RANKING · 2010 CENSUS · 500 SHOWN OF 3,131

Most sparsely populated, US counties · 2010

US counties with the fewest residents per square mile (2023). Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska leads at 0. 3,131 counties qualify in total. Alaska carries 12 of the top 25 entries.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, AKAK5,0280−15%

02Lake and Peninsula, AKAK1,3570−11%

03Yakutat, AKAK6720−18%

04North Slope, AKAK10,5820+28%

05Loving County, TXTX520+22%

06Denali, AKAK1,6160−4%

07Northwest Arctic, AKAK7,0950+4%

08Esmeralda County, NVNV7290−19%

09Garfield County, MTMT1,1480−6%

10Dillingham Census Area, AKAK4,4830−2%

11Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, AKAK7,2700+14%

12Kenedy County, TXTX3190+0%

13Petroleum County, MTMT5480+0%

14King County, TXTX1920−20%

15Harding County, NMNM6170−14%

16Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, AKAK2,2710–

17Carter County, MTMT1,3830−15%

18Nome Census Area, AKAK9,8300+3%

19Terrell County, TXTX7020−9%

20Bethel Census Area, AKAK18,3910+6%

21Aleutians East, AKAK3,4790+16%

22Harding County, SDSD1,3310−7%

23Eureka County, NVNV1,8670+20%

24Lincoln County, NVNV4,3201+28%

25Powder River County, MTMT1,7811−6%

26Catron County, NMNM3,8271+5%

27Clark County, IDID7831−4%

28Slope County, NDND6281−5%

29McMullen County, TXTX5441−17%

30McPherson County, NENE3691+1%

31Culberson County, TXTX2,2671−19%

32Sioux County, NENE1,1881−11%

33Arthur County, NENE3961+4%

34McCone County, MTMT1,7201−12%

35Blaine County, NENE4581−18%

36Prairie County, MTMT1,1121−2%

37Billings County, NDND1,0711−12%

38Borden County, TXTX5671−12%

39Harney County, OROR7,3801−2%

40Treasure County, MTMT7281−17%

41Golden Valley County, MTMT8441−15%

42Hinsdale County, COCO7531+7%

43Hudspeth County, TXTX3,4331+4%

44Grant County, NENE5611−18%

45Meagher County, MTMT2,1371−2%

46Kiowa County, COCO1,4121−14%

47Mineral County, COCO9101−14%

48Phillips County, MTMT4,2031−8%

49Wheeler County, OROR1,4721−7%

50Jackson County, COCO1,2111−12%

51De Baca County, NMNM1,6471−10%

52Custer County, IDID4,6361+1%

53Kent County, TXTX6741−6%

54Thomas County, NENE6391−11%

55Banner County, NENE6861−16%

56Wrangell, AKAK2,0071–

57Edwards County, TXTX1,3701−7%

58Niobrara County, WYWY2,3411+3%

59Cherry County, NENE5,5611−7%

60Lake County, OROR8,1871+6%

61Garfield County, UTUT5,2561+9%

62Roberts County, TXTX8671+5%

63Hooker County, NENE6861−6%

64Cheyenne County, COCO1,7131−18%

65Jeff Davis County, TXTX1,7111+6%

66Jones County, SDSD9131−16%

67Perkins County, SDSD2,8531−11%

68Camas County, IDID1,3161+13%

69Lander County, NVNV5,8721−0%

70Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, AKAK5,7771–

71Keya Paha County, NENE7921−16%

72Haakon County, SDSD1,8021−12%

73Haines, AKAK2,0681+5%

74Judith Basin County, MTMT2,1621−11%

75Pershing County, NVNV6,4211+1%

76Loup County, NENE5701−11%

77White Pine County, NVNV8,6611+9%

78Wayne County, UTUT2,5871+11%

79Wibaux County, MTMT8851−5%

80Union County, NMNM3,8441+9%

81Garden County, NENE1,8041−10%

82Motley County, TXTX1,0431−15%

83Daniels County, MTMT1,6121−13%

84Sterling County, TXTX1,3491−18%

85Aleutians West Census Area, AKAK5,2401+2%

86Mineral County, NVNV4,4071−6%

87Butte County, IDID2,7831−0%

88Petersburg, AKAK3,3941–

89Crockett County, TXTX2,7691−9%

90Logan County, NENE6691−1%

91Cimarron County, OKOK2,0591−21%

92Hayes County, NENE8211−9%

93Sheridan County, NDND1,2961−23%

94Glasscock County, TXTX1,1281−13%

95Sully County, SDSD1,4791−12%

96Oldham County, TXTX1,7831−6%

97Wheeler County, NENE7891−8%

98Hidalgo County, NMNM3,9291−17%

99Ziebach County, SDSD2,3891+11%

100Grant County, NDND2,2061−16%

101Chouteau County, MTMT5,8651−3%

102Baca County, COCO3,3471−16%

103Brewster County, TXTX9,4581+4%

104Valley County, MTMT7,3851−4%

105Owyhee County, IDID12,6612+8%

106Rock County, NENE1,2592−13%

107Daggett County, UTUT9342+15%

108Irion County, TXTX1,4632−10%

109Wheatland County, MTMT2,1002−4%

110Blaine County, MTMT6,8602−7%

111Guadalupe County, NMNM4,3432+0%

112Gilliam County, OROR1,9712−2%

113Mellette County, SDSD2,1372−2%

114Alpine County, CACA1,0432−3%

115Greeley County, KSKS1,1822−19%

116Wallace County, KSKS1,4412−15%

117Stonewall County, TXTX1,1862−12%

118Jackson County, SDSD2,6662+3%

119Liberty County, MTMT1,9572+8%

120Corson County, SDSD3,7812−3%

121Divide County, NDND2,1102−9%

122Grant County, OROR7,0752−6%

123Hyde County, SDSD1,1912−15%

124Beaverhead County, MTMT10,0432+0%

125Cottle County, TXTX1,2242−21%

126Golden Valley County, NDND1,8082−13%

127Humboldt County, NVNV17,2672+3%

128Lemhi County, IDID8,4742+2%

129Dunn County, NDND4,0582−2%

130Granite County, MTMT3,6582+9%

131Burke County, NDND2,1322−12%

132Fallon County, MTMT2,9592+2%

133Kane County, UTUT8,5972+18%

134Throckmorton County, TXTX1,5542−11%

135Kidder County, NDND2,3932−12%

136San Juan County, COCO8132+25%

137Inyo County, CACA18,1582+3%

138Briscoe County, TXTX1,4742−9%

139Millard County, UTUT14,0572+1%

140Rosebud County, MTMT8,2532−2%

141San Juan County, UTUT14,5422+2%

142Foard County, TXTX1,0442−18%

143Washington County, COCO4,7322−2%

144Idaho County, IDID17,8742+5%

145Saguache County, COCO6,7322+3%

146Dolores County, COCO2,4662+12%

147Sweet Grass County, MTMT3,7622+1%

148Campbell County, SDSD1,3772−18%

149Logan County, NDND1,8592−14%

150Carbon County, WYWY14,0132+2%

151Sheridan County, MTMT3,4362−18%

152Presidio County, TXTX5,4332+7%

153Kodiak Island, AKAK12,3872−2%

154Piute County, UTUT1,5092+8%

155Stanley County, SDSD3,0182+7%

156Johnson County, WYWY8,9082+21%

157Bristol Bay, AKAK8472−21%

158Rio Blanco County, COCO6,6832+11%

159Armstrong County, TXTX1,8432−11%

160Sublette County, WYWY8,9292+73%

161Lincoln County, COCO5,6452−10%

162Sherman County, OROR2,0512−9%

163Madison County, MTMT10,0262+12%

164McPherson County, SDSD2,3472−15%

165Dundy County, NENE1,5682−12%

166Hettinger County, NDND2,4922−9%

167Towner County, NDND2,0402−22%

168Rich County, UTUT2,6872+15%

169Wallowa County, OROR7,5952−3%

170Hodgeman County, KSKS1,6192−8%

171Skagway, AKAK1,1042–

172Sheridan County, NENE4,8092−12%

173Clark County, KSKS1,9002−7%

174Lyman County, SDSD3,6942−4%

175Dewey County, SDSD5,4192−11%

176McKenzie County, NDND15,1922+11%

177Emmons County, NDND3,2152−18%

178Rawlins County, KSKS2,4312−15%

179Adams County, NDND2,2752−10%

180Hand County, SDSD3,1212−8%

181Comanche County, KSKS1,6732−4%

182Hot Springs County, WYWY4,6002−1%

183Faulk County, SDSD2,1782−10%

184Nye County, NVNV57,3362+35%

185Musselshell County, MTMT5,5822+1%

186Lane County, KSKS1,5082−19%

187Modoc County, CACA8,4262+3%

188Emery County, UTUT10,1772+1%

189Crook County, WYWY7,8522+20%

190Menard County, TXTX1,9562−5%

191Grand County, UTUT9,7903+9%

192Gove County, KSKS2,6313−12%

193Mora County, NMNM4,0513−6%

194Oliver County, NDND1,8983−11%

195Beaver County, UTUT7,3013+10%

196Logan County, KSKS2,6613−10%

197Big Horn County, MTMT12,7523+2%

198Brown County, NENE2,8263−11%

199Schleicher County, TXTX2,2453+18%

200Kinney County, TXTX3,1283+6%

201Fergus County, MTMT11,8253−3%

202Cheyenne County, KSKS2,6043−14%

203Teton County, MTMT6,4963−6%

204Cavalier County, NDND3,4973−17%

205Socorro County, NMNM15,8383−1%

206Valley County, IDID12,8313+29%

207Hamilton County, KSKS2,5003+1%

208Upton County, TXTX3,1313−1%

209Potter County, SDSD2,3773−14%

210Dickens County, TXTX1,6923−12%

211Bowman County, NDND2,7623−3%

212Steele County, NDND1,7973−13%

213Ketchikan Gateway, AKAK13,5493−4%

214Toole County, MTMT5,2113+1%

215Renville County, NDND2,3313−5%

216Hamilton County, NYNY5,0063−10%

217Frontier County, NENE2,6553−11%

218Sutton County, TXTX3,2033+1%

219Elko County, NVNV54,8153+8%

220Sheridan County, KSKS2,4273−9%

221Reagan County, TXTX3,1663+1%

222Sierra County, NMNM11,3953−10%

223Costilla County, COCO3,6793−4%

224McHenry County, NDND5,1303−10%

225McIntosh County, NDND2,4513−17%

226Graham County, KSKS2,3713−12%

227Ness County, KSKS2,6173−10%

228Bennett County, SDSD3,3073−4%

229Moffat County, COCO13,1223+5%

230Adams County, IDID5,0133+14%

231Weston County, WYWY6,8403+8%

232Juab County, UTUT13,5673+24%

233Powell County, MTMT7,1573−2%

234Custer County, MTMT12,0343+0%

235Sitka, AKAK8,3193+1%

236Beaver County, OKOK4,8823−4%

237Wichita County, KSKS2,0313−12%

238Lake of the Woods County, MNMN3,7703−11%

239Quay County, NMNM8,4543−11%

240Malheur County, OROR32,2613−1%

241Nelson County, NDND2,9633−16%

242Garfield County, WAWA2,4163−5%

243Roger Mills County, OKOK3,2593+6%

244Las Animas County, COCO14,3913+2%

245Converse County, WYWY13,8243+15%

246Pecos County, TXTX14,5603−8%

247Stanton County, KSKS1,9863−7%

248Sherman County, TXTX2,7813−5%

249Wells County, NDND3,7293−18%

250Decatur County, KSKS2,7163−15%

251Collingsworth County, TXTX2,4873−5%

252Perkins County, NENE2,8493−7%

253Ellis County, OKOK3,6133+2%

254Trego County, KSKS2,7403−10%

255Jewell County, KSKS2,8303−19%

256Sierra County, CACA3,0983−9%

257Issaquena County, MSMS1,2633−38%

258Griggs County, NDND2,2393−12%

259Ferry County, WAWA7,5173+4%

260Kenai Peninsula, AKAK61,9513+11%

261Mineral County, MTMT5,1853+9%

262Tripp County, SDSD5,7084−12%

263Kiowa County, KSKS2,4324−22%

264Morrill County, NENE4,4044−7%

265Lipscomb County, TXTX2,9554+8%

266Harper County, OKOK3,1724+3%

267Cook County, MNMN5,5224+0%

268Clearwater County, IDID9,1184−2%

269Oneida County, IDID5,0854+4%

270Garfield County, NENE1,7104+8%

271Matanuska-Susitna, AKAK118,6664+50%

272Chase County, KSKS2,5724−8%

273LaMoure County, NDND4,1354−12%

274Edmunds County, SDSD4,0224−7%

275Coke County, TXTX3,4124−14%

276Colfax County, NMNM12,1844−3%

277Kimble County, TXTX4,4384+3%

278Shackelford County, TXTX3,1974+2%

279Boise County, IDID8,5454+5%

280Big Horn County, WYWY12,0244+2%

281Dawson County, MTMT8,6924−1%

282Eddy County, NDND2,3294−13%

283Pondera County, MTMT6,0724−4%

284Hall County, TXTX2,7374−11%

285Sioux County, NDND3,6674+3%

286Washakie County, WYWY7,5974+3%

287Aurora County, SDSD2,8014−11%

288Kit Carson County, COCO7,0694+3%

289Bottineau County, NDND6,2844−10%

290Clark County, SDSD4,0314−11%

291Boyd County, NENE1,6744−14%

292Jerauld County, SDSD1,6544−10%

293Caribou County, IDID7,2524−5%

294Donley County, TXTX3,2134−4%

295Keweenaw County, MIMI2,1864−6%

296Kimball County, NENE3,3914−7%

297Cochran County, TXTX2,5464−16%

298Buffalo County, SDSD1,8024−6%

299Park County, WYWY31,1714+9%

300Fall River County, SDSD7,4674−5%

301Hitchcock County, NENE2,4674−7%

302Sanders County, MTMT14,0624+12%

303Sanborn County, SDSD2,3884−12%

304Kittson County, MNMN4,0314−14%

305Hartley County, TXTX4,9044+9%

306Concho County, TXTX3,6074+3%

307Platte County, WYWY8,6344−2%

308Miner County, SDSD2,2814−17%

309Hemphill County, TXTX3,0834+14%

310Sweetwater County, WYWY41,2674+16%

311Mountrail County, NDND9,3954+16%

312Gregory County, SDSD4,0374−11%

313Huerfano County, COCO7,0114−15%

314Lincoln County, NMNM19,8444+6%

315McLean County, NDND9,7404−4%

316Custer County, NENE10,5004−7%

317Yuma County, COCO9,8964+2%

318Spink County, SDSD6,1554−14%

319Pierce County, NDND3,8384−7%

320Barber County, KSKS4,0834−8%

321Koochiching County, MNMN11,5874−7%

322Baylor County, TXTX3,4724−9%

323Bent County, COCO5,7164+8%

324Smith County, KSKS3,5664−15%

325Mason County, TXTX3,9904+7%

326Osborne County, KSKS3,2854−13%

327Holt County, NENE10,0674−10%

328Lincoln County, IDID5,6034+29%

329Trinity County, CACA15,7204+6%

330Sedgwick County, COCO2,2474−13%

331Fremont County, WYWY39,4644+12%

332Knox County, TXTX3,1924−13%

333Deuel County, NENE1,8624−7%

334Fisher County, TXTX3,6924−9%

335Piscataquis County, MEME17,4094+2%

336Roosevelt County, MTMT10,2424−2%

337Morton County, KSKS2,4704−8%

338Chase County, NENE3,7184−3%

339Lincoln County, WYWY21,1804+24%

340Greeley County, NENE2,1544−6%

341Dallam County, TXTX7,5084+8%

342Sargent County, NDND3,7114−12%

343Gosper County, NENE1,8034−5%

344Elk County, KSKS2,4584−12%

345Glacier County, MTMT13,4634+1%

346Butte County, SDSD10,8564+11%

347Lincoln County, KSKS2,8615−9%

348Grant County, OKOK4,0675−12%

349La Paz County, AZAZ16,7115+4%

350Kearny County, KSKS3,8885−12%

351Lincoln County, WAWA11,9825+4%

352Greenlee County, AZAZ9,3125−1%

353Rush County, KSKS2,8455−7%

354La Salle County, TXTX6,5175+17%

355Mono County, CACA12,5055+10%

356Jim Hogg County, TXTX4,5555+0%

357Dickey County, NDND4,8955−8%

358Richland County, MTMT11,3775+1%

359Meade County, KSKS3,8525−1%

360Columbia County, WAWA4,1415+0%

361Broadwater County, MTMT8,4935+28%

362Gunnison County, COCO17,4395+10%

363Real County, TXTX2,7455+9%

364Benson County, NDND5,7595−4%

365Dewey County, OKOK4,2075+1%

366Shoshone County, IDID14,1305−7%

367Edwards County, KSKS2,6405−12%

368Torrance County, NMNM16,1005−3%

369Carbon County, MTMT11,4665+6%

370Churchill County, NVNV25,8515+4%

371Stillwater County, MTMT9,4455+11%

372Lake County, MNMN10,7465−2%

373Ontonagon County, MIMI5,8235−13%

374Reeves County, TXTX12,1385+5%

375Martin County, TXTX5,2845+1%

376Baker County, OROR16,6585−4%

377Foster County, NDND3,2125−11%

378Custer County, SDSD9,4315+13%

379Marshall County, MNMN8,7985−7%

380Cameron Parish, LALA4,7185−32%

381Teton County, WYWY23,3335+17%

382San Saba County, TXTX5,7875−1%

383Harmon County, OKOK2,3275−11%

384Lincoln County, MTMT22,3285+5%

385Morrow County, OROR12,6026+2%

386Hill County, MTMT16,1676−3%

387Day County, SDSD5,4846−9%

388Marshall County, SDSD4,4266+2%

389Power County, IDID8,2466+4%

390Sherman County, NENE2,9246−5%

391Crane County, TXTX4,5546+9%

392Park County, MTMT18,2146−0%

393Highland County, VAVA2,3186−8%

394Franklin County, NENE2,7956−10%

395Stafford County, KSKS4,0056−7%

396Sherman County, KSKS5,7636−11%

397San Miguel County, COCO7,7536+12%

398Chautauqua County, KSKS3,3216−16%

399Duchesne County, UTUT20,8566+29%

400Custer County, COCO5,5906+21%

401Rooks County, KSKS4,6466−9%

402Greenwood County, KSKS5,8266−13%

403Wheeler County, TXTX4,7736+2%

404Goshen County, WYWY12,6406+6%

405Hardeman County, TXTX3,2926−12%

406Cibola County, NMNM26,8076+6%

407Hansford County, TXTX4,9446+5%

408Bear Lake County, IDID6,7276−7%

409Harlan County, NENE3,0006−10%

410Kingsbury County, SDSD5,2846−11%

411Traverse County, MNMN3,1306−14%

412San Miguel County, NMNM26,2606−2%

413Ransom County, NDND5,6176−7%

414Phillips County, KSKS4,7286−6%

415Apache County, AZAZ64,4456+3%

416Conejos County, COCO7,5296−2%

417Brule County, SDSD5,2786−2%

418Pawnee County, NENE2,5106−10%

419Phillips County, COCO4,4206−1%

420Norton County, KSKS5,2886−5%

421Washington County, KSKS5,5336−11%

422Floyd County, TXTX4,8816−17%

423Alfalfa County, OKOK5,6497−8%

424Haskell County, TXTX5,4997−3%

425Duval County, TXTX9,4027−10%

426Dawes County, NENE7,8587+1%

427Mills County, TXTX4,5807−4%

428Pembina County, NDND6,5687−14%

429Webster County, NENE3,3367−6%

430Lynn County, TXTX6,0177−10%

431Woodson County, KSKS3,1187−13%

432Skamania County, WAWA12,6697+12%

433Carson County, TXTX5,8057−5%

434Crosby County, TXTX4,8527−14%

435Rio Arriba County, NMNM39,8327−2%

436Scott County, KSKS4,8157−4%

437Jefferson County, MTMT13,3297+14%

438Furnas County, NENE4,5247−7%

439Woods County, OKOK8,4437−2%

440Gray County, KSKS5,6527+2%

441Todd County, SDSD8,8637+6%

442Republic County, KSKS4,6407−15%

443Douglas County, SDSD2,8887−13%

444Deuel County, SDSD4,4087−3%

445Washington County, IDID11,5837+2%

446Crook County, OROR27,5647+9%

447Coleman County, TXTX7,9157−4%

448Fremont County, IDID14,2087+12%

449Siskiyou County, CACA42,0137+1%

450Coconino County, AZAZ144,3687+16%

451Garza County, TXTX4,5107+33%

452Schoolcraft County, MIMI8,1877−5%

453Uintah County, UTUT38,2787+29%

454Meade County, SDSD30,7117+5%

455Thomas County, KSKS7,7257−3%

456Haskell County, KSKS3,5997−1%

457Luce County, MIMI6,3397−6%

458Park County, COCO18,3147+12%

459Crowley County, COCO5,6777+6%

460Barnes County, NDND10,5737−6%

461Grant County, NMNM27,2527−5%

462Valley County, NENE4,0947−8%

463Kalawao County, HIHI828−39%

464Dimmit County, TXTX8,0248−2%

465Harper County, KSKS5,3708−8%

466Brooks County, TXTX6,5798−9%

467Prowers County, COCO11,8848−13%

468Hanson County, SDSD3,4568+6%

469Lassen County, CACA28,1178+3%

470Walworth County, SDSD5,2178−9%

471McCulloch County, TXTX7,4728+1%

472Antelope County, NENE6,3528−10%

473Iron County, WIWI6,1278−14%

474Okanogan County, WAWA45,2308+4%

475Nuckolls County, NENE4,1008−11%

476Plumas County, CACA18,5838−4%

477Norman County, MNMN6,3368−8%

478Knox County, NENE8,3358−7%

479Russell County, KSKS6,5818−5%

480Stevens County, KSKS4,9848+5%

481Keith County, NENE8,1008−6%

482Major County, OKOK7,5368−0%

483Lewis County, IDID3,7048+2%

484Boone County, NENE5,3558−12%

485Grand County, COCO16,4968+19%

486Graham County, AZAZ40,1578+11%

487Mercer County, NDND8,4418−3%

488Blaine County, IDID25,5178+13%

489Roosevelt County, NMNM18,6158+10%

490Worth County, MOMO1,9148−9%

491Knox County, MOMO3,7288−5%

492Ouray County, COCO5,2658+19%

493Tooele County, UTUT87,4618+43%

494Reynolds County, MOMO5,9928+0%

495Pushmataha County, OKOK10,8078−1%

496Charles Mix County, SDSD9,3038−2%

497Mercer County, MOMO3,4048+1%

498Clinch County, GAGA6,8478−1%

499Cheyenne County, NENE9,5288+2%

500Shannon County, MOMO7,2858+1%

SHOWING 1–500 OF 3,131

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Download CSV (full list, 3,131 rows)

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

Frequently asked

Which county has the lowest population density?

Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska ranks #1 with 0 (2010 American Community Survey).

What are the top 5 counties by population density?

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

How many counties are in this ranking?

3,131 counties qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2010 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 (2010).