Methodology · how density is computed
How density is computed.
Density is computed as pop_2024_v2024 ÷ area_land_sqmi — land area only, water area excluded. The land area figure comes from the Census Bureau's 2025 Gazetteer file (January 1, 2025 boundaries). Using land area rather than total area is the standard practice for city density comparisons: a coastal city with large offshore water area would appear artificially sparse otherwise.
This ranking is filtered to cities with a 2024 population of at least 5,000 residents. Without that floor, a village of a few dozen people over a fraction of a square mile can occupy the top ranks — numerically correct but not a useful answer to "what are the densest U.S. cities?"
The eight consolidated cities in this dataset (Indianapolis, Nashville, Louisville, Athens-Clarke County, Augusta-Richmond County, Milford CT, Greeley County KS, and Butte-Silver Bow MT) have slightly overstated density. Their gazetteer geometry uses the balance entry for the consolidated city-county, which excludes incorporated enclaves within the boundary. This means land area is modestly under-counted and density correspondingly over-counted. This is a known data limitation, not a calculation error.