The map above shows Arkansas and Illinois side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Arkansas vs Illinois Geography
Land area: Arkansas has a land area of 51,992 square miles (134,658 km²), while Illinois has 55,513 square miles (143,778 km²). Illinois' land area is 1.1 times (7%) larger than Arkansas'.
Total area: Arkansas: 53,198 square miles (137,781 km²) vs Illinois: 57,913 square miles (149,995 km²), including inland and coastal water. Illinois' total area is 1.1 times (9%) larger than Arkansas'.
Length: Arkansas is 243 miles (392 km) long from north to south; Illinois is 390 miles (628 km). Illinois' north-south length is 1.6 times (60%) longer than Arkansas'.
Width: Arkansas spans 279 miles (449 km) east to west; Illinois spans 283 miles (456 km). Arkansas and Illinois have about the same east-west width.
Highest point: Arkansas's highest point is Mount Magazine at 2,752 feet (839 m); Illinois's is Charles Mound at 1,232 feet (376 m). Mount Magazine is 1,520 feet higher than Charles Mound.
Lowest point: Arkansas's lowest point is Ouachita River at 55 feet; Illinois's is Mississippi River at 292 feet. Arkansas's lowest point is 237 feet lower.
Arkansas vs Illinois Population and History
Population: Arkansas has a population of 3,088,354 (2024), while Illinois has 12,710,158 (2024). Illinois' population is 4.1 times (312%) larger than Arkansas'.
Population density: Arkansas: 59.4 people per square mile vs Illinois: 229.0. Illinois' population density is 3.9 times (286%) higher than Arkansas'.
Biggest city: Arkansas's biggest city is Little Rock with 204,774 people; Illinois's is Chicago with 2,721,308. Chicago's population is 13.3 times larger than Little Rock's.
Largest metro area: Arkansas's largest metropolitan area is Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area (1,339,345 people) vs Illinois's Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (9,408,576). Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area's population is 7.0 times (602%) larger than Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area's.
History: Arkansas: Admitted to the Union on June 15, 1836, as the 25th state. Illinois: Admitted to the Union on December 3, 1818, as the 21st state. In its current form, Illinois is the older of the two by 18 years.
Arkansas vs Illinois Economy
GDP: Arkansas's GDP is $188.3 billion (2024) vs Illinois's $1,148.1 billion. Illinois' economic output is 6.1 times (510%) larger than Arkansas'.
GDP per capita: Arkansas: $60,984 per person vs Illinois: $90,330. Illinois' GDP per capita is 1.5 times (48%) higher than Arkansas'.
Average income: Arkansas: $59,320 vs Illinois: $74,522 average income per person (per capita personal income). Illinois' average income is 1.3 times (26%) higher than Arkansas'.
Arkansas vs Illinois Counties
Number of counties: Arkansas has 75 counties, while Illinois has 102. Illinois' county count is 1.4 times (36%) higher than Arkansas'.
Biggest county by area: Arkansas's largest county is Union County at 1,039 square miles; Illinois's is McLean County at 1,183 square miles. McLean County's land area is 1.1 times (14%) larger than Union County's.
Smallest county by area: Arkansas: Lafayette County (530 sq mi) vs Illinois: Putnam County (160 sq mi). Lafayette County's land area is 3.3 times (231%) larger than Putnam County's.
Most populous county: Arkansas: Pulaski County (401,209 people) vs Illinois: Cook County (5,182,617 people). Cook County's population is 12.9 times larger than Pulaski County's.
Least populous county: Arkansas: Calhoun County (4,690 people) vs Illinois: Hardin County (3,550 people). Calhoun County's population is 1.3 times (32%) larger than Hardin County's.
Richest county: Arkansas: Benton County ($120,594 per capita income) vs Illinois: Cumberland County ($104,890). Benton County's income is 1.1 times (15%) richer than Cumberland County's.
Poorest county: Arkansas: Lincoln County ($36,032 per capita income) vs Illinois: Lawrence County ($43,606). Lawrence County's income is 1.2 times (21%) richer than Lincoln County's.
Arkansas vs Illinois Taxes
State income tax: Arkansas has a top income tax rate of 3.9%, while Illinois has a top income tax rate of 4.95%. Illinois's top rate is 1.05 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Arkansas: 0.52% effective rate vs Illinois: 1.92% of home value per year. Illinois's rate is 1.4 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Arkansas: 9.48% combined state and average local rate vs Illinois: 8.98%. Arkansas's combined rate is 0.5 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Arkansas official website · Illinois official website
More Size Comparisons
All Arkansas size comparisons · All Illinois 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.