The map above shows Arkansas and Virginia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Arkansas vs Virginia Geography
Land area: Arkansas has a land area of 51,992 square miles (134,658 km²), while Virginia has 39,481 square miles (102,256 km²). Arkansas' land area is 1.3 times (32%) larger than Virginia's.
Total area: Arkansas: 53,198 square miles (137,781 km²) vs Virginia: 42,775 square miles (110,786 km²), including inland and coastal water. Arkansas' total area is 1.2 times (24%) larger than Virginia's.
Length: Arkansas is 243 miles (392 km) long from north to south; Virginia is 223 miles (359 km). Arkansas' north-south length is 1.1 times (9%) longer than Virginia's.
Width: Arkansas spans 279 miles (449 km) east to west; Virginia spans 466 miles (750 km). Virginia's east-west width is 1.7 times (67%) wider than Arkansas'.
Highest point: Arkansas's highest point is Mount Magazine at 2,752 feet (839 m); Virginia's is Mount Rogers at 5,729 feet (1,746 m). Mount Rogers is 2,977 feet higher than Mount Magazine.
Lowest point: Arkansas's lowest point is Ouachita River at 55 feet; Virginia's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. Virginia's lowest point is 55 feet lower.
Arkansas vs Virginia Population and History
Population: Arkansas has a population of 3,088,354 (2024), while Virginia has 8,811,195 (2024). Virginia's population is 2.9 times (185%) larger than Arkansas'.
Population density: Arkansas: 59.4 people per square mile vs Virginia: 223.2. Virginia's population density is 3.8 times (276%) higher than Arkansas'.
Biggest city: Arkansas's biggest city is Little Rock with 204,774 people; Virginia's is Virginia Beach with 454,808. Virginia Beach's population is 2.2 times (122%) 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 Virginia's Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area (6,436,489). Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area's population is 4.8 times (381%) larger than Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area's.
History: Arkansas: Admitted to the Union on June 15, 1836, as the 25th state. Virginia: Admitted to the Union on June 25, 1788, as the 10th state. In its current form, Virginia is the older of the two by 48 years.
Arkansas vs Virginia Economy
GDP: Arkansas's GDP is $188.3 billion (2024) vs Virginia's $761.7 billion. Virginia's economic output is 4.0 times (305%) larger than Arkansas'.
GDP per capita: Arkansas: $60,984 per person vs Virginia: $86,451. Virginia's GDP per capita is 1.4 times (42%) higher than Arkansas'.
Average income: Arkansas: $59,320 vs Virginia: $77,351 average income per person (per capita personal income). Virginia's average income is 1.3 times (30%) higher than Arkansas'.
Arkansas vs Virginia Counties
Number of counties: Arkansas has 75 counties, while Virginia has 133. Virginia's county count is 1.8 times (77%) higher than Arkansas'.
Biggest county by area: Arkansas's largest county is Union County at 1,039 square miles; Virginia's is Pittsylvania County at 969 square miles. Union County's land area is 1.1 times (7%) larger than Pittsylvania County's.
Smallest county by area: Arkansas: Lafayette County (530 sq mi) vs Virginia: Falls Church city (2 sq mi). Lafayette County's land area is 264.8 times larger than Falls Church city's.
Most populous county: Arkansas: Pulaski County (401,209 people) vs Virginia: Fairfax County (1,160,925 people). Fairfax County's population is 2.9 times (189%) larger than Pulaski County's.
Least populous county: Arkansas: Calhoun County (4,690 people) vs Virginia: Highland County (2,348 people). Calhoun County's population is 2.0 times (100%) larger than Highland County's.
Richest county: Arkansas: Benton County ($120,594 per capita income) vs Virginia: Arlington County ($131,624). Arlington County's income is 1.1 times (9%) richer than Benton County's.
Poorest county: Arkansas: Lincoln County ($36,032 per capita income) vs Virginia: Sussex County ($41,032). Sussex County's income is 1.1 times (14%) richer than Lincoln County's.
Arkansas vs Virginia Taxes
State income tax: Arkansas has a top income tax rate of 3.9%, while Virginia has a top income tax rate of 5.75%. Virginia's top rate is 1.85 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Arkansas: 0.52% effective rate vs Virginia: 0.71% of home value per year. Virginia's rate is 0.19 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Arkansas: 9.48% combined state and average local rate vs Virginia: 5.77%. Arkansas's combined rate is 3.71 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Arkansas official website · Virginia official website
More Size Comparisons
All Arkansas size comparisons · All Virginia 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.