RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Most sparsely populated, US states · 2020

US states with the fewest residents per square mile (2023). Alaska leads at 1. 51 states qualify in total.

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SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Alaska, AKAK735,7061+17%

02Wyoming, WYWY582,3976+17%

03Montana, MTMT1,116,8757+20%

04North Dakota, NDND784,84111+21%

05South Dakota, SDSD907,42812+17%

06New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24617+16%

07Idaho, IDID1,934,26222+42%

08Nebraska, NENE1,978,70726+15%

09Nevada, NVNV3,184,61228+55%

10Kansas, KSKS2,947,19736+9%

11Utah, UTUT3,392,33140+47%

12Oregon, OROR4,254,29344+24%

13Maine, MEME1,387,81744+7%

14Colorado, COCO5,862,18956+34%

15Iowa, IAIA3,210,50757+9%

16Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,63458+15%

17Arkansas, ARAR3,049,39158+13%

18Arizona, AZAZ7,378,83863+39%

19Mississippi, MSMS2,946,77963+4%

20Vermont, VTVT647,10670+6%

21Minnesota, MNMN5,739,44572+16%

22West Virginia, WVWV1,778,37375−1%

23Missouri, MOMO6,191,81490+10%

24Alabama, ALAL5,086,76899+13%

25Louisiana, LALA4,611,961108+4%

26Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,872109+10%

27Texas, TXTX30,188,424112+40%

28Kentucky, KYKY4,534,824114+11%

29Washington, WAWA7,816,116116+31%

30New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,868154+11%

31Tennessee, TNTN7,066,383168+21%

32South Carolina, SCSC5,296,225170+28%

33Michigan, MIMI10,077,761178+1%

34Georgia, GAGA10,940,407186+31%

35Indiana, ININ6,851,073189+12%

36North Carolina, NCNC10,730,404215+30%

37Virginia, VAVA8,705,170219+22%

38Hawaii, HIHI1,445,235227+20%

39Illinois, ILIL12,694,798231+3%

40California, CACA39,287,377254+17%

41Ohio, OHOH11,810,293289+4%

42Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,639291+6%

43Florida, FLFL22,416,077402+35%

44New York, NYNY19,852,366429+6%

45Delaware, DEDE1,021,191508+26%

46Maryland, MDMD6,206,011636+17%

47Connecticut, CTCT3,624,508745+6%

48Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,056901+11%

49Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,8011,061+5%

50New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,8091,263+10%

51District of Columbia, DCDC681,29411,304+21%

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

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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 (2020 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 2020 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 (2020).