The map above shows Arkansas and Mississippi side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Arkansas vs Mississippi Geography
Land area: Arkansas has a land area of 51,992 square miles (134,658 km²), while Mississippi has 46,925 square miles (121,534 km²). Arkansas' land area is 1.1 times (11%) larger than Mississippi's.
Total area: Arkansas: 53,198 square miles (137,781 km²) vs Mississippi: 48,436 square miles (125,448 km²), including inland and coastal water. Arkansas' total area is 1.1 times (10%) larger than Mississippi's.
Length: Arkansas is 243 miles (392 km) long from north to south; Mississippi is 337 miles (542 km). Mississippi's north-south length is 1.4 times (39%) longer than Arkansas'.
Width: Arkansas spans 279 miles (449 km) east to west; Mississippi spans 340 miles (547 km). Mississippi's east-west width is 1.2 times (22%) wider than Arkansas'.
Highest point: Arkansas's highest point is Mount Magazine at 2,752 feet (839 m); Mississippi's is Woodall Mountain at 805 feet (245 m). Mount Magazine is 1,947 feet higher than Woodall Mountain.
Lowest point: Arkansas's lowest point is Ouachita River at 55 feet; Mississippi's is Gulf of Mexico at 0 feet. Mississippi's lowest point is 55 feet lower.
Arkansas vs Mississippi Population and History
Population: Arkansas has a population of 3,088,354 (2024), while Mississippi has 2,943,045 (2024). Arkansas' population is 1.0 times (5%) larger than Mississippi's.
Population density: Arkansas: 59.4 people per square mile vs Mississippi: 62.7. Mississippi's population density is 1.1 times (6%) higher than Arkansas'.
Biggest city: Arkansas's biggest city is Little Rock with 204,774 people; Mississippi's is Jackson with 141,449. Little Rock's population is 1.4 times (45%) larger than Jackson's.
Largest metro area: Arkansas's largest metropolitan area is Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area (1,339,345 people) vs Mississippi's Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area (1,339,345). Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area and Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area have about the same population.
History: Arkansas: Admitted to the Union on June 15, 1836, as the 25th state. Mississippi: Admitted to the Union on December 10, 1817, as the 20th state. In its current form, Mississippi is the older of the two by 19 years.
Arkansas vs Mississippi Economy
GDP: Arkansas's GDP is $188.3 billion (2024) vs Mississippi's $158.2 billion. Arkansas' economic output is 1.2 times (19%) larger than Mississippi's.
GDP per capita: Arkansas: $60,984 per person vs Mississippi: $53,751. Arkansas' GDP per capita is 1.1 times (13%) higher than Mississippi's.
Average income: Arkansas: $59,320 vs Mississippi: $52,074 average income per person (per capita personal income). Arkansas' average income is 1.1 times (14%) higher than Mississippi's.
Arkansas vs Mississippi Counties
Number of counties: Arkansas has 75 counties, while Mississippi has 82. Mississippi's county count is 1.1 times (9%) higher than Arkansas'.
Biggest county by area: Arkansas's largest county is Union County at 1,039 square miles; Mississippi's is Yazoo County at 922 square miles. Union County's land area is 1.1 times (13%) larger than Yazoo County's.
Smallest county by area: Arkansas: Lafayette County (530 sq mi) vs Mississippi: Alcorn County (400 sq mi). Lafayette County's land area is 1.3 times (32%) larger than Alcorn County's.
Most populous county: Arkansas: Pulaski County (401,209 people) vs Mississippi: Harrison County (213,730 people). Pulaski County's population is 1.9 times (88%) larger than Harrison County's.
Least populous county: Arkansas: Calhoun County (4,690 people) vs Mississippi: Issaquena County (1,295 people). Calhoun County's population is 3.6 times (262%) larger than Issaquena County's.
Richest county: Arkansas: Benton County ($120,594 per capita income) vs Mississippi: Madison County ($90,668). Benton County's income is 1.3 times (33%) richer than Madison County's.
Poorest county: Arkansas: Lincoln County ($36,032 per capita income) vs Mississippi: Issaquena County ($27,264). Lincoln County's income is 1.3 times (32%) richer than Issaquena County's.
Arkansas vs Mississippi Taxes
State income tax: Arkansas has a top income tax rate of 3.9%, while Mississippi has a top income tax rate of 4%. Mississippi's top rate is 0.1 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Arkansas: 0.52% effective rate vs Mississippi: 0.65% of home value per year. Mississippi's rate is 0.13 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Arkansas: 9.48% combined state and average local rate vs Mississippi: 7.06%. Arkansas's combined rate is 2.42 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Arkansas official website · Mississippi official website
More Size Comparisons
All Arkansas size comparisons · All Mississippi 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.