Population density explained Place Forecast Feature

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Population density is the number of residents per square kilometre of land. Place Forecast works it out as population divided by land area.

Density is a fair way to compare places of different size. A small town and a big city can have the same density but very different populations.

Estimated figures come from the Estimated Resident Population. Future population is projected using the cohort-component method. Only the population changes over time. The land area stays fixed.

A few things matter when you read density:

  • Density is not the same as crowding. Crowding is about how many people share a home. Density is about how people spread over land. A place can be dense but not crowded.
  • The land area is gross. It includes parks, water, and unused land.
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