How much of America is almost empty?
Shade every county with fewer than 10 people per square mile.
46.2%
of U.S. land is in counties below 10 people per square mile
1.3%
of Americans live in those same counties
Fewer than 10 people / sq mi
10 or more people / sq mi
Almost half the country — but almost nobody.
The shaded counties make up 46.2% of U.S. land area, yet contain only 1.3% of the population.
When we picture America, are we picturing its land—or its people?
Why 10 people per square mile?
The threshold is close to the population-density benchmark historically associated with the U.S. frontier. It is not a claim that these counties are literally empty; it is a way to make the uneven distribution of population visible.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 Population Estimates and 2023 Gazetteer Files. County boundaries: U.S. Census via us-atlas. The source dataset covers 3,144 counties and county equivalents in this exhibit; Puerto Rico is excluded.