The map above shows Alabama and Louisiana side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Alabama vs Louisiana Geography
Land area: Alabama has a land area of 50,651 square miles (131,185 km²), while Louisiana has 43,213 square miles (111,921 km²). Alabama's land area is 1.2 times (17%) larger than Louisiana's.
Total area: Alabama: 52,420 square miles (135,767 km²) vs Louisiana: 52,375 square miles (135,652 km²), including inland and coastal water. Alabama and Louisiana have about the same total area.
Length: Alabama is 331 miles (532 km) long from north to south; Louisiana is 301 miles (484 km). Alabama's north-south length is 1.1 times (10%) longer than Louisiana's.
Width: Alabama spans 212 miles (341 km) east to west; Louisiana spans 356 miles (574 km). Louisiana's east-west width is 1.7 times (68%) wider than Alabama's.
Highest point: Alabama's highest point is Cheaha Mountain at 2,405 feet (733 m); Louisiana's is Driskill Mountain at 533 feet (162 m). Cheaha Mountain is 1,872 feet higher than Driskill Mountain.
Lowest point: Alabama's lowest point is Gulf of Mexico at 0 feet; Louisiana's is New Orleans at -8 feet. Louisiana's lowest point is 8 feet lower.
Alabama vs Louisiana Population and History
Population: Alabama has a population of 5,157,699 (2024), while Louisiana has 4,597,740 (2024). Alabama's population is 1.1 times (12%) larger than Louisiana's.
Population density: Alabama: 101.8 people per square mile vs Louisiana: 106.4. Alabama and Louisiana have about the same population density.
Biggest city: Alabama's biggest city is Huntsville with 230,402 people; Louisiana's is New Orleans with 362,701. New Orleans' population is 1.6 times (57%) larger than Huntsville's.
Largest metro area: Alabama's largest metropolitan area is Birmingham, AL metro area (1,192,583 people) vs Louisiana's New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area (966,230). Birmingham, AL metro area's population is 1.2 times (23%) larger than New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area's.
History: Alabama: Admitted to the Union on December 14, 1819, as the 22nd state. Louisiana: Admitted to the Union on April 30, 1812, as the 18th state. In its current form, Louisiana is the older of the two by 7 years.
Alabama vs Louisiana Economy
GDP: Alabama's GDP is $325.3 billion (2024) vs Louisiana's $329.2 billion. Alabama and Louisiana have about the same economic output.
GDP per capita: Alabama: $63,080 per person vs Louisiana: $71,594. Louisiana's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (13%) higher than Alabama's.
Average income: Alabama: $57,311 vs Louisiana: $61,897 average income per person (per capita personal income). Louisiana's average income is 1.1 times (8%) higher than Alabama's.
Alabama vs Louisiana Counties
Number of counties: Alabama has 67 counties, while Louisiana has 64. Alabama and Louisiana have about the same county count.
Biggest county by area: Alabama's largest county is Baldwin County at 1,590 square miles; Louisiana's is Vernon Parish at 1,327 square miles. Baldwin County's land area is 1.2 times (20%) larger than Vernon Parish's.
Smallest county by area: Alabama: Etowah County (535 sq mi) vs Louisiana: Orleans Parish (170 sq mi). Etowah County's land area is 3.2 times (216%) larger than Orleans Parish's.
Most populous county: Alabama: Jefferson County (664,744 people) vs Louisiana: East Baton Rouge Parish (453,022 people). Jefferson County's population is 1.5 times (47%) larger than East Baton Rouge Parish's.
Least populous county: Alabama: Greene County (7,127 people) vs Louisiana: Tensas Parish (3,844 people). Greene County's population is 1.9 times (85%) larger than Tensas Parish's.
Richest county: Alabama: Jefferson County ($75,312 per capita income) vs Louisiana: St. Tammany Parish ($82,398). St. Tammany Parish's income is 1.1 times (9%) richer than Jefferson County's.
Poorest county: Alabama: Bullock County ($39,403 per capita income) vs Louisiana: East Carroll Parish ($36,751). Bullock County's income is 1.1 times (7%) richer than East Carroll Parish's.
Alabama vs Louisiana Taxes
State income tax: Alabama has a top income tax rate of 5%, while Louisiana has a top income tax rate of 3%. Alabama's top rate is 2 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Alabama: 0.38% effective rate vs Louisiana: 0.53% of home value per year. Louisiana's rate is 0.15 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Alabama: 9.46% combined state and average local rate vs Louisiana: 10.13%. Louisiana's combined rate is 0.67 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Alabama official website · Louisiana official website
More Size Comparisons
All Alabama size comparisons · All Louisiana size comparisons
Area, elevation and boundary figures come from official national statistics and US Census Bureau and Natural Earth boundary data; US state population, economic, county and tax figures come from the US Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Tax Foundation. Figures are rounded and for general reference.