RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 500 SHOWN OF 3,125

Most sparsely populated, US counties · 2000

US counties with the fewest residents per square mile (2000). Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska leads at 0. 3,125 counties qualify in total. Alaska carries 11 of the top 25 entries. The median across all 3,125 is 43.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 1990

USUnited States281,421,906242–

01Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, AKAK5,0280−23%

02Lake and Peninsula, AKAK1,3570+9%

03North Slope, AKAK10,5820+24%

04Loving County, TXTX520−37%

05Yakutat, AKAK6720–

06Denali, AKAK1,6160–

07Northwest Arctic, AKAK7,0950+18%

08Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, AKAK7,2700+4%

09Dillingham Census Area, AKAK4,4830+23%

10Esmeralda County, NVNV7290−28%

11Garfield County, MTMT1,1480−20%

12Kenedy County, TXTX3190−10%

13Petroleum County, MTMT5480−5%

14Harding County, NMNM6170−18%

15Aleutians East, AKAK3,4790+9%

16King County, TXTX1920+1%

17Lincoln County, NVNV4,3200+10%

18Bethel Census Area, AKAK18,3910+17%

19Eureka County, NVNV1,8670+7%

20Nome Census Area, AKAK9,8300+11%

21Carter County, MTMT1,3830−10%

22Terrell County, TXTX7020−23%

23Harding County, SDSD1,3311−19%

24Catron County, NMNM3,8271+38%

25Powder River County, MTMT1,7811−11%

26Clark County, IDID7831+34%

27McPherson County, NENE3691−2%

28Arthur County, NENE3961−4%

29Slope County, NDND6281−15%

30Prairie County, MTMT1,1121−13%

31Hinsdale County, COCO7531+69%

32Sioux County, NENE1,1881−5%

33Hudspeth County, TXTX3,4331+15%

34McMullen County, TXTX5441+4%

35McCone County, MTMT1,7201−13%

36Harney County, OROR7,3801+8%

37Billings County, NDND1,0711−20%

38Culberson County, TXTX2,2671−13%

39Meagher County, MTMT2,1371+6%

40Borden County, TXTX5671−9%

41Blaine County, NENE4581−14%

42Treasure County, MTMT7281−1%

43Custer County, IDID4,6361+5%

44Golden Valley County, MTMT8441+14%

45Phillips County, MTMT4,2031−11%

46Wheeler County, OROR1,4721+11%

47Lake County, OROR8,1871+3%

48Garfield County, UTUT5,2561+19%

49Niobrara County, WYWY2,3411−4%

50Kiowa County, COCO1,4121−4%

51Camas County, IDID1,3161+36%

52Mineral County, COCO9101+49%

53Kent County, TXTX6741−15%

54Roberts County, TXTX8671−13%

55Grant County, NENE5611−3%

56De Baca County, NMNM1,6471−1%

57Jeff Davis County, TXTX1,7111+13%

58Jackson County, COCO1,2111−2%

59Wayne County, UTUT2,5871+15%

60Haines, AKAK2,0681+13%

61Edwards County, TXTX1,3701−5%

62Thomas County, NENE6391−14%

63Cherry County, NENE5,5611−3%

64White Pine County, NVNV8,6611−1%

65Lander County, NVNV5,8721−8%

66Hooker County, NENE6861−1%

67Union County, NMNM3,8441+1%

68Banner County, NENE6861−4%

69Pershing County, NVNV6,4211+54%

70Perkins County, SDSD2,8531−14%

71Wibaux County, MTMT8851−10%

72Sublette County, WYWY8,9291+22%

73Haakon County, SDSD1,8021−16%

74Jones County, SDSD9131−10%

75Aleutians West Census Area, AKAK5,2401−42%

76Judith Basin County, MTMT2,1621+2%

77Cheyenne County, COCO1,7131−7%

78Loup County, NENE5701+4%

79Keya Paha County, NENE7921−4%

80Ziebach County, SDSD2,3891+13%

81Butte County, IDID2,7831−1%

82Daggett County, UTUT9341+33%

83Garden County, NENE1,8041−7%

84Mineral County, NVNV4,4071−22%

85Logan County, NENE6691−12%

86Owyhee County, IDID12,6611+27%

87Daniels County, MTMT1,6121−11%

88Brewster County, TXTX9,4581+2%

89San Juan County, COCO8131−25%

90Motley County, TXTX1,0431−7%

91Oldham County, TXTX1,7831−4%

92Crockett County, TXTX2,7691+1%

93Hayes County, NENE8211−13%

94Chouteau County, MTMT5,8652+10%

95Sterling County, TXTX1,3492−3%

96Liberty County, MTMT1,9572−6%

97Kane County, UTUT8,5972+17%

98Wheeler County, NENE7892−7%

99Guadalupe County, NMNM4,3432+13%

100Sully County, SDSD1,4792−2%

101Valley County, MTMT7,3852−7%

102Glasscock County, TXTX1,1282−3%

103Jackson County, SDSD2,6662+4%

104Wheatland County, MTMT2,1002+1%

105Gilliam County, OROR1,9712+12%

106Mellette County, SDSD2,1372−3%

107Alpine County, CACA1,0432+9%

108Granite County, MTMT3,6582+11%

109Blaine County, MTMT6,8602+4%

110Beaverhead County, MTMT10,0432+9%

111Humboldt County, NVNV17,2672+25%

112Irion County, TXTX1,4632+9%

113Corson County, SDSD3,78120%

114Johnson County, WYWY8,9082+15%

115Lemhi County, IDID8,4742+13%

116Grant County, NDND2,2062−20%

117Cimarron County, OKOK2,0592−5%

118Hidalgo County, NMNM3,92920%

119Dolores County, COCO2,4662+23%

120Rock County, NENE1,2592−13%

121Fallon County, MTMT2,9592−9%

122Grant County, OROR7,0752+1%

123Sheridan County, NDND1,2962−20%

124Inyo County, CACA18,1582−2%

125Baca County, COCO3,3472−1%

126Nye County, NVNV57,3362+83%

127Dunn County, NDND4,0582−10%

128Divide County, NDND2,1102−21%

129Millard County, UTUT14,0572+9%

130Idaho County, IDID17,8742+13%

131San Juan County, UTUT14,5422+14%

132Stonewall County, TXTX1,1862−16%

133Rio Blanco County, COCO6,68320%

134Saguache County, COCO6,7322+28%

135Rosebud County, MTMT8,2532−11%

136Piute County, UTUT1,5092+12%

137Presidio County, TXTX5,4332+10%

138Rich County, UTUT2,6872+14%

139Madison County, MTMT10,0262+14%

140Wallace County, KSKS1,4412−4%

141Stanley County, SDSD3,0182+13%

142Golden Valley County, NDND1,8082−9%

143Hyde County, SDSD1,1912−1%

144Sweet Grass County, MTMT3,7622+14%

145Washington County, COCO4,7322+2%

146Greeley County, KSKS1,1822−14%

147Carbon County, WYWY14,0132−6%

148Briscoe County, TXTX1,4742−9%

149Throckmorton County, TXTX1,5542−2%

150Burke County, NDND2,1322−25%

151Kidder County, NDND2,3932−17%

152Crook County, WYWY7,8522+11%

153McKenzie County, NDND15,1922−10%

154Kodiak Island, AKAK12,3872+5%

155Valley County, IDID12,8312+25%

156Cottle County, TXTX1,2242−15%

157Schleicher County, TXTX2,2452−2%

158Wallowa County, OROR7,5952+5%

159Foard County, TXTX1,0442−10%

160Grand County, UTUT9,7902+28%

161Beaver County, UTUT7,3012+26%

162Logan County, NDND1,8592−19%

163Sherman County, OROR2,0512+1%

164Lincoln County, COCO5,6452+34%

165Armstrong County, TXTX1,8432+6%

166Lyman County, SDSD3,6942+7%

167Modoc County, CACA8,4262−2%

168Hettinger County, NDND2,4922−21%

169Matanuska-Susitna, AKAK118,6662+49%

170Musselshell County, MTMT5,5822+10%

171Hodgeman County, KSKS1,6192−4%

172Juab County, UTUT13,5672+42%

173Campbell County, SDSD1,3772−9%

174Emery County, UTUT10,1772+5%

175Hot Springs County, WYWY4,6002+2%

176Sheridan County, MTMT3,4362−13%

177Clark County, KSKS1,9002−1%

178Kinney County, TXTX3,1282+8%

179Dundy County, NENE1,5682−11%

180Comanche County, KSKS1,6732−15%

181Big Horn County, MTMT12,7523+12%

182Sheridan County, NENE4,8093−8%

183Adams County, IDID5,0133+7%

184McPherson County, SDSD2,3473−10%

185Dewey County, SDSD5,4193+8%

186Hand County, SDSD3,1213−12%

187Bristol Bay, AKAK8473−11%

188Menard County, TXTX1,9563+5%

189Adams County, NDND2,2753−18%

190Elko County, NVNV54,8153+35%

191Hamilton County, KSKS2,5003+12%

192Mora County, NMNM4,0513+21%

193Faulk County, SDSD2,1783−4%

194Socorro County, NMNM15,8383+22%

195Fergus County, MTMT11,8253−2%

196Upton County, TXTX3,1313−23%

197Toole County, MTMT5,2113+4%

198Weston County, WYWY6,8403+2%

199Rawlins County, KSKS2,4313−13%

200Moffat County, COCO13,1223+16%

201Bowman County, NDND2,7623−10%

202Sutton County, TXTX3,2033−1%

203Towner County, NDND2,0403−21%

204Reagan County, TXTX3,1663−26%

205Converse County, WYWY13,8243+8%

206Teton County, MTMT6,4963+3%

207Logan County, KSKS2,6613−1%

208Oliver County, NDND1,8983−13%

209Gove County, KSKS2,6313−5%

210Emmons County, NDND3,2153−10%

211Brown County, NENE2,8263−4%

212Ketchikan Gateway, AKAK13,5493+2%

213Renville County, NDND2,3313−17%

214Costilla County, COCO3,6793+15%

215Lane County, KSKS1,5083−9%

216Roger Mills County, OKOK3,2593−17%

217Bennett County, SDSD3,3073+11%

218Dickens County, TXTX1,6923+7%

219Sitka, AKAK8,3193+3%

220Powell County, MTMT7,1573+8%

221Custer County, MTMT12,03430%

222Kenai Peninsula, AKAK61,9513+22%

223Cheyenne County, KSKS2,6043−2%

224Potter County, SDSD2,3773−16%

225Hamilton County, NYNY5,0063+2%

226Sheridan County, KSKS2,4273−8%

227Steele County, NDND1,7973−7%

228Sierra County, NMNM11,3953+34%

229Frontier County, NENE2,65530%

230Mineral County, MTMT5,1853+17%

231Las Animas County, COCO14,3913+10%

232McHenry County, NDND5,1303−8%

233Malheur County, OROR32,2613+21%

234Ness County, KSKS2,6173−14%

235Beaver County, OKOK4,8823−3%

236Cavalier County, NDND3,4973−20%

237Graham County, KSKS2,3713−17%

238Lipscomb County, TXTX2,9553−3%

239Ferry County, WAWA7,5173+15%

240Ellis County, OKOK3,6133−9%

241Garfield County, NENE1,7103−11%

242Lincoln County, IDID5,6033+22%

243Garfield County, WAWA2,4163+7%

244Harper County, OKOK3,1723−12%

245Oneida County, IDID5,0853+18%

246Sherman County, TXTX2,7813+11%

247McIntosh County, NDND2,4513−16%

248Lake of the Woods County, MNMN3,7703+11%

249Collingsworth County, TXTX2,4873−10%

250Boise County, IDID8,5454+90%

251Wichita County, KSKS2,0314−8%

252Pecos County, TXTX14,5604+15%

253Quay County, NMNM8,4544−6%

254Stanton County, KSKS1,9864+3%

255Cook County, MNMN5,5224+34%

256Kimble County, TXTX4,4384+8%

257Lincoln County, WYWY21,1804+15%

258Sweetwater County, WYWY41,2674−3%

259Shackelford County, TXTX3,19740%

260Perkins County, NENE2,8494−5%

261Mountrail County, NDND9,3954−6%

262Clearwater County, IDID9,1184+5%

263Big Horn County, WYWY12,0244+9%

264Broadwater County, MTMT8,4934+32%

265Sioux County, NDND3,6674+8%

266Hemphill County, TXTX3,0834−10%

267Washakie County, WYWY7,5974−1%

268Sanders County, MTMT14,0624+18%

269Kit Carson County, COCO7,0694+12%

270Park County, WYWY31,1714+11%

271Sierra County, CACA3,0984+7%

272Trego County, KSKS2,7404−10%

273Colfax County, NMNM12,1844+10%

274Nelson County, NDND2,9634−16%

275Hartley County, TXTX4,9044+52%

276Dawson County, MTMT8,6924−5%

277Morrill County, NENE4,40440%

278Edmunds County, SDSD4,02240%

279Decatur County, KSKS2,7164−14%

280Griggs County, NDND2,2394−17%

281Fremont County, WYWY39,4644+6%

282Chase County, KSKS2,57240%

283La Salle County, TXTX6,5174+12%

284Pondera County, MTMT6,07240%

285Bent County, COCO5,7164+19%

286Tripp County, SDSD5,7084−7%

287Wells County, NDND3,7294−13%

288Lincoln County, NMNM19,8444+59%

289Mason County, TXTX3,9904+9%

290Concho County, TXTX3,6074+30%

291Butte County, SDSD10,8564+15%

292Trinity County, CACA15,72040%

293LaMoure County, NDND4,1354−13%

294Donley County, TXTX3,2134+4%

295Dallam County, TXTX7,5084+14%

296Caribou County, IDID7,2524+5%

297Yuma County, COCO9,8964+10%

298Jewell County, KSKS2,8304−11%

299Mono County, CACA12,5054+29%

300Platte County, WYWY8,6344+8%

301Coke County, TXTX3,4124+13%

302Keweenaw County, MIMI2,1864+35%

303Hall County, TXTX2,7374−3%

304Fall River County, SDSD7,4674+1%

305Bottineau County, NDND6,2844−11%

306Kimball County, NENE3,39140%

307Gunnison County, COCO17,4394+36%

308Buffalo County, SDSD1,8024+16%

309Aurora County, SDSD2,8014−2%

310Clark County, SDSD4,0314−6%

311Piscataquis County, MEME17,4094−8%

312Real County, TXTX2,7454+26%

313Jerauld County, SDSD1,6544−5%

314Eddy County, NDND2,3294−7%

315Hitchcock County, NENE2,4674−17%

316La Paz County, AZAZ16,7114+42%

317Lincoln County, WAWA11,9824+15%

318McLean County, NDND9,7404−11%

319Glacier County, MTMT13,4634+9%

320Duchesne County, UTUT20,8564+14%

321Roosevelt County, MTMT10,2425−3%

322Boyd County, NENE1,6745−14%

323Kiowa County, KSKS2,4325−10%

324Chase County, NENE3,7185−7%

325Stillwater County, MTMT9,4455+25%

326Teton County, WYWY23,3335+63%

327Custer County, NENE10,5005−4%

328Pierce County, NDND3,8385−7%

329Koochiching County, MNMN11,5875−12%

330Richland County, MTMT11,3775−10%

331Greenlee County, AZAZ9,3125+7%

332Jim Hogg County, TXTX4,5555+3%

333Carbon County, MTMT11,4665+18%

334Custer County, SDSD9,4315+18%

335Gosper County, NENE1,8035+11%

336Columbia County, WAWA4,1415+1%

337Barber County, KSKS4,0835−10%

338Sanborn County, SDSD2,3885−6%

339Baylor County, TXTX3,4725−7%

340Gregory County, SDSD4,0375−11%

341Meade County, KSKS3,8525+9%

342Custer County, COCO5,5905+82%

343Dewey County, OKOK4,2075−15%

344Greeley County, NENE2,1545−10%

345Deuel County, NENE1,8625−6%

346Holt County, NENE10,0675−8%

347Morton County, KSKS2,47050%

348Kittson County, MNMN4,0315−8%

349Cochran County, TXTX2,5465−15%

350Fisher County, TXTX3,6925−10%

351Churchill County, NVNV25,8515+34%

352Huerfano County, COCO7,0115+31%

353Rush County, KSKS2,8455−8%

354Spink County, SDSD6,1555−7%

355Lincoln County, KSKS2,8615−2%

356Reeves County, TXTX12,1385−17%

357Osborne County, KSKS3,2855−9%

358Knox County, TXTX3,1925−12%

359Sedgwick County, COCO2,2475+2%

360Benson County, NDND5,7595−3%

361Torrance County, NMNM16,1005+64%

362Miner County, SDSD2,2815−12%

363Elk County, KSKS2,4585−2%

364Smith County, KSKS3,5665−11%

365Sargent County, NDND3,7115−4%

366Dickey County, NDND4,8955−6%

367Crane County, TXTX4,5545−14%

368San Miguel County, COCO7,7535+81%

369Grant County, OKOK4,0675−10%

370Martin County, TXTX5,2845−4%

371Kearny County, KSKS3,8885+13%

372Lincoln County, MTMT22,3285+8%

373Shoshone County, IDID14,1305−1%

374Lake County, MNMN10,7465+6%

375Power County, IDID8,2465+6%

376Morrow County, OROR12,6025+44%

377San Saba County, TXTX5,7875+15%

378Garza County, TXTX4,5105−5%

379Baker County, OROR16,6585+9%

380Marshall County, SDSD4,4265−6%

381Issaquena County, MSMS1,2636+19%

382Edwards County, KSKS2,6406−9%

383Park County, MTMT18,2146+8%

384Uintah County, UTUT38,2786+14%

385Goshen County, WYWY12,6406+1%

386Cibola County, NMNM26,8076+8%

387Marshall County, MNMN8,7986−8%

388Hill County, MTMT16,1676−6%

389Wheeler County, TXTX4,7736−10%

390Tooele County, UTUT87,4616+53%

391Hansford County, TXTX4,9446−8%

392Sherman County, NENE2,9246−11%

393Foster County, NDND3,2126−6%

394Skamania County, WAWA12,6696+19%

395Ontonagon County, MIMI5,8236−12%

396Stafford County, KSKS4,0056−11%

397Jefferson County, MTMT13,3296+27%

398Day County, SDSD5,4846−10%

399Highland County, VAVA2,3186−4%

400Harmon County, OKOK2,3276−13%

401Apache County, AZAZ64,4456+13%

402Franklin County, NENE2,7956−9%

403Coconino County, AZAZ144,3686+20%

404Fremont County, IDID14,2086+8%

405San Miguel County, NMNM26,2606+17%

406Rooks County, KSKS4,6466−6%

407Sherman County, KSKS5,7636−2%

408Crook County, OROR27,5646+36%

409Dawes County, NENE7,85860%

410Phillips County, COCO4,4207+7%

411Todd County, SDSD8,8637+8%

412Conejos County, COCO7,5297+13%

413Brule County, SDSD5,2787−2%

414Bear Lake County, IDID6,7277+5%

415Park County, COCO18,3147+102%

416Greenwood County, KSKS5,8267−2%

417Grand County, COCO16,4967+56%

418Haskell County, TXTX5,4997−11%

419Phillips County, KSKS4,7287−9%

420Norton County, KSKS5,28870%

421Gray County, KSKS5,6527+9%

422Hardeman County, TXTX3,2927−11%

423Chautauqua County, KSKS3,3217−1%

424Ransom County, NDND5,6177−1%

425Harlan County, NENE3,0007−1%

426Washington County, IDID11,5837+17%

427Mills County, TXTX4,5807+14%

428Ouray County, COCO5,2657+63%

429Kingsbury County, SDSD5,2847−2%

430Meade County, SDSD30,7117+11%

431Crowley County, COCO5,6777+40%

432Campbell County, WYWY48,1457+15%

433Rio Arriba County, NMNM39,8327+20%

434Alfalfa County, OKOK5,6497−5%

435Siskiyou County, CACA42,0137+2%

436Webster County, NENE3,3367−5%

437Woods County, OKOK8,44370%

438Carson County, TXTX5,8057−1%

439Scott County, KSKS4,8157−3%

440Pawnee County, NENE2,5107−7%

441Blaine County, IDID25,5177+40%

442Traverse County, MNMN3,1307−7%

443Deuel County, SDSD4,4087−1%

444Hanson County, SDSD3,4567+5%

445Washington County, KSKS5,5337−8%

446Graham County, AZAZ40,1577+26%

447Coleman County, TXTX7,9157−5%

448Duval County, TXTX9,4027+2%

449Archuleta County, COCO14,3067+85%

450Lynn County, TXTX6,0177−3%

451Roosevelt County, NMNM18,6157+8%

452Box Elder County, UTUT65,3207+17%

453Furnas County, NENE4,5247−4%

454Lassen County, CACA28,1177+23%

455Haskell County, KSKS3,5997+11%

456Albany County, WYWY38,5587+4%

457Stevens County, KSKS4,9848+8%

458Okanogan County, WAWA45,2308+19%

459Schoolcraft County, MIMI8,1878+7%

460Woodson County, KSKS3,1188−8%

461Thomas County, KSKS7,7258−1%

462Pembina County, NDND6,5688−7%

463McCulloch County, TXTX7,4728−7%

464Dimmit County, TXTX8,0248−2%

465Cameron Parish, LALA4,7188+8%

466Boundary County, IDID13,9978+18%

467Luce County, MIMI6,3398+22%

468Lewis County, IDID3,7048+7%

469Grant County, NMNM27,2528+12%

470Floyd County, TXTX4,8818−9%

471Crosby County, TXTX4,8528−3%

472Barnes County, NDND10,5738−6%

473Major County, OKOK7,5368−6%

474Bailey County, TXTX6,9638−7%

475Douglas County, SDSD2,8888−8%

476Goliad County, TXTX7,2088+16%

477Republic County, KSKS4,6408−10%

478Plumas County, CACA18,5838+5%

479Harper County, KSKS5,3708−8%

480Valley County, NENE4,0948−10%

481Cheyenne County, NENE9,5288+4%

482Reynolds County, MOMO5,99280%

483Mercer County, MOMO3,4048+1%

484Mercer County, NDND8,4418−12%

485Shannon County, MOMO7,2858+9%

486Russell County, KSKS6,5818−6%

487Routt County, COCO25,3298+40%

488Cassia County, IDID26,3978+10%

489Keith County, NENE8,1008+3%

490Pushmataha County, OKOK10,8078+6%

491Pend Oreille County, WAWA14,4578+32%

492Aitkin County, MNMN16,2528+23%

493Liberty County, FLFL8,0358+26%

494Clearwater County, MNMN8,6478+1%

495Luna County, NMNM25,4078+38%

496Clinch County, GAGA6,8478+12%

497Walworth County, SDSD5,2178−2%

498Brooks County, TXTX6,5798−3%

499Knox County, NENE8,3358−2%

500Charles Mix County, SDSD9,3039+2%

SHOWING 1–500 OF 3,125

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Download CSV (full list, 3,125 rows)

UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS

Frequently asked

Which county has the lowest population density?

Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska ranks #1 with 0 (2000 Decennial Census).

What are the top 5 counties by population density?

Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, Lake and Peninsula, Alaska, North Slope, Alaska, Loving County, Texas, Yakutat, Alaska.

How many counties are in this ranking?

3,125 counties qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2000 Decennial Census data.

How is population density measured?

Residents per square mile of land area. Source: US Census Bureau, 2000 Decennial Census.