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Most densely populated counties

Population per square mile of land, using the latest Census Bureau estimate and Gazetteer land area. Small urban counties and independent cities lead because a large population shares little land.

Ranks 1901–2000

Vintage 2025 population estimates · 2026 Gazetteer land area · 3,222 county equivalents · page 20 of 33

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What this part of the ranking shows

This page runs from Douglas County, Wisconsin at 34 people per mi² to Minidoka County, Idaho at 30 people per mi². The 100 entries represent 31 state-level jurisdictions. Kansas has the most entries on this page (8, tied for the lead).

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.

Most densely populated counties, ranks 1901 through 2000. Population is the July 1, 2025 estimate; density is per square mile of land.
RankCounty / equivalentStatePopulationPer mi²Land mi²
1901Douglas CountyWisconsin43,990341,304.3
1902Adams CountyWisconsin21,75234645.6
1903La Plata CountyColorado56,898341,689.7
1904Livingston CountyIllinois35,057341,043.6
1905McPherson CountyKansas30,06433898.3
1906Kalkaska CountyMichigan18,69333559.7
1907Matagorda CountyTexas36,463331,093.1
1908Chickasaw CountyMississippi16,73033501.8
1909Houston CountyMinnesota18,40033552.1
1910Dallas CountyMissouri18,02533541
1911Lampasas CountyTexas23,65733712.5
1912Curry CountyNew Mexico46,655331,405.5
1913Pittsburg CountyOklahoma43,320331,305.5
1914Cass CountyIllinois12,46333375.8
1915Murray CountyOklahoma13,80533416.4
1916Fulton CountyPennsylvania14,48333437.6
1917Owen CountyKentucky11,60133350.5
1918Clay CountyTennessee7,82133236.5
1919Seward CountyKansas21,07333639.7
1920Garvin CountyOklahoma26,37733802.1
1921Trigg CountyKentucky14,51233441.4
1922Sunflower CountyMississippi22,89333697.8
1923Henry CountyAlabama18,39433561.9
1924Wasatch CountyUtah38,514331,177
1925Morgan CountyOhio13,62633416.4
1926Brooks CountyGeorgia16,10133493.2
1927Fremont CountyColorado50,039331,533.8
1928Alleghany CountyVirginia14,54633446.6
1929Henry CountyMissouri22,67133696.9
1930Bamberg CountySouth Carolina12,79633393.4
1931Cherokee CountyKansas19,10533587.6
1932Lyon CountyNevada65,088322,003.1
1933Hampton CountySouth Carolina18,17432560
1934Treutlen CountyGeorgia6,46632199.4
1935Pepin CountyWisconsin7,51332232
1936Pottawatomie CountyKansas27,18632840.7
1937Palo Pinto CountyTexas30,79132952.5
1938Lincoln CountyWisconsin28,40332878.8
1939Ellis CountyKansas29,07532899.9
1940Jefferson CountyIdaho35,297321,093.7
1941Bolivar CountyMississippi28,26232876.5
1942Eagle CountyColorado54,291321,684.5
1943St. Louis CountyMinnesota200,518326,248.1
1944Pickett CountyTennessee5,21932163
1945Summers CountyWest Virginia11,53232360.6
1946Haywood CountyTennessee17,04232533.1
1947McIntosh CountyOklahoma19,75832618.3
1948Kanabec CountyMinnesota16,62832521.6
1949Hancock CountyTennessee7,07532222.3
1950Williamsburg CountySouth Carolina29,66232934.2
1951Nelson CountyVirginia14,92032470.7
1952Beauregard ParishLouisiana36,673321,157.5
1953Cedar CountyIowa18,35932579.5
1954Hale CountyTexas31,819321,004.7
1955Saunders CountyNebraska23,70232748.7
1956McDowell CountyWest Virginia16,87832533.5
1957Menifee CountyKentucky6,43032203.5
1958Le Flore CountyOklahoma50,196321,589.4
1959Seward CountyNebraska18,03232571.4
1960Cascade CountyMontana85,029322,698.2
1961Turner CountyGeorgia8,98331285.4
1962Stewart CountyTennessee14,43931459.8
1963Iowa CountyWisconsin23,95131762.7
1964Poweshiek CountyIowa18,36831584.9
1965Bonner CountyIdaho54,420311,733.2
1966Cedar CountyMissouri14,88831474.5
1967Washington CountyMissouri23,81031759.9
1968De Soto ParishLouisiana27,38131876.5
1969Delta CountyMichigan36,582311,171.1
1970Nobles CountyMinnesota22,33831715.1
1971Burleson CountyTexas20,54931659.1
1972Yavapai CountyArizona252,552318,122.9
1973Elliott CountyKentucky7,26531234.3
1974Greenbrier CountyWest Virginia31,578311,019.8
1975Otter Tail CountyMinnesota61,041311,971.6
1976Ford CountyKansas33,993311,098.3
1977Crawford CountyMissouri22,92931742.5
1978Jackson CountyOklahoma24,76431802.7
1979Saline CountyMissouri23,26531755.5
1980Madison CountyIowa17,27031561
1981Morrison CountyMinnesota34,620311,125.1
1982Tyler CountyWest Virginia7,88131256.3
1983Ballard CountyKentucky7,59431247.1
1984Northampton CountyNorth Carolina16,49131536.7
1985Johnson CountyGeorgia9,31031303
1986Delaware CountyNew York44,305311,442.6
1987Washington CountyNorth Carolina10,63831346.5
1988Vinton CountyOhio12,64531412.3
1989Delaware CountyIowa17,67431577.7
1990Cass CountyTexas28,65131936.9
1991Cowley CountyKansas34,382311,125.7
1992Shelby CountyTexas24,28631795.6
1993Madison CountyTexas14,22631466.1
1994Logan CountyArkansas21,63331709.1
1995Labette CountyKansas19,68531645.4
1996Franklin ParishLouisiana19,00230624.3
1997Marinette CountyWisconsin42,574301,399.5
1998Cooper CountyMissouri17,13630564.7
1999Jackson CountyIowa19,28830636
2000Minidoka CountyIdaho22,91130757.2

Read the differences behind ranks 1901–2000

The median density among these 100 entries is 32 people per mi². The first and last entries span 3.5 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

  • Kansas8 entries · 8% of this page
  • Texas8 entries · 8% of this page
  • Missouri7 entries · 7% of this page
  • Minnesota6 entries · 6% of this page
  • Oklahoma6 entries · 6% of this page
  • Wisconsin6 entries · 6% of this page

The remaining 25 jurisdictions contribute 59 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.

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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.