The map above shows Arkansas and New Mexico side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Arkansas vs New Mexico Geography
Land area: Arkansas has a land area of 51,992 square miles (134,658 km²), while New Mexico has 121,313 square miles (314,198 km²). New Mexico's land area is 2.3 times (133%) larger than Arkansas'.
Total area: Arkansas: 53,198 square miles (137,781 km²) vs New Mexico: 121,593 square miles (314,925 km²), including inland and coastal water. New Mexico's total area is 2.3 times (129%) larger than Arkansas'.
Length: Arkansas is 243 miles (392 km) long from north to south; New Mexico is 395 miles (635 km). New Mexico's north-south length is 1.6 times (63%) longer than Arkansas'.
Width: Arkansas spans 279 miles (449 km) east to west; New Mexico spans 498 miles (801 km). New Mexico's east-west width is 1.8 times (78%) wider than Arkansas'.
Highest point: Arkansas's highest point is Mount Magazine at 2,752 feet (839 m); New Mexico's is Wheeler Peak at 13,150 feet (4,008 m). Wheeler Peak is 10,398 feet higher than Mount Magazine.
Lowest point: Arkansas's lowest point is Ouachita River at 55 feet; New Mexico's is Red Bluff Reservoir at 2,842 feet. Arkansas's lowest point is 2,787 feet lower.
Arkansas vs New Mexico Population and History
Population: Arkansas has a population of 3,088,354 (2024), while New Mexico has 2,130,256 (2024). Arkansas' population is 1.4 times (45%) larger than New Mexico's.
Population density: Arkansas: 59.4 people per square mile vs New Mexico: 17.6. Arkansas' population density is 3.4 times (238%) higher than New Mexico's.
Biggest city: Arkansas's biggest city is Little Rock with 204,774 people; New Mexico's is Albuquerque with 560,326. Albuquerque's population is 2.7 times (174%) 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 New Mexico's Albuquerque, NM metro area (926,303). Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area's population is 1.4 times (45%) larger than Albuquerque, NM metro area's.
History: Arkansas: Admitted to the Union on June 15, 1836, as the 25th state. New Mexico: Admitted to the Union on January 6, 1912, as the 47th state. In its current form, Arkansas is the older of the two by 76 years.
Arkansas vs New Mexico Economy
GDP: Arkansas's GDP is $188.3 billion (2024) vs New Mexico's $147.1 billion. Arkansas' economic output is 1.3 times (28%) larger than New Mexico's.
GDP per capita: Arkansas: $60,984 per person vs New Mexico: $69,046. New Mexico's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (13%) higher than Arkansas'.
Average income: Arkansas: $59,320 vs New Mexico: $58,249 average income per person (per capita personal income). Arkansas and New Mexico have about the same average income.
Arkansas vs New Mexico Counties
Number of counties: Arkansas has 75 counties, while New Mexico has 33. Arkansas' county count is 2.3 times (127%) higher than New Mexico's.
Biggest county by area: Arkansas's largest county is Union County at 1,039 square miles; New Mexico's is Catron County at 6,924 square miles. Catron County's land area is 6.7 times (566%) larger than Union County's.
Smallest county by area: Arkansas: Lafayette County (530 sq mi) vs New Mexico: Los Alamos County (109 sq mi). Lafayette County's land area is 4.9 times (385%) larger than Los Alamos County's.
Most populous county: Arkansas: Pulaski County (401,209 people) vs New Mexico: Bernalillo County (671,747 people). Bernalillo County's population is 1.7 times (67%) larger than Pulaski County's.
Least populous county: Arkansas: Calhoun County (4,690 people) vs New Mexico: Harding County (635 people). Calhoun County's population is 7.4 times (639%) larger than Harding County's.
Richest county: Arkansas: Benton County ($120,594 per capita income) vs New Mexico: Los Alamos County ($98,378). Benton County's income is 1.2 times (23%) richer than Los Alamos County's.
Poorest county: Arkansas: Lincoln County ($36,032 per capita income) vs New Mexico: Cibola County ($36,397). Lincoln County and Cibola County have about the same income.
Arkansas vs New Mexico Taxes
State income tax: Arkansas has a top income tax rate of 3.9%, while New Mexico has a top income tax rate of 5.9%. New Mexico's top rate is 2 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Arkansas: 0.52% effective rate vs New Mexico: 0.63% of home value per year. New Mexico's rate is 0.11 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Arkansas: 9.48% combined state and average local rate vs New Mexico: 7.68%. Arkansas's combined rate is 1.8 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Arkansas official website · New Mexico official website
More Size Comparisons
All Arkansas size comparisons · All New Mexico 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.