RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 62 SHOWN OF 62

Most sparsely populated, New York counties · 1990

New York counties with the fewest residents per square mile (2023). This list covers the 62 counties in New York that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

RELATEDLargest by population Fastest growing Fastest shrinking Most densely populated Best broadband access Worst broadband access

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Hamilton County, NYNY5,0063−2%

02Essex County, NYNY36,43821−4%

03Lewis County, NYNY26,47921−1%

04Franklin County, NYNY46,50029−9%

05Delaware County, NYNY44,30533−2%

06St. Lawrence County, NYNY105,48842+0%

07Herkimer County, NYNY59,21947+2%

08Allegany County, NYNY46,80049+1%

09Schoharie County, NYNY30,17651+1%

10Schuyler County, NYNY16,92457−3%

11Chenango County, NYNY45,71558+1%

12Otsego County, NYNY60,58960−2%

13Cattaraugus County, NYNY75,39064+0%

14Yates County, NYNY24,54767−7%

15Warren County, NYNY65,02068−6%

16Greene County, NYNY47,23869−7%

17Steuben County, NYNY91,85571+0%

18Washington County, NYNY59,35371−3%

19Sullivan County, NYNY80,58672−6%

20Wyoming County, NYNY39,74172−2%

21Clinton County, NYNY78,13883+8%

22Jefferson County, NYNY111,54087−1%

23Cortland County, NYNY45,85098+1%

24Livingston County, NYNY61,43899−3%

25Columbia County, NYNY60,16899−0%

26Tioga County, NYNY47,453101+1%

27Seneca County, NYNY32,883104+1%

28Madison County, NYNY67,120106−0%

29Orleans County, NYNY39,825107−5%

30Fulton County, NYNY52,216109−2%

31Cayuga County, NYNY74,365119+0%

32Genesee County, NYNY58,416122−1%

33Oswego County, NYNY118,569128−0%

34Montgomery County, NYNY50,046129+5%

35Chautauqua County, NYNY124,126134+2%

36Ulster County, NYNY183,330147−7%

37Wayne County, NYNY91,250148−5%

38Ontario County, NYNY113,130148−5%

39Tompkins County, NYNY104,047198−2%

40Oneida County, NYNY226,392207+7%

41Saratoga County, NYNY241,343224−10%

42Chemung County, NYNY80,415234+5%

43Rensselaer County, NYNY160,510237+1%

44Broome County, NYNY195,736301+6%

45Dutchess County, NYNY300,708326−7%

46Putnam County, NYNY99,028365−12%

47Orange County, NYNY417,669379−10%

48Niagara County, NYNY208,912423+0%

49Albany County, NYNY321,225560−1%

50Onondaga County, NYNY466,584602+2%

51Schenectady County, NYNY162,581729+2%

52Erie County, NYNY946,741929+2%

53Monroe County, NYNY750,5061,087−3%

54Suffolk County, NYNY1,546,0901,451−7%

55Rockland County, NYNY357,3971,528−7%

56Westchester County, NYNY1,015,7432,031−5%

57Nassau County, NYNY1,398,9394,524−4%

58Richmond County, NYNY501,2906,588−15%

59Queens County, NYNY2,358,18217,950−12%

60Bronx County, NYNY1,406,33228,542−10%

61Kings County, NYNY2,653,96333,162−7%

62New York County, NYNY1,664,86265,652−3%

SHOWING 1–62 OF 62

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