RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Most densely populated, US states · 2020

US states ranked by residents per square mile (2023). District of Columbia leads at 11,304. 51 states qualify in total. The top 25 average 814, against an all-states median of 109.

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SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01District of Columbia, DCDC681,29411,304+21%

02New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,8091,263+10%

03Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,8011,061+5%

04Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,056901+11%

05Connecticut, CTCT3,624,508745+6%

06Maryland, MDMD6,206,011636+17%

07Delaware, DEDE1,021,191508+26%

08New York, NYNY19,852,366429+6%

09Florida, FLFL22,416,077402+35%

10Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,639291+6%

11Ohio, OHOH11,810,293289+4%

12California, CACA39,287,377254+17%

13Illinois, ILIL12,694,798231+3%

14Hawaii, HIHI1,445,235227+20%

15Virginia, VAVA8,705,170219+22%

16North Carolina, NCNC10,730,404215+30%

17Indiana, ININ6,851,073189+12%

18Georgia, GAGA10,940,407186+31%

19Michigan, MIMI10,077,761178+1%

20South Carolina, SCSC5,296,225170+28%

21Tennessee, TNTN7,066,383168+21%

22New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,868154+11%

23Washington, WAWA7,816,116116+31%

24Kentucky, KYKY4,534,824114+11%

25Texas, TXTX30,188,424112+40%

26Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,872109+10%

27Louisiana, LALA4,611,961108+4%

28Alabama, ALAL5,086,76899+13%

29Missouri, MOMO6,191,81490+10%

30West Virginia, WVWV1,778,37375−1%

31Minnesota, MNMN5,739,44572+16%

32Vermont, VTVT647,10670+6%

33Mississippi, MSMS2,946,77963+4%

34Arizona, AZAZ7,378,83863+39%

35Arkansas, ARAR3,049,39158+13%

36Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,63458+15%

37Iowa, IAIA3,210,50757+9%

38Colorado, COCO5,862,18956+34%

39Maine, MEME1,387,81744+7%

40Oregon, OROR4,254,29344+24%

41Utah, UTUT3,392,33140+47%

42Kansas, KSKS2,947,19736+9%

43Nevada, NVNV3,184,61228+55%

44Nebraska, NENE1,978,70726+15%

45Idaho, IDID1,934,26222+42%

46New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24617+16%

47South Dakota, SDSD907,42812+17%

48North Dakota, NDND784,84111+21%

49Montana, MTMT1,116,8757+20%

50Wyoming, WYWY582,3976+17%

51Alaska, AKAK735,7061+17%

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

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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 11,304 (2020 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 2020 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 (2020).