The map above shows Colorado and North Dakota side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Colorado vs North Dakota Geography
Land area: Colorado has a land area of 103,637 square miles (268,419 km²), while North Dakota has 68,994 square miles (178,694 km²). Colorado's land area is 1.5 times (50%) larger than North Dakota's.
Total area: Colorado: 104,095 square miles (269,605 km²) vs North Dakota: 70,699 square miles (183,109 km²), including inland and coastal water. Colorado's total area is 1.5 times (47%) larger than North Dakota's.
Length: Colorado is 467 miles (751 km) long from north to south; North Dakota is 338 miles (544 km). Colorado's north-south length is 1.4 times (38%) longer than North Dakota's.
Width: Colorado spans 387 miles (622 km) east to west; North Dakota spans 408 miles (657 km). North Dakota's east-west width is 1.1 times (5%) wider than Colorado's.
Highest point: Colorado's highest point is Mount Elbert at 14,422 feet (4,396 m); North Dakota's is White Butte at 3,500 feet (1,067 m). Mount Elbert is 10,922 feet higher than White Butte.
Lowest point: Colorado's lowest point is Arikaree River at 3,326 feet; North Dakota's is Red River of the North at 754 feet. North Dakota's lowest point is 2,572 feet lower.
Colorado vs North Dakota Population and History
Population: Colorado has a population of 5,957,493 (2024), while North Dakota has 796,568 (2024). Colorado's population is 7.5 times (648%) larger than North Dakota's.
Population density: Colorado: 57.5 people per square mile vs North Dakota: 11.5. Colorado's population density is 5.0 times (400%) higher than North Dakota's.
Biggest city: Colorado's biggest city is Denver with 729,019 people; North Dakota's is Fargo with 136,285. Denver's population is 5.3 times (435%) larger than Fargo's.
Largest metro area: Colorado's largest metropolitan area is Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area (3,052,498 people) vs North Dakota's Fargo, ND-MN metro area (267,793). Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area's population is 11.4 times larger than Fargo, ND-MN metro area's.
History: Colorado: Admitted to the Union on August 1, 1876, as the 38th state. North Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 39th state. In its current form, Colorado is the older of the two by 13 years.
Colorado vs North Dakota Economy
GDP: Colorado's GDP is $557.6 billion (2024) vs North Dakota's $80.1 billion. Colorado's economic output is 7.0 times (596%) larger than North Dakota's.
GDP per capita: Colorado: $93,602 per person vs North Dakota: $100,504. North Dakota's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (7%) higher than Colorado's.
Average income: Colorado: $83,055 vs North Dakota: $71,749 average income per person (per capita personal income). Colorado's average income is 1.2 times (16%) higher than North Dakota's.
Colorado vs North Dakota Counties
Number of counties: Colorado has 64 counties, while North Dakota has 53. Colorado's county count is 1.2 times (21%) higher than North Dakota's.
Biggest county by area: Colorado's largest county is Las Animas County at 4,773 square miles; North Dakota's is McKenzie County at 2,760 square miles. Las Animas County's land area is 1.7 times (73%) larger than McKenzie County's.
Smallest county by area: Colorado: Broomfield County (33 sq mi) vs North Dakota: Eddy County (630 sq mi). Eddy County's land area is 19.1 times larger than Broomfield County's.
Most populous county: Colorado: El Paso County (752,772 people) vs North Dakota: Cass County (200,945 people). El Paso County's population is 3.7 times (275%) larger than Cass County's.
Least populous county: Colorado: Hinsdale County (747 people) vs North Dakota: Slope County (660 people). Hinsdale County's population is 1.1 times (13%) larger than Slope County's.
Richest county: Colorado: Pitkin County ($275,044 per capita income) vs North Dakota: Dunn County ($99,793). Pitkin County's income is 2.8 times (176%) richer than Dunn County's.
Poorest county: Colorado: Crowley County ($27,232 per capita income) vs North Dakota: Sioux County ($33,782). Sioux County's income is 1.2 times (24%) richer than Crowley County's.
Colorado vs North Dakota Taxes
State income tax: Colorado has a top income tax rate of 4.4%, while North Dakota has a top income tax rate of 2.5%. Colorado's top rate is 1.9 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Colorado: 0.49% effective rate vs North Dakota: 0.96% of home value per year. North Dakota's rate is 0.47 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Colorado: 7.89% combined state and average local rate vs North Dakota: 7.09%. Colorado's combined rate is 0.8 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Colorado official website · North Dakota official website
More Size Comparisons
All Colorado size comparisons · All North Dakota 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.