RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51
Most densely populated, US states · 2000
US states ranked by residents per square mile (2023). District of Columbia leads at 9,378. 51 states qualify in total. The top 25 average 697, against an all-states median of 89.
Flip the list · Most sparsely populated, US states →All statesAll rankings
RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000
SHOWING 1–51 OF 51
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 9,378 (2000 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 2000 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 (2000).