The map above shows Georgia and Illinois side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Georgia vs Illinois Geography
Land area: Georgia has a land area of 57,717 square miles (149,486 km²), while Illinois has 55,513 square miles (143,778 km²). Georgia and Illinois have about the same land area.
Total area: Georgia: 59,423 square miles (153,905 km²) vs Illinois: 57,913 square miles (149,995 km²), including inland and coastal water. Georgia and Illinois have about the same total area.
Length: Georgia is 326 miles (525 km) long from north to south; Illinois is 390 miles (628 km). Illinois' north-south length is 1.2 times (20%) longer than Georgia's.
Width: Georgia spans 343 miles (553 km) east to west; Illinois spans 283 miles (456 km). Georgia's east-west width is 1.2 times (21%) wider than Illinois'.
Highest point: Georgia's highest point is Brasstown Bald at 4,778 feet (1,456 m); Illinois's is Charles Mound at 1,232 feet (376 m). Brasstown Bald is 3,546 feet higher than Charles Mound.
Lowest point: Georgia's lowest point is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet; Illinois's is Mississippi River at 292 feet. Georgia's lowest point is 292 feet lower.
Georgia vs Illinois Population and History
Population: Georgia has a population of 11,180,878 (2024), while Illinois has 12,710,158 (2024). Illinois' population is 1.1 times (14%) larger than Georgia's.
Population density: Georgia: 193.7 people per square mile vs Illinois: 229.0. Illinois' population density is 1.2 times (18%) higher than Georgia's.
Biggest city: Georgia's biggest city is Atlanta with 520,070 people; Illinois's is Chicago with 2,721,308. Chicago's population is 5.2 times (423%) larger than Atlanta's.
Largest metro area: Georgia's largest metropolitan area is Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area (6,411,149 people) vs Illinois's Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (9,408,576). Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area's population is 1.5 times (47%) larger than Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area's.
History: Georgia: Admitted to the Union on January 2, 1788, as the 4th state. Illinois: Admitted to the Union on December 3, 1818, as the 21st state. In its current form, Georgia is the older of the two by 30 years.
Georgia vs Illinois Economy
GDP: Georgia's GDP is $881.5 billion (2024) vs Illinois's $1,148.1 billion. Illinois' economic output is 1.3 times (30%) larger than Georgia's.
GDP per capita: Georgia: $78,841 per person vs Illinois: $90,330. Illinois' GDP per capita is 1.1 times (15%) higher than Georgia's.
Average income: Georgia: $63,006 vs Illinois: $74,522 average income per person (per capita personal income). Illinois' average income is 1.2 times (18%) higher than Georgia's.
Georgia vs Illinois Counties
Number of counties: Georgia has 159 counties, while Illinois has 102. Georgia's county count is 1.6 times (56%) higher than Illinois'.
Biggest county by area: Georgia's largest county is Ware County at 899 square miles; Illinois's is McLean County at 1,183 square miles. McLean County's land area is 1.3 times (32%) larger than Ware County's.
Smallest county by area: Georgia: Clarke County (119 sq mi) vs Illinois: Putnam County (160 sq mi). Putnam County's land area is 1.3 times (34%) larger than Clarke County's.
Most populous county: Georgia: Fulton County (1,090,354 people) vs Illinois: Cook County (5,182,617 people). Cook County's population is 4.8 times (375%) larger than Fulton County's.
Least populous county: Georgia: Taliaferro County (1,620 people) vs Illinois: Hardin County (3,550 people). Hardin County's population is 2.2 times (119%) larger than Taliaferro County's.
Richest county: Georgia: Fulton County ($111,238 per capita income) vs Illinois: Cumberland County ($104,890). Fulton County's income is 1.1 times (6%) richer than Cumberland County's.
Poorest county: Georgia: Wheeler County ($26,119 per capita income) vs Illinois: Lawrence County ($43,606). Lawrence County's income is 1.7 times (67%) richer than Wheeler County's.
Georgia vs Illinois Taxes
State income tax: Georgia has a top income tax rate of 5.19%, while Illinois has a top income tax rate of 4.95%. Georgia's top rate is 0.24 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Georgia: 0.74% effective rate vs Illinois: 1.92% of home value per year. Illinois's rate is 1.18 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Georgia: 7.56% combined state and average local rate vs Illinois: 8.98%. Illinois's combined rate is 1.42 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Georgia official website · Illinois official website
More Size Comparisons
All Georgia size comparisons · All Illinois 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.