The map above shows Alabama and North Carolina side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Alabama vs North Carolina Geography
Land area: Alabama has a land area of 50,651 square miles (131,185 km²), while North Carolina has 48,624 square miles (125,936 km²). Alabama and North Carolina have about the same land area.
Total area: Alabama: 52,420 square miles (135,767 km²) vs North Carolina: 53,819 square miles (139,390 km²), including inland and coastal water. Alabama and North Carolina have about the same total area.
Length: Alabama is 331 miles (532 km) long from north to south; North Carolina is 258 miles (415 km). Alabama's north-south length is 1.3 times (28%) longer than North Carolina's.
Width: Alabama spans 212 miles (341 km) east to west; North Carolina spans 487 miles (784 km). North Carolina's east-west width is 2.3 times (130%) wider than Alabama's.
Highest point: Alabama's highest point is Cheaha Mountain at 2,405 feet (733 m); North Carolina's is Mount Mitchell at 6,674 feet (2,034 m). Mount Mitchell is 4,269 feet higher than Cheaha Mountain.
Lowest point: Alabama's lowest point is Gulf of Mexico at 0 feet; North Carolina's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. Both lowest points are at or near sea level.
Alabama vs North Carolina Population and History
Population: Alabama has a population of 5,157,699 (2024), while North Carolina has 11,046,024 (2024). North Carolina's population is 2.1 times (114%) larger than Alabama's.
Population density: Alabama: 101.8 people per square mile vs North Carolina: 227.2. North Carolina's population density is 2.2 times (123%) higher than Alabama's.
Biggest city: Alabama's biggest city is Huntsville with 230,402 people; North Carolina's is Charlotte with 943,476. Charlotte's population is 4.1 times (309%) larger than Huntsville's.
Largest metro area: Alabama's largest metropolitan area is Birmingham, AL metro area (1,192,583 people) vs North Carolina's Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area (2,883,370). Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area's population is 2.4 times (142%) larger than Birmingham, AL metro area's.
History: Alabama: Admitted to the Union on December 14, 1819, as the 22nd state. North Carolina: Admitted to the Union on November 21, 1789, as the 12th state. In its current form, North Carolina is the older of the two by 30 years.
Alabama vs North Carolina Economy
GDP: Alabama's GDP is $325.3 billion (2024) vs North Carolina's $844.2 billion. North Carolina's economic output is 2.6 times (160%) larger than Alabama's.
GDP per capita: Alabama: $63,080 per person vs North Carolina: $76,427. North Carolina's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (21%) higher than Alabama's.
Average income: Alabama: $57,311 vs North Carolina: $65,634 average income per person (per capita personal income). North Carolina's average income is 1.1 times (15%) higher than Alabama's.
Alabama vs North Carolina Counties
Number of counties: Alabama has 67 counties, while North Carolina has 100. North Carolina's county count is 1.5 times (49%) higher than Alabama's.
Biggest county by area: Alabama's largest county is Baldwin County at 1,590 square miles; North Carolina's is Robeson County at 947 square miles. Baldwin County's land area is 1.7 times (68%) larger than Robeson County's.
Smallest county by area: Alabama: Etowah County (535 sq mi) vs North Carolina: Chowan County (173 sq mi). Etowah County's land area is 3.1 times (210%) larger than Chowan County's.
Most populous county: Alabama: Jefferson County (664,744 people) vs North Carolina: Wake County (1,232,444 people). Wake County's population is 1.9 times (85%) larger than Jefferson County's.
Least populous county: Alabama: Greene County (7,127 people) vs North Carolina: Tyrrell County (3,517 people). Greene County's population is 2.0 times (103%) larger than Tyrrell County's.
Richest county: Alabama: Jefferson County ($75,312 per capita income) vs North Carolina: Chatham County ($91,638). Chatham County's income is 1.2 times (22%) richer than Jefferson County's.
Poorest county: Alabama: Bullock County ($39,403 per capita income) vs North Carolina: Warren County ($40,932). Bullock County and Warren County have about the same income.
Alabama vs North Carolina Taxes
State income tax: Alabama has a top income tax rate of 5%, while North Carolina has a top income tax rate of 3.99%. Alabama's top rate is 1.01 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Alabama: 0.38% effective rate vs North Carolina: 0.61% of home value per year. North Carolina's rate is 0.23 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Alabama: 9.46% combined state and average local rate vs North Carolina: 7.1%. Alabama's combined rate is 2.36 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Alabama official website · North Carolina official website
More Size Comparisons
All Alabama size comparisons · All North Carolina 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.