Adaptive index density in a database management system is provided, which includes receiving a number of partitions for an index for a database table, the index subject to creation. The adaptive index density also includes selecting a column from the database table, the column selected based upon an estimated frequency of execution of database queries for the column. The adaptive index density further includes calculating an estimated cost of executing each of the database queries for the column, and determining data to reside in each of the partitions of the index responsive to the estimated cost.