The map above shows Alaska and California side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Alaska vs California Geography
Land area: Alaska has a land area of 571,242 square miles (1,479,509 km²), while California has 155,859 square miles (403,673 km²). Alaska's land area is 3.7 times (267%) larger than California's.
Total area: Alaska: 665,725 square miles (1,724,220 km²) vs California: 163,694 square miles (423,965 km²), including inland and coastal water. Alaska's total area is 4.1 times (307%) larger than California's.
Length: Alaska is 1,201 miles (1,933 km) long from north to south; California is 761 miles (1,224 km). Alaska's north-south length is 1.6 times (58%) longer than California's.
Width: Alaska spans 1,544 miles (2,485 km) east to west; California spans 706 miles (1,137 km). Alaska's east-west width is 2.2 times (119%) wider than California's.
Highest point: Alaska's highest point is Denali at 20,235 feet (6,168 m); California's is Mount Whitney at 14,484 feet (4,415 m). Denali is 5,751 feet higher than Mount Whitney.
Lowest point: Alaska's lowest point is Pacific Ocean at 0 feet; California's is Death Valley at -279 feet. California's lowest point is 279 feet lower.
Alaska vs California Population and History
Population: Alaska has a population of 740,133 (2024), while California has 39,431,263 (2024). California's population is 53.3 times larger than Alaska's.
Population density: Alaska: 1.3 people per square mile vs California: 253.0. California's population density is 194.6 times higher than Alaska's.
Biggest city: Alaska's biggest city is Anchorage with 289,600 people; California's is Los Angeles with 3,878,704. Los Angeles' population is 13.4 times larger than Anchorage's.
Largest metro area: Alaska's largest metropolitan area is Anchorage, AK metro area (407,213 people) vs California's Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area (12,927,614). Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area's population is 31.7 times larger than Anchorage, AK metro area's.
History: Alaska: Admitted to the Union on January 3, 1959, as the 49th state. California: Admitted to the Union on September 9, 1850, as the 31st state. In its current form, California is the older of the two by 109 years.
Alaska vs California Economy
GDP: Alaska's GDP is $71.6 billion (2024) vs California's $4,048.1 billion. California's economic output is 56.5 times larger than Alaska's.
GDP per capita: Alaska: $96,695 per person vs California: $102,662. California's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (6%) higher than Alaska's.
Average income: Alaska: $76,234 vs California: $86,232 average income per person (per capita personal income). California's average income is 1.1 times (13%) higher than Alaska's.
Alaska vs California Counties
Number of counties: Alaska has 30 counties, while California has 58. California's county count is 1.9 times (93%) higher than Alaska's.
Biggest county by area: Alaska's largest county is Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area at 145,769 square miles; California's is San Bernardino County at 20,068 square miles. Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area's land area is 7.3 times (626%) larger than San Bernardino County's.
Smallest county by area: Alaska: Skagway Municipality (443 sq mi) vs California: San Francisco County (47 sq mi). Skagway Municipality's land area is 9.5 times (848%) larger than San Francisco County's.
Most populous county: Alaska: Anchorage Municipality (289,600 people) vs California: Los Angeles County (9,757,179 people). Los Angeles County's population is 33.7 times larger than Anchorage Municipality's.
Least populous county: Alaska: Yakutat City and Borough (690 people) vs California: Alpine County (1,099 people). Alpine County's population is 1.6 times (59%) larger than Yakutat City and Borough's.
Richest county: Alaska: Bristol Bay Borough ($158,406 per capita income) vs California: Marin County ($190,891). Marin County's income is 1.2 times (21%) richer than Bristol Bay Borough's.
Poorest county: Alaska: Kusilvak Census Area ($37,765 per capita income) vs California: Trinity County ($42,191). Trinity County's income is 1.1 times (12%) richer than Kusilvak Census Area's.
Alaska vs California Taxes
State income tax: Alaska has no state income tax, while California has a top income tax rate of 13.3%. California's top rate is 13.3 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Alaska: 1.06% effective rate vs California: 0.71% of home value per year. Alaska's rate is 0.35 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Alaska: 1.82% combined state and average local rate vs California: 9.03%. California's combined rate is 7.21 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Alaska official website · California official website
More Size Comparisons
All Alaska size comparisons · All California 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.