The map above shows Alabama and Washington side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Alabama vs Washington Geography
Land area: Alabama has a land area of 50,651 square miles (131,185 km²), while Washington has 66,455 square miles (172,119 km²). Washington's land area is 1.3 times (31%) larger than Alabama's.
Total area: Alabama: 52,420 square miles (135,767 km²) vs Washington: 71,301 square miles (184,668 km²), including inland and coastal water. Washington's total area is 1.4 times (36%) larger than Alabama's.
Length: Alabama is 331 miles (532 km) long from north to south; Washington is 238 miles (383 km). Alabama's north-south length is 1.4 times (39%) longer than Washington's.
Width: Alabama spans 212 miles (341 km) east to west; Washington spans 399 miles (641 km). Washington's east-west width is 1.9 times (88%) wider than Alabama's.
Highest point: Alabama's highest point is Cheaha Mountain at 2,405 feet (733 m); Washington's is Mount Rainier at 14,409 feet (4,392 m). Mount Rainier is 12,004 feet higher than Cheaha Mountain.
Lowest point: Alabama's lowest point is Gulf of Mexico at 0 feet; Washington's is Pacific Ocean at 0 feet. Both lowest points are at or near sea level.
Alabama vs Washington Population and History
Population: Alabama has a population of 5,157,699 (2024), while Washington has 7,958,180 (2024). Washington's population is 1.5 times (54%) larger than Alabama's.
Population density: Alabama: 101.8 people per square mile vs Washington: 119.8. Washington's population density is 1.2 times (18%) higher than Alabama's.
Biggest city: Alabama's biggest city is Huntsville with 230,402 people; Washington's is Seattle with 780,995. Seattle's population is 3.4 times (239%) larger than Huntsville's.
Largest metro area: Alabama's largest metropolitan area is Birmingham, AL metro area (1,192,583 people) vs Washington's Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area (4,145,494). Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area's population is 3.5 times (248%) larger than Birmingham, AL metro area's.
History: Alabama: Admitted to the Union on December 14, 1819, as the 22nd state. Washington: Admitted to the Union on November 11, 1889, as the 42nd state. In its current form, Alabama is the older of the two by 70 years.
Alabama vs Washington Economy
GDP: Alabama's GDP is $325.3 billion (2024) vs Washington's $856.0 billion. Washington's economic output is 2.6 times (163%) larger than Alabama's.
GDP per capita: Alabama: $63,080 per person vs Washington: $107,564. Washington's GDP per capita is 1.7 times (71%) higher than Alabama's.
Average income: Alabama: $57,311 vs Washington: $85,187 average income per person (per capita personal income). Washington's average income is 1.5 times (49%) higher than Alabama's.
Alabama vs Washington Counties
Number of counties: Alabama has 67 counties, while Washington has 39. Alabama's county count is 1.7 times (72%) higher than Washington's.
Biggest county by area: Alabama's largest county is Baldwin County at 1,590 square miles; Washington's is Okanogan County at 5,266 square miles. Okanogan County's land area is 3.3 times (231%) larger than Baldwin County's.
Smallest county by area: Alabama: Etowah County (535 sq mi) vs Washington: San Juan County (174 sq mi). Etowah County's land area is 3.1 times (208%) larger than San Juan County's.
Most populous county: Alabama: Jefferson County (664,744 people) vs Washington: King County (2,340,211 people). King County's population is 3.5 times (252%) larger than Jefferson County's.
Least populous county: Alabama: Greene County (7,127 people) vs Washington: Garfield County (2,404 people). Greene County's population is 3.0 times (196%) larger than Garfield County's.
Richest county: Alabama: Jefferson County ($75,312 per capita income) vs Washington: King County ($128,684). King County's income is 1.7 times (71%) richer than Jefferson County's.
Poorest county: Alabama: Bullock County ($39,403 per capita income) vs Washington: Ferry County ($50,456). Ferry County's income is 1.3 times (28%) richer than Bullock County's.
Alabama vs Washington Taxes
State income tax: Alabama has a top income tax rate of 5%, while Washington has a 9% tax on capital gains only.
Property tax: Alabama: 0.38% effective rate vs Washington: 0.79% of home value per year. Washington's rate is 0.41 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Alabama: 9.46% combined state and average local rate vs Washington: 9.57%. Washington's combined rate is 0.11 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Alabama official website · Washington official website
More Size Comparisons
All Alabama size comparisons · All Washington 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.