The map above shows Arkansas and Pennsylvania side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Arkansas vs Pennsylvania Geography
Land area: Arkansas has a land area of 51,992 square miles (134,658 km²), while Pennsylvania has 44,742 square miles (115,882 km²). Arkansas' land area is 1.2 times (16%) larger than Pennsylvania's.
Total area: Arkansas: 53,198 square miles (137,781 km²) vs Pennsylvania: 46,054 square miles (119,279 km²), including inland and coastal water. Arkansas' total area is 1.2 times (16%) larger than Pennsylvania's.
Length: Arkansas is 243 miles (392 km) long from north to south; Pennsylvania is 284 miles (458 km). Pennsylvania's north-south length is 1.2 times (17%) longer than Arkansas'.
Width: Arkansas spans 279 miles (449 km) east to west; Pennsylvania spans 307 miles (495 km). Pennsylvania's east-west width is 1.1 times (10%) wider than Arkansas'.
Highest point: Arkansas's highest point is Mount Magazine at 2,752 feet (839 m); Pennsylvania's is Mount Davis at 3,210 feet (978 m). Mount Davis is 458 feet higher than Mount Magazine.
Lowest point: Arkansas's lowest point is Ouachita River at 55 feet; Pennsylvania's is Delaware River at 0 feet. Pennsylvania's lowest point is 55 feet lower.
Arkansas vs Pennsylvania Population and History
Population: Arkansas has a population of 3,088,354 (2024), while Pennsylvania has 13,078,751 (2024). Pennsylvania's population is 4.2 times (323%) larger than Arkansas'.
Population density: Arkansas: 59.4 people per square mile vs Pennsylvania: 292.3. Pennsylvania's population density is 4.9 times (392%) higher than Arkansas'.
Biggest city: Arkansas's biggest city is Little Rock with 204,774 people; Pennsylvania's is Philadelphia with 1,573,916. Philadelphia's population is 7.7 times (669%) 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 Pennsylvania's Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area (6,330,422). Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area's population is 4.7 times (373%) larger than Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area's.
History: Arkansas: Admitted to the Union on June 15, 1836, as the 25th state. Pennsylvania: Admitted to the Union on December 12, 1787, as the 2nd state. In its current form, Pennsylvania is the older of the two by 49 years.
Arkansas vs Pennsylvania Economy
GDP: Arkansas's GDP is $188.3 billion (2024) vs Pennsylvania's $1,007.9 billion. Pennsylvania's economic output is 5.4 times (435%) larger than Arkansas'.
GDP per capita: Arkansas: $60,984 per person vs Pennsylvania: $77,062. Pennsylvania's GDP per capita is 1.3 times (26%) higher than Arkansas'.
Average income: Arkansas: $59,320 vs Pennsylvania: $70,678 average income per person (per capita personal income). Pennsylvania's average income is 1.2 times (19%) higher than Arkansas'.
Arkansas vs Pennsylvania Counties
Number of counties: Arkansas has 75 counties, while Pennsylvania has 67. Arkansas' county count is 1.1 times (12%) higher than Pennsylvania's.
Biggest county by area: Arkansas's largest county is Union County at 1,039 square miles; Pennsylvania's is Lycoming County at 1,229 square miles. Lycoming County's land area is 1.2 times (18%) larger than Union County's.
Smallest county by area: Arkansas: Lafayette County (530 sq mi) vs Pennsylvania: Montour County (130 sq mi). Lafayette County's land area is 4.1 times (306%) larger than Montour County's.
Most populous county: Arkansas: Pulaski County (401,209 people) vs Pennsylvania: Philadelphia County (1,573,916 people). Philadelphia County's population is 3.9 times (292%) larger than Pulaski County's.
Least populous county: Arkansas: Calhoun County (4,690 people) vs Pennsylvania: Cameron County (4,348 people). Calhoun County's population is 1.1 times (8%) larger than Cameron County's.
Richest county: Arkansas: Benton County ($120,594 per capita income) vs Pennsylvania: Chester County ($110,883). Benton County's income is 1.1 times (9%) richer than Chester County's.
Poorest county: Arkansas: Lincoln County ($36,032 per capita income) vs Pennsylvania: Forest County ($30,234). Lincoln County's income is 1.2 times (19%) richer than Forest County's.
Arkansas vs Pennsylvania Taxes
State income tax: Arkansas has a top income tax rate of 3.9%, while Pennsylvania has a top income tax rate of 3.07%. Arkansas's top rate is 0.83 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Arkansas: 0.52% effective rate vs Pennsylvania: 1.16% of home value per year. Pennsylvania's rate is 0.64 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Arkansas: 9.48% combined state and average local rate vs Pennsylvania: 6.34%. Arkansas's combined rate is 3.14 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Arkansas official website · Pennsylvania official website
More Size Comparisons
All Arkansas size comparisons · All Pennsylvania 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.