · 1990

US states ranked by residents per square mile (2023). District of Columbia leads at 9,949. 51 states qualify in total. The top 25 average 694, against an all-states median of 80.

Flip the list · Most sparsely populated, US states →

All statesAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01District of Columbia, DCDC681,2949,949+6%

02New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,8091,051−8%

03Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,801970−4%

04Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,056771−5%

05Connecticut, CTCT3,624,508679−3%

06Maryland, MDMD6,206,011493−10%

07New York, NYNY19,852,366382−5%

08Delaware, DEDE1,021,191342−15%

09Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,639266−3%

10Ohio, OHOH11,810,293265−4%

11Florida, FLFL22,416,077241−19%

12Illinois, ILIL12,694,798206−8%

13California, CACA39,287,377191−12%

14Hawaii, HIHI1,445,235173−9%

15Michigan, MIMI10,077,761164−6%

16Virginia, VAVA8,705,170157−13%

17Indiana, ININ6,851,073155−9%

18North Carolina, NCNC10,730,404136−18%

19New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,868124−10%

20Tennessee, TNTN7,066,383118−14%

21South Carolina, SCSC5,296,225116−13%

22Georgia, GAGA10,940,407113−21%

23Louisiana, LALA4,611,96198−6%

24Kentucky, KYKY4,534,82493−9%

25Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,87290−9%

26Alabama, ALAL5,086,76880−9%

27West Virginia, WVWV1,778,37375−1%

28Missouri, MOMO6,191,81474−9%

29Washington, WAWA7,816,11673−17%

30Texas, TXTX30,188,42465−19%

31Vermont, VTVT647,10661−8%

32Minnesota, MNMN5,739,44555−11%

33Mississippi, MSMS2,946,77955−10%

34Iowa, IAIA3,210,50750−5%

35Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,63446−9%

36Arkansas, ARAR3,049,39145−12%

37Maine, MEME1,387,81740−4%

38Arizona, AZAZ7,378,83832−29%

39Colorado, COCO5,862,18932−23%

40Kansas, KSKS2,947,19730−8%

41Oregon, OROR4,254,29330−17%

42Utah, UTUT3,392,33121−23%

43Nebraska, NENE1,978,70721−8%

44New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24612−17%

45Idaho, IDID1,934,26212−22%

46Nevada, NVNV3,184,61211−40%

47North Dakota, NDND784,8419−1%

48South Dakota, SDSD907,4289−8%

49Montana, MTMT1,116,8755−11%

50Wyoming, WYWY582,3975−8%

51Alaska, AKAK735,7061−12%

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

Download CSV (full list, 51 rows)

UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES

Frequently asked

Which state has the highest population density?

District of Columbia ranks #1 with 9,949 (1990 American Community Survey).

What are the top 5 states by population density?

District of Columbia, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut.

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 1990 ACS 5-year data.

How is population density measured?

Residents per square mile of land area. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (1990).