The map above shows Illinois and North Carolina side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Illinois vs North Carolina Geography
Land area: Illinois has a land area of 55,513 square miles (143,778 km²), while North Carolina has 48,624 square miles (125,936 km²). Illinois' land area is 1.1 times (14%) larger than North Carolina's.
Total area: Illinois: 57,913 square miles (149,995 km²) vs North Carolina: 53,819 square miles (139,390 km²), including inland and coastal water. Illinois' total area is 1.1 times (8%) larger than North Carolina's.
Length: Illinois is 390 miles (628 km) long from north to south; North Carolina is 258 miles (415 km). Illinois' north-south length is 1.5 times (51%) longer than North Carolina's.
Width: Illinois spans 283 miles (456 km) east to west; North Carolina spans 487 miles (784 km). North Carolina's east-west width is 1.7 times (72%) wider than Illinois'.
Highest point: Illinois's highest point is Charles Mound at 1,232 feet (376 m); North Carolina's is Mount Mitchell at 6,674 feet (2,034 m). Mount Mitchell is 5,442 feet higher than Charles Mound.
Lowest point: Illinois's lowest point is Mississippi River at 292 feet; North Carolina's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. North Carolina's lowest point is 292 feet lower.
Illinois vs North Carolina Population and History
Population: Illinois has a population of 12,710,158 (2024), while North Carolina has 11,046,024 (2024). Illinois' population is 1.2 times (15%) larger than North Carolina's.
Population density: Illinois: 229.0 people per square mile vs North Carolina: 227.2. Illinois and North Carolina have about the same population density.
Biggest city: Illinois's biggest city is Chicago with 2,721,308 people; North Carolina's is Charlotte with 943,476. Chicago's population is 2.9 times (188%) larger than Charlotte's.
Largest metro area: Illinois's largest metropolitan area is Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (9,408,576 people) vs North Carolina's Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area (2,883,370). Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area's population is 3.3 times (226%) larger than Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area's.
History: Illinois: Admitted to the Union on December 3, 1818, as the 21st state. North Carolina: Admitted to the Union on November 21, 1789, as the 12th state. In its current form, North Carolina is the older of the two by 29 years.
Illinois vs North Carolina Economy
GDP: Illinois's GDP is $1,148.1 billion (2024) vs North Carolina's $844.2 billion. Illinois' economic output is 1.4 times (36%) larger than North Carolina's.
GDP per capita: Illinois: $90,330 per person vs North Carolina: $76,427. Illinois' GDP per capita is 1.2 times (18%) higher than North Carolina's.
Average income: Illinois: $74,522 vs North Carolina: $65,634 average income per person (per capita personal income). Illinois' average income is 1.1 times (14%) higher than North Carolina's.
Illinois vs North Carolina Counties
Number of counties: Illinois has 102 counties, while North Carolina has 100. Illinois and North Carolina have about the same county count.
Biggest county by area: Illinois's largest county is McLean County at 1,183 square miles; North Carolina's is Robeson County at 947 square miles. McLean County's land area is 1.2 times (25%) larger than Robeson County's.
Smallest county by area: Illinois: Putnam County (160 sq mi) vs North Carolina: Chowan County (173 sq mi). Chowan County's land area is 1.1 times (8%) larger than Putnam County's.
Most populous county: Illinois: Cook County (5,182,617 people) vs North Carolina: Wake County (1,232,444 people). Cook County's population is 4.2 times (321%) larger than Wake County's.
Least populous county: Illinois: Hardin County (3,550 people) vs North Carolina: Tyrrell County (3,517 people). Hardin County and Tyrrell County have about the same population.
Richest county: Illinois: Cumberland County ($104,890 per capita income) vs North Carolina: Chatham County ($91,638). Cumberland County's income is 1.1 times (14%) richer than Chatham County's.
Poorest county: Illinois: Lawrence County ($43,606 per capita income) vs North Carolina: Warren County ($40,932). Lawrence County's income is 1.1 times (7%) richer than Warren County's.
Illinois vs North Carolina Taxes
State income tax: Illinois has a top income tax rate of 4.95%, while North Carolina has a top income tax rate of 3.99%. Illinois's top rate is 0.96 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Illinois: 1.92% effective rate vs North Carolina: 0.61% of home value per year. Illinois's rate is 1.31 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Illinois: 8.98% combined state and average local rate vs North Carolina: 7.1%. Illinois's combined rate is 1.88 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Illinois official website · North Carolina official website
More Size Comparisons
All Illinois size comparisons · All North Carolina 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.