The map above shows Illinois and New Mexico side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Illinois vs New Mexico Geography
Land area: Illinois has a land area of 55,513 square miles (143,778 km²), while New Mexico has 121,313 square miles (314,198 km²). New Mexico's land area is 2.2 times (119%) larger than Illinois'.
Total area: Illinois: 57,913 square miles (149,995 km²) vs New Mexico: 121,593 square miles (314,925 km²), including inland and coastal water. New Mexico's total area is 2.1 times (110%) larger than Illinois'.
Length: Illinois is 390 miles (628 km) long from north to south; New Mexico is 395 miles (635 km). Illinois and New Mexico have about the same north-south length.
Width: Illinois spans 283 miles (456 km) east to west; New Mexico spans 498 miles (801 km). New Mexico's east-west width is 1.8 times (76%) wider than Illinois'.
Highest point: Illinois's highest point is Charles Mound at 1,232 feet (376 m); New Mexico's is Wheeler Peak at 13,150 feet (4,008 m). Wheeler Peak is 11,918 feet higher than Charles Mound.
Lowest point: Illinois's lowest point is Mississippi River at 292 feet; New Mexico's is Red Bluff Reservoir at 2,842 feet. Illinois's lowest point is 2,550 feet lower.
Illinois vs New Mexico Population and History
Population: Illinois has a population of 12,710,158 (2024), while New Mexico has 2,130,256 (2024). Illinois' population is 6.0 times (497%) larger than New Mexico's.
Population density: Illinois: 229.0 people per square mile vs New Mexico: 17.6. Illinois' population density is 13.0 times higher than New Mexico's.
Biggest city: Illinois's biggest city is Chicago with 2,721,308 people; New Mexico's is Albuquerque with 560,326. Chicago's population is 4.9 times (386%) larger than Albuquerque's.
Largest metro area: Illinois's largest metropolitan area is Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (9,408,576 people) vs New Mexico's Albuquerque, NM metro area (926,303). Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area's population is 10.2 times larger than Albuquerque, NM metro area's.
History: Illinois: Admitted to the Union on December 3, 1818, as the 21st state. New Mexico: Admitted to the Union on January 6, 1912, as the 47th state. In its current form, Illinois is the older of the two by 94 years.
Illinois vs New Mexico Economy
GDP: Illinois's GDP is $1,148.1 billion (2024) vs New Mexico's $147.1 billion. Illinois' economic output is 7.8 times (680%) larger than New Mexico's.
GDP per capita: Illinois: $90,330 per person vs New Mexico: $69,046. Illinois' GDP per capita is 1.3 times (31%) higher than New Mexico's.
Average income: Illinois: $74,522 vs New Mexico: $58,249 average income per person (per capita personal income). Illinois' average income is 1.3 times (28%) higher than New Mexico's.
Illinois vs New Mexico Counties
Number of counties: Illinois has 102 counties, while New Mexico has 33. Illinois' county count is 3.1 times (209%) higher than New Mexico's.
Biggest county by area: Illinois's largest county is McLean County at 1,183 square miles; New Mexico's is Catron County at 6,924 square miles. Catron County's land area is 5.9 times (485%) larger than McLean County's.
Smallest county by area: Illinois: Putnam County (160 sq mi) vs New Mexico: Los Alamos County (109 sq mi). Putnam County's land area is 1.5 times (47%) larger than Los Alamos County's.
Most populous county: Illinois: Cook County (5,182,617 people) vs New Mexico: Bernalillo County (671,747 people). Cook County's population is 7.7 times (672%) larger than Bernalillo County's.
Least populous county: Illinois: Hardin County (3,550 people) vs New Mexico: Harding County (635 people). Hardin County's population is 5.6 times (459%) larger than Harding County's.
Richest county: Illinois: Cumberland County ($104,890 per capita income) vs New Mexico: Los Alamos County ($98,378). Cumberland County's income is 1.1 times (7%) richer than Los Alamos County's.
Poorest county: Illinois: Lawrence County ($43,606 per capita income) vs New Mexico: Cibola County ($36,397). Lawrence County's income is 1.2 times (20%) richer than Cibola County's.
Illinois vs New Mexico Taxes
State income tax: Illinois has a top income tax rate of 4.95%, while New Mexico has a top income tax rate of 5.9%. New Mexico's top rate is 0.95 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Illinois: 1.92% effective rate vs New Mexico: 0.63% of home value per year. Illinois's rate is 1.29 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Illinois: 8.98% combined state and average local rate vs New Mexico: 7.68%. Illinois's combined rate is 1.3 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Illinois official website · New Mexico official website
More Size Comparisons
All Illinois size comparisons · All New Mexico 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.