Tatooine shows up a lot in Star Wars, and it always feels like something big is going down there—Luke’s home, Anakin’s origin, bounty hunter hangouts, pod races, even Boba Fett’s comeback. With so much happening, you’d think Tatooine was some major hub packed with people. But here’s the twist: it’s actually one of the most sparsely populated planets in the galaxy.
It’s a desert rock in the Outer Rim, mostly ignored by the galaxy at large. Still, fans have always wondered—how many people actually live there? Is it just the folks we see in Mos Eisley and a few remote farmers, or is there more to it?
Canon Says Tatooine Has Around 200,000 People
So here’s what we officially know, according to Star Wars canon sources from the book Star Wars: Journey Through Space, Tatooine has a population of roughly 200,000 people.
But before you picture some bustling planet, keep in mind that this number reflects registered residents. That’s people living in proper settlements during the early years of the Galactic Empire.
And let’s be honest, that number barely scratches the surface.
The estimate doesn’t even include nomadic species like the Jawas or the Tusken Raiders. These groups live outside the formal structure of Tatooine society. They don’t pay taxes, they don’t register addresses, and they definitely don’t pop up on any Imperial census. Yet, they’ve been there longer than most settlers and probably outnumber many townsfolk in the open desert. Tusken Raider tribes roam the Dune Sea, and Jawas run massive Sandcrawlers scavenging old tech—both existing completely off the grid. There are likely tens of thousands of them combined.
Then there’s the fact that Tatooine is crawling with smugglers, bounty hunters, wanderers, and people who just want to stay off anyone’s radar. You think Jabba the Hutt’s entire criminal operation was filing paperwork? Doubt it. There are dozens of settlements across the planet—Mos Eisley, Mos Espa, Anchorhead, Bestine, and plenty more—that may not have been fully accounted for in the “official” number.
So when you factor in the nomadic clans, off-the-grid settlers, shady travelers, and the whole criminal underworld, the real population might be closer to 300,000 or even 400,000. Tatooine might be a backwater, but it’s a crowded backwater once you zoom in a little.
To put it in perspective, even if we round Tatooine’s total population up to 400,000, that’s still just about 2.4% of New York City’s. As of recent estimates, New York has over 8.3 million residents packed into its five boroughs. That means you could fit more than 20 Tatooines into the Big Apple—and still have room for a few more Jawas. Despite how pivotal Tatooine is in the Star Wars universe, population-wise, it’s basically a small corner of Brooklyn.
Tatooine Might Be a Desert, but It’s Surprisingly Diverse
Tatooine might be a remote desert world, but it’s surprisingly full of life when you dig into the details. While humans make up most of the population in cities like Mos Eisley and Anchorhead, they’re far from the only ones trying to survive under the twin suns.
The planet is home to a wide range of settlements, including Bestine (the capital), Mos Espa (its de facto capital), Freetown (formerly Mos Pelgo), Mos Eisley, Anchorhead, Tosche Station, Wayfar, Mos Entha, Mos Taike, Mos Elrey, Mos Zabu, Mos Doba, Mos Algo, and Mos Gofti—each with its own mix of residents, trade, and trouble.
And speaking of cities, did you know Mos Espa—where Anakin Skywalker won his iconic podrace—is home to a stadium so massive it could nearly hold the entire city’s population? According to Ultimate Star Wars, “Among the dwellings, workspaces and commercial operations, the city also boasts many entertainment areas, including the famed Mos Espa Grand Arena, which can almost hold the city’s entire population.” That’s a lot of seats for a place in the middle of the desert.
Outside the cities, you’ll find the real heartbeat of Tatooine’s diversity. Humans are still the most common settlers, moisture farmers, traders, and criminals, but they’re joined by a variety of species making their own way. Jawas roam the dunes in massive sandcrawlers, scavenging whatever tech they can trade. Tusken Raiders live in tribal isolation and tend to treat outsiders with aggression. And if you walk into a shady cantina or spaceport, chances are you’ll bump into Rodians, Twi’leks, Aqualish, or even an Ithorian or two. Everyone’s just trying to survive under those brutal twin suns.