The map above shows Alaska and Colorado side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Alaska vs Colorado Geography
Land area: Alaska has a land area of 571,242 square miles (1,479,509 km²), while Colorado has 103,637 square miles (268,419 km²). Alaska's land area is 5.5 times (451%) larger than Colorado's.
Total area: Alaska: 665,725 square miles (1,724,220 km²) vs Colorado: 104,095 square miles (269,605 km²), including inland and coastal water. Alaska's total area is 6.4 times (540%) larger than Colorado's.
Length: Alaska is 1,201 miles (1,933 km) long from north to south; Colorado is 467 miles (751 km). Alaska's north-south length is 2.6 times (157%) longer than Colorado's.
Width: Alaska spans 1,544 miles (2,485 km) east to west; Colorado spans 387 miles (622 km). Alaska's east-west width is 4.0 times (299%) wider than Colorado's.
Highest point: Alaska's highest point is Denali at 20,235 feet (6,168 m); Colorado's is Mount Elbert at 14,422 feet (4,396 m). Denali is 5,813 feet higher than Mount Elbert.
Lowest point: Alaska's lowest point is Pacific Ocean at 0 feet; Colorado's is Arikaree River at 3,326 feet. Alaska's lowest point is 3,326 feet lower.
Alaska vs Colorado Population and History
Population: Alaska has a population of 740,133 (2024), while Colorado has 5,957,493 (2024). Colorado's population is 8.0 times (705%) larger than Alaska's.
Population density: Alaska: 1.3 people per square mile vs Colorado: 57.5. Colorado's population density is 44.2 times higher than Alaska's.
Biggest city: Alaska's biggest city is Anchorage with 289,600 people; Colorado's is Denver with 729,019. Denver's population is 2.5 times (152%) larger than Anchorage's.
Largest metro area: Alaska's largest metropolitan area is Anchorage, AK metro area (407,213 people) vs Colorado's Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area (3,052,498). Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area's population is 7.5 times (650%) larger than Anchorage, AK metro area's.
History: Alaska: Admitted to the Union on January 3, 1959, as the 49th state. Colorado: Admitted to the Union on August 1, 1876, as the 38th state. In its current form, Colorado is the older of the two by 83 years.
Alaska vs Colorado Economy
GDP: Alaska's GDP is $71.6 billion (2024) vs Colorado's $557.6 billion. Colorado's economic output is 7.8 times (679%) larger than Alaska's.
GDP per capita: Alaska: $96,695 per person vs Colorado: $93,602. Alaska and Colorado have about the same GDP per capita.
Average income: Alaska: $76,234 vs Colorado: $83,055 average income per person (per capita personal income). Colorado's average income is 1.1 times (9%) higher than Alaska's.
Alaska vs Colorado Counties
Number of counties: Alaska has 30 counties, while Colorado has 64. Colorado's county count is 2.1 times (113%) higher than Alaska's.
Biggest county by area: Alaska's largest county is Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area at 145,769 square miles; Colorado's is Las Animas County at 4,773 square miles. Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area's land area is 30.5 times larger than Las Animas County's.
Smallest county by area: Alaska: Skagway Municipality (443 sq mi) vs Colorado: Broomfield County (33 sq mi). Skagway Municipality's land area is 13.4 times larger than Broomfield County's.
Most populous county: Alaska: Anchorage Municipality (289,600 people) vs Colorado: El Paso County (752,772 people). El Paso County's population is 2.6 times (160%) larger than Anchorage Municipality's.
Least populous county: Alaska: Yakutat City and Borough (690 people) vs Colorado: Hinsdale County (747 people). Hinsdale County's population is 1.1 times (8%) larger than Yakutat City and Borough's.
Richest county: Alaska: Bristol Bay Borough ($158,406 per capita income) vs Colorado: Pitkin County ($275,044). Pitkin County's income is 1.7 times (74%) richer than Bristol Bay Borough's.
Poorest county: Alaska: Kusilvak Census Area ($37,765 per capita income) vs Colorado: Crowley County ($27,232). Kusilvak Census Area's income is 1.4 times (39%) richer than Crowley County's.
Alaska vs Colorado Taxes
State income tax: Alaska has no state income tax, while Colorado has a top income tax rate of 4.4%. Colorado's top rate is 4.4 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Alaska: 1.06% effective rate vs Colorado: 0.49% of home value per year. Alaska's rate is 0.57 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Alaska: 1.82% combined state and average local rate vs Colorado: 7.89%. Colorado's combined rate is 6.07 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Alaska official website · Colorado official website
More Size Comparisons
All Alaska size comparisons · All Colorado 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.