County facts · United States · October 22, 2026
Least Populated Counties in the US (2023 Estimates)
The 20 least populated US counties in the Census Bureau's 2023 estimates, where they are, their land area and each official parcel map.
Looking for the least populated counties in the US? The Census Bureau's July 1, 2023 estimates put Loving County, TX at the bottom, with about 43 residents, followed by Kalawao County, HI (81) and King County, TX (217).
36 counties had fewer than 1,000 residents in the 2023 estimates, and 324 had fewer than 5,000. The states with the most counties under 1,000 are Nebraska (12), Texas (8) and Montana (4).
The 20 least populated US counties
Alaska has no counties. Its entries are boroughs and census areas, the units the Census Bureau counts as county equivalents there.
Where they are
- Nebraska: 9
- Texas: 6
- Hawaii: 1
- Montana: 1
- New Mexico: 1
- North Dakota: 1
- Alaska: 1
Searching land in a county this small
- The parcel map may be hosted by a vendor. 9 of the Nebraska counties in this table use gWorks, a hosted viewer shared by many counties, so the web address may not include the county's name.
- Big tracts. Ranch and farm parcels can cover several square miles, and recent sales to compare can be scarce.
- Call the office. With a small staff, the assessor or clerk is often the fastest way to confirm an owner or get a recorded plat that is not online.
Looking for land area instead? See smallest counties in the US.
Related guides
- Largest counties in the US by land area
- Most populous counties in the US
- Largest county in each state
- Smallest county in each state
- Smallest counties in the US
- Most densely populated counties in the US
- How many counties are in the US
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer files, 2020 county land and water area (50 states and the District of Columbia; Puerto Rico's municipios are left out).
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county totals, Vintage 2023 (July 1, 2023 estimates)
- Platbookmapper county GIS directory (live data file behind our county pages, pulled October 22, 2026) for each official parcel viewer.