The map above shows Delaware and West Virginia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Delaware vs West Virginia Geography
Land area: Delaware has a land area of 1,949 square miles (5,047 km²), while West Virginia has 24,041 square miles (62,266 km²). West Virginia's land area is 12.3 times larger than Delaware's.
Total area: Delaware: 2,489 square miles (6,446 km²) vs West Virginia: 24,230 square miles (62,755 km²), including inland and coastal water. West Virginia's total area is 9.7 times (874%) larger than Delaware's.
Length: Delaware is 98 miles (158 km) long from north to south; West Virginia is 245 miles (394 km). West Virginia's north-south length is 2.5 times (150%) longer than Delaware's.
Width: Delaware spans 96 miles (155 km) east to west; West Virginia spans 276 miles (444 km). West Virginia's east-west width is 2.9 times (188%) wider than Delaware's.
Highest point: Delaware's highest point is Ebright Azimuth at 450 feet (137 m); West Virginia's is Spruce Knob at 4,863 feet (1,482 m). Spruce Knob is 4,413 feet higher than Ebright Azimuth.
Lowest point: Delaware's lowest point is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet; West Virginia's is Potomac River at 240 feet. Delaware's lowest point is 240 feet lower.
Delaware vs West Virginia Population and History
Population: Delaware has a population of 1,051,917 (2024), while West Virginia has 1,769,979 (2024). West Virginia's population is 1.7 times (68%) larger than Delaware's.
Population density: Delaware: 539.9 people per square mile vs West Virginia: 73.6. Delaware's population density is 7.3 times (634%) higher than West Virginia's.
Biggest city: Delaware's biggest city is Wilmington with 73,176 people; West Virginia's is Charleston with 46,482. Wilmington's population is 1.6 times (57%) larger than Charleston's.
Largest metro area: Delaware's largest metropolitan area is Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area (6,330,422 people) vs West Virginia's Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area (6,436,489). Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area have about the same population.
History: Delaware: Admitted to the Union on December 7, 1787, as the 1st state. West Virginia: Admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863, as the 35th state. In its current form, Delaware is the older of the two by 76 years.
Delaware vs West Virginia Economy
GDP: Delaware's GDP is $111.0 billion (2024) vs West Virginia's $106.5 billion. Delaware and West Virginia have about the same economic output.
GDP per capita: Delaware: $105,495 per person vs West Virginia: $60,156. Delaware's GDP per capita is 1.8 times (75%) higher than West Virginia's.
Average income: Delaware: $68,061 vs West Virginia: $55,351 average income per person (per capita personal income). Delaware's average income is 1.2 times (23%) higher than West Virginia's.
Delaware vs West Virginia Counties
Number of counties: Delaware has 3 counties, while West Virginia has 55. West Virginia's county count is 18.3 times higher than Delaware's.
Biggest county by area: Delaware's largest county is Sussex County at 936 square miles; West Virginia's is Randolph County at 1,040 square miles. Randolph County's land area is 1.1 times (11%) larger than Sussex County's.
Smallest county by area: Delaware: New Castle County (426 sq mi) vs West Virginia: Hancock County (83 sq mi). New Castle County's land area is 5.2 times (416%) larger than Hancock County's.
Most populous county: Delaware: New Castle County (588,093 people) vs West Virginia: Kanawha County (173,906 people). New Castle County's population is 3.4 times (238%) larger than Kanawha County's.
Least populous county: Delaware: Kent County (192,690 people) vs West Virginia: Wirt County (4,924 people). Kent County's population is 39.1 times larger than Wirt County's.
Richest county: Delaware: Sussex County ($73,647 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Jefferson County ($70,542). Sussex County and Jefferson County have about the same income.
Poorest county: Delaware: Kent County ($55,474 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Webster County ($35,039). Kent County's income is 1.6 times (58%) richer than Webster County's.
Delaware vs West Virginia Taxes
State income tax: Delaware has a top income tax rate of 6.6%, while West Virginia has a top income tax rate of 4.82%. Delaware's top rate is 1.78 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Delaware: 0.47% effective rate vs West Virginia: 0.52% of home value per year. West Virginia's rate is 0.05 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Delaware: 0% combined state and average local rate vs West Virginia: 6.6%. West Virginia's combined rate is 6.6 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Delaware official website · West Virginia official website
More Size Comparisons
All Delaware size comparisons · All West 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.