RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Most sparsely populated, US states · 1990

US states with the fewest residents per square mile (1990). Alaska leads at 1. 51 states qualify in total. The median across all 51 is 80.

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SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS –

USUnited States248,709,873221–

01Alaska, AKAK735,7061–

02Wyoming, WYWY582,3975–

03Montana, MTMT1,116,8755–

04South Dakota, SDSD907,4289–

05North Dakota, NDND784,8419–

06Nevada, NVNV3,184,61211–

07Idaho, IDID1,934,26212–

08New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24612–

09Nebraska, NENE1,978,70721–

10Utah, UTUT3,392,33121–

11Oregon, OROR4,254,29330–

12Kansas, KSKS2,947,19730–

13Colorado, COCO5,862,18932–

14Arizona, AZAZ7,378,83832–

15Maine, MEME1,387,81740–

16Arkansas, ARAR3,049,39145–

17Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,63446–

18Iowa, IAIA3,210,50750–

19Mississippi, MSMS2,946,77955–

20Minnesota, MNMN5,739,44555–

21Vermont, VTVT647,10661–

22Texas, TXTX30,188,42465–

23Washington, WAWA7,816,11673–

24Missouri, MOMO6,191,81474–

25West Virginia, WVWV1,778,37375–

26Alabama, ALAL5,086,76880–

27Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,87290–

28Kentucky, KYKY4,534,82493–

29Louisiana, LALA4,611,96198–

30Georgia, GAGA10,940,407113–

31South Carolina, SCSC5,296,225116–

32Tennessee, TNTN7,066,383118–

33New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,868124–

34North Carolina, NCNC10,730,404136–

35Indiana, ININ6,851,073155–

36Virginia, VAVA8,705,170157–

37Michigan, MIMI10,077,761164–

38Hawaii, HIHI1,445,235173–

39California, CACA39,287,377191–

40Illinois, ILIL12,694,798206–

41Florida, FLFL22,416,077241–

42Ohio, OHOH11,810,293265–

43Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,639266–

44Delaware, DEDE1,021,191342–

45New York, NYNY19,852,366382–

46Maryland, MDMD6,206,011493–

47Connecticut, CTCT3,624,508679–

48Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,056771–

49Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,801970–

50New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,8091,051–

51District of Columbia, DCDC681,2949,949–

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

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

Frequently asked

Which state has the lowest population density?

Alaska ranks #1 with 1 (1990 Decennial Census).

What are the top 5 states by population density?

Alaska, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota.

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 1990 Decennial Census data.

How is population density measured?

Residents per square mile of land area. Source: US Census Bureau, 1990 Decennial Census.