RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51
Most sparsely populated, US states · 2000
US states with the fewest residents per square mile (2023). Alaska leads at 1. 51 states qualify in total.
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RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000
SHOWING 1–51 OF 51
UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES
Frequently asked
Which state has the lowest population density?
Alaska ranks #1 with 1 (2000 American Community Survey).
What are the top 5 states by population density?
Alaska, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota.
How many states are in this ranking?
51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2000 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 (2000).