The map above shows Colorado and Pennsylvania side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Colorado vs Pennsylvania Geography
Land area: Colorado has a land area of 103,637 square miles (268,419 km²), while Pennsylvania has 44,742 square miles (115,882 km²). Colorado's land area is 2.3 times (132%) larger than Pennsylvania's.
Total area: Colorado: 104,095 square miles (269,605 km²) vs Pennsylvania: 46,054 square miles (119,279 km²), including inland and coastal water. Colorado's total area is 2.3 times (126%) larger than Pennsylvania's.
Length: Colorado is 467 miles (751 km) long from north to south; Pennsylvania is 284 miles (458 km). Colorado's north-south length is 1.6 times (64%) longer than Pennsylvania's.
Width: Colorado spans 387 miles (622 km) east to west; Pennsylvania spans 307 miles (495 km). Colorado's east-west width is 1.3 times (26%) wider than Pennsylvania's.
Highest point: Colorado's highest point is Mount Elbert at 14,422 feet (4,396 m); Pennsylvania's is Mount Davis at 3,210 feet (978 m). Mount Elbert is 11,212 feet higher than Mount Davis.
Lowest point: Colorado's lowest point is Arikaree River at 3,326 feet; Pennsylvania's is Delaware River at 0 feet. Pennsylvania's lowest point is 3,326 feet lower.
Colorado vs Pennsylvania Population and History
Population: Colorado has a population of 5,957,493 (2024), while Pennsylvania has 13,078,751 (2024). Pennsylvania's population is 2.2 times (120%) larger than Colorado's.
Population density: Colorado: 57.5 people per square mile vs Pennsylvania: 292.3. Pennsylvania's population density is 5.1 times (408%) higher than Colorado's.
Biggest city: Colorado's biggest city is Denver with 729,019 people; Pennsylvania's is Philadelphia with 1,573,916. Philadelphia's population is 2.2 times (116%) larger than Denver's.
Largest metro area: Colorado's largest metropolitan area is Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area (3,052,498 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 2.1 times (107%) larger than Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area's.
History: Colorado: Admitted to the Union on August 1, 1876, as the 38th 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 89 years.
Colorado vs Pennsylvania Economy
GDP: Colorado's GDP is $557.6 billion (2024) vs Pennsylvania's $1,007.9 billion. Pennsylvania's economic output is 1.8 times (81%) larger than Colorado's.
GDP per capita: Colorado: $93,602 per person vs Pennsylvania: $77,062. Colorado's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (21%) higher than Pennsylvania's.
Average income: Colorado: $83,055 vs Pennsylvania: $70,678 average income per person (per capita personal income). Colorado's average income is 1.2 times (18%) higher than Pennsylvania's.
Colorado vs Pennsylvania Counties
Number of counties: Colorado has 64 counties, while Pennsylvania has 67. Colorado and Pennsylvania have about the same county count.
Biggest county by area: Colorado's largest county is Las Animas County at 4,773 square miles; Pennsylvania's is Lycoming County at 1,229 square miles. Las Animas County's land area is 3.9 times (288%) larger than Lycoming County's.
Smallest county by area: Colorado: Broomfield County (33 sq mi) vs Pennsylvania: Montour County (130 sq mi). Montour County's land area is 3.9 times (295%) larger than Broomfield County's.
Most populous county: Colorado: El Paso County (752,772 people) vs Pennsylvania: Philadelphia County (1,573,916 people). Philadelphia County's population is 2.1 times (109%) larger than El Paso County's.
Least populous county: Colorado: Hinsdale County (747 people) vs Pennsylvania: Cameron County (4,348 people). Cameron County's population is 5.8 times (482%) larger than Hinsdale County's.
Richest county: Colorado: Pitkin County ($275,044 per capita income) vs Pennsylvania: Chester County ($110,883). Pitkin County's income is 2.5 times (148%) richer than Chester County's.
Poorest county: Colorado: Crowley County ($27,232 per capita income) vs Pennsylvania: Forest County ($30,234). Forest County's income is 1.1 times (11%) richer than Crowley County's.
Colorado vs Pennsylvania Taxes
State income tax: Colorado has a top income tax rate of 4.4%, while Pennsylvania has a top income tax rate of 3.07%. Colorado's top rate is 1.33 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Colorado: 0.49% effective rate vs Pennsylvania: 1.16% of home value per year. Pennsylvania's rate is 0.67 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Colorado: 7.89% combined state and average local rate vs Pennsylvania: 6.34%. Colorado's combined rate is 1.55 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Colorado official website · Pennsylvania official website
More Size Comparisons
All Colorado 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.