Least densely populated counties
County equivalents with the fewest residents per square mile of land. Large rural areas in Alaska and the Great Plains dominate; density is an average across each whole county.
Ranks 301–400
Vintage 2025 population estimates · 2026 Gazetteer land area · 3,222 county equivalents · page 4 of 33
What this part of the ranking shows
This page runs from Bent County, Colorado at 3.8 people per mi² to McKenzie County, North Dakota at 5.5 people per mi². The 100 entries represent 21 state-level jurisdictions. Texas has the most entries on this page (16).
Rank numbers continue across pages and describe the full selected ranking. They are not state ranks. Start at rank 1 for the leading entries, or open a county profile for its state rank and median comparisons.
| Rank | County / equivalent | State | Population | Per mi² | Land mi² |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 301 | Bent County | Colorado | 5,716 | 3.8 | 1,512.8 |
| 302 | Greeley County | Nebraska | 2,154 | 3.8 | 569.8 |
| 303 | Cook County | Minnesota | 5,522 | 3.8 | 1,452.6 |
| 304 | Elk County | Kansas | 2,458 | 3.8 | 644.3 |
| 305 | Buffalo County | South Dakota | 1,802 | 3.8 | 471.4 |
| 306 | Big Horn County | Wyoming | 12,024 | 3.8 | 3,137 |
| 307 | Kenai Peninsula Borough | Alaska | 61,951 | 3.9 | 16,017.1 |
| 308 | Real County | Texas | 2,745 | 3.9 | 699.2 |
| 309 | Gosper County | Nebraska | 1,803 | 3.9 | 458.2 |
| 310 | Meade County | Kansas | 3,852 | 3.9 | 978.1 |
| 311 | Aurora County | South Dakota | 2,801 | 4 | 708.5 |
| 312 | Sweetwater County | Wyoming | 41,267 | 4 | 10,427 |
| 313 | Rush County | Kansas | 2,845 | 4 | 717.8 |
| 314 | Lincoln County | Kansas | 2,861 | 4 | 719.4 |
| 315 | Gregory County | South Dakota | 4,037 | 4 | 1,015 |
| 316 | Smith County | Kansas | 3,566 | 4 | 895.5 |
| 317 | Juab County | Utah | 13,567 | 4 | 3,391.8 |
| 318 | Miner County | South Dakota | 2,281 | 4 | 570.2 |
| 319 | Baylor County | Texas | 3,472 | 4 | 867.5 |
| 320 | Jim Hogg County | Texas | 4,555 | 4 | 1,136.2 |
| 321 | Keweenaw County | Michigan | 2,186 | 4 | 540.1 |
| 322 | Grant County | Oklahoma | 4,067 | 4.1 | 1,000.7 |
| 323 | Custer County | Nebraska | 10,500 | 4.1 | 2,575.5 |
| 324 | Spink County | South Dakota | 6,155 | 4.1 | 1,503.5 |
| 325 | Sedgwick County | Colorado | 2,247 | 4.1 | 548 |
| 326 | Mono County | California | 12,505 | 4.1 | 3,048.9 |
| 327 | Fisher County | Texas | 3,692 | 4.1 | 899 |
| 328 | Lincoln County | New Mexico | 19,844 | 4.1 | 4,831.1 |
| 329 | Caribou County | Idaho | 7,252 | 4.1 | 1,764.2 |
| 330 | Benson County | North Dakota | 5,759 | 4.1 | 1,388.6 |
| 331 | Platte County | Wyoming | 8,634 | 4.1 | 2,081.5 |
| 332 | Chase County | Nebraska | 3,718 | 4.2 | 894.4 |
| 333 | Holt County | Nebraska | 10,067 | 4.2 | 2,411.9 |
| 334 | Yuma County | Colorado | 9,896 | 4.2 | 2,364.4 |
| 335 | Sanborn County | South Dakota | 2,388 | 4.2 | 569.2 |
| 336 | Dewey County | Oklahoma | 4,207 | 4.2 | 999.6 |
| 337 | Clark County | South Dakota | 4,031 | 4.2 | 957.5 |
| 338 | Deuel County | Nebraska | 1,862 | 4.2 | 439.8 |
| 339 | Oneida County | Idaho | 5,085 | 4.2 | 1,199 |
| 340 | Edwards County | Kansas | 2,640 | 4.2 | 621.9 |
| 341 | Mineral County | Montana | 5,185 | 4.3 | 1,219.6 |
| 342 | Fall River County | South Dakota | 7,467 | 4.3 | 1,739.9 |
| 343 | Mason County | Texas | 3,990 | 4.3 | 928.8 |
| 344 | Fremont County | Wyoming | 39,464 | 4.3 | 9,183.6 |
| 345 | Sargent County | North Dakota | 3,711 | 4.3 | 858.5 |
| 346 | Dickey County | North Dakota | 4,895 | 4.3 | 1,131.5 |
| 347 | Harmon County | Oklahoma | 2,327 | 4.3 | 537.3 |
| 348 | Roosevelt County | Montana | 10,242 | 4.3 | 2,354.6 |
| 349 | La Salle County | Texas | 6,517 | 4.4 | 1,486.7 |
| 350 | Piscataquis County | Maine | 17,409 | 4.4 | 3,960.8 |
| 351 | Huerfano County | Colorado | 7,011 | 4.4 | 1,591 |
| 352 | Ontonagon County | Michigan | 5,823 | 4.4 | 1,311 |
| 353 | Kearny County | Kansas | 3,888 | 4.5 | 870.5 |
| 354 | Park County | Wyoming | 31,171 | 4.5 | 6,939 |
| 355 | Glacier County | Montana | 13,463 | 4.5 | 2,995.2 |
| 356 | Boise County | Idaho | 8,545 | 4.5 | 1,899.4 |
| 357 | Reeves County | Texas | 12,138 | 4.6 | 2,635.4 |
| 358 | McLean County | North Dakota | 9,740 | 4.6 | 2,110.3 |
| 359 | Lincoln County | Idaho | 5,603 | 4.7 | 1,201.4 |
| 360 | Hardeman County | Texas | 3,292 | 4.7 | 695.1 |
| 361 | Columbia County | Washington | 4,141 | 4.8 | 868.6 |
| 362 | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | Alaska | 118,666 | 4.8 | 24,703 |
| 363 | Torrance County | New Mexico | 16,100 | 4.8 | 3,345.2 |
| 364 | Butte County | South Dakota | 10,856 | 4.8 | 2,250 |
| 365 | Franklin County | Nebraska | 2,795 | 4.9 | 575.8 |
| 366 | Floyd County | Texas | 4,881 | 4.9 | 992.1 |
| 367 | Trinity County | California | 15,720 | 4.9 | 3,179.3 |
| 368 | Marshall County | Minnesota | 8,798 | 5 | 1,775.1 |
| 369 | Dallam County | Texas | 7,508 | 5 | 1,503.4 |
| 370 | Garza County | Texas | 4,510 | 5 | 893.4 |
| 371 | Greenlee County | Arizona | 9,312 | 5.1 | 1,842.8 |
| 372 | Stafford County | Kansas | 4,005 | 5.1 | 792 |
| 373 | Foster County | North Dakota | 3,212 | 5.1 | 634.1 |
| 374 | Sanders County | Montana | 14,062 | 5.1 | 2,760.4 |
| 375 | Lake County | Minnesota | 10,746 | 5.1 | 2,109.1 |
| 376 | Greenwood County | Kansas | 5,826 | 5.1 | 1,143.3 |
| 377 | San Saba County | Texas | 5,787 | 5.1 | 1,135.3 |
| 378 | Mountrail County | North Dakota | 9,395 | 5.1 | 1,825.2 |
| 379 | Sherman County | Nebraska | 2,924 | 5.2 | 565.9 |
| 380 | Lincoln County | Washington | 11,982 | 5.2 | 2,310.6 |
| 381 | Lincoln County | Wyoming | 21,180 | 5.2 | 4,075.3 |
| 382 | Chautauqua County | Kansas | 3,321 | 5.2 | 638.9 |
| 383 | Rooks County | Kansas | 4,646 | 5.2 | 890.5 |
| 384 | Wheeler County | Texas | 4,773 | 5.2 | 914.5 |
| 385 | Churchill County | Nevada | 25,851 | 5.2 | 4,950.2 |
| 386 | Duval County | Texas | 9,402 | 5.2 | 1,793.5 |
| 387 | Stillwater County | Montana | 9,445 | 5.3 | 1,796.5 |
| 388 | Marshall County | South Dakota | 4,426 | 5.3 | 838.1 |
| 389 | Day County | South Dakota | 5,484 | 5.3 | 1,028.5 |
| 390 | Phillips County | Kansas | 4,728 | 5.3 | 885.9 |
| 391 | Shoshone County | Idaho | 14,130 | 5.4 | 2,637.5 |
| 392 | Hansford County | Texas | 4,944 | 5.4 | 919.8 |
| 393 | Gunnison County | Colorado | 17,439 | 5.4 | 3,239.1 |
| 394 | Crosby County | Texas | 4,852 | 5.4 | 900.2 |
| 395 | Harlan County | Nebraska | 3,000 | 5.4 | 553.5 |
| 396 | Baker County | Oregon | 16,658 | 5.4 | 3,068 |
| 397 | Traverse County | Minnesota | 3,130 | 5.5 | 573.9 |
| 398 | Sherman County | Kansas | 5,763 | 5.5 | 1,056.1 |
| 399 | Richland County | Montana | 11,377 | 5.5 | 2,084.6 |
| 400 | McKenzie County | North Dakota | 15,192 | 5.5 | 2,760.1 |
Read the differences behind ranks 301–400
The median density among these 100 entries is 4.4 people per mi². The first and last entries span 1.7 people per square mile. This median describes the entries on this page, not the full national dataset. Pagination is a browsing boundary, not a distinct geographic region.
Adjacent ranks can differ by a handful of residents or by many thousands. Open a county profile for its population trend since 2020, land area, and state comparisons.
Where the entries on this page are located
- Texas16 entries · 16% of this page
- Kansas13 entries · 13% of this page
- South Dakota11 entries · 11% of this page
- Nebraska9 entries · 9% of this page
- North Dakota7 entries · 7% of this page
- Montana6 entries · 6% of this page
The remaining 15 jurisdictions contribute 38 entries. The list above shows the six most represented, with alphabetical ordering when counts tie.
These counts describe representation in this slice of the ranking. They do not measure a state’s share of national land or population. Compare the first and last county equivalents on this page to inspect land, water, and total area separately.
Read the geographic explanation behind this ranking, or return to the ranking overview for the national distribution and guidance on selecting a measurement.
Population rankings use Census Bureau Vintage 2025 estimates; density rankings divide them by original ALAND square meters. Land rankings use original ALAND square meters; total-area rankings use ALAND + AWATER. Exact ties use ascending GEOID. Displayed square-mile values are rounded. Read the methodology.