Population density explained Place Forecast Feature

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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