The map above shows Illinois and West Virginia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Illinois vs West Virginia Geography
Land area: Illinois has a land area of 55,513 square miles (143,778 km²), while West Virginia has 24,041 square miles (62,266 km²). Illinois' land area is 2.3 times (131%) larger than West Virginia's.
Total area: Illinois: 57,913 square miles (149,995 km²) vs West Virginia: 24,230 square miles (62,755 km²), including inland and coastal water. Illinois' total area is 2.4 times (139%) larger than West Virginia's.
Length: Illinois is 390 miles (628 km) long from north to south; West Virginia is 245 miles (394 km). Illinois' north-south length is 1.6 times (59%) longer than West Virginia's.
Width: Illinois spans 283 miles (456 km) east to west; West Virginia spans 276 miles (444 km). Illinois and West Virginia have about the same east-west width.
Highest point: Illinois's highest point is Charles Mound at 1,232 feet (376 m); West Virginia's is Spruce Knob at 4,863 feet (1,482 m). Spruce Knob is 3,631 feet higher than Charles Mound.
Lowest point: Illinois's lowest point is Mississippi River at 292 feet; West Virginia's is Potomac River at 240 feet. West Virginia's lowest point is 52 feet lower.
Illinois vs West Virginia Population and History
Population: Illinois has a population of 12,710,158 (2024), while West Virginia has 1,769,979 (2024). Illinois' population is 7.2 times (618%) larger than West Virginia's.
Population density: Illinois: 229.0 people per square mile vs West Virginia: 73.6. Illinois' population density is 3.1 times (211%) higher than West Virginia's.
Biggest city: Illinois's biggest city is Chicago with 2,721,308 people; West Virginia's is Charleston with 46,482. Chicago's population is 58.5 times larger than Charleston's.
Largest metro area: Illinois's largest metropolitan area is Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (9,408,576 people) vs West Virginia's Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area (6,436,489). Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area's population is 1.5 times (46%) larger than Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area's.
History: Illinois: Admitted to the Union on December 3, 1818, as the 21st state. West Virginia: Admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863, as the 35th state. In its current form, Illinois is the older of the two by 45 years.
Illinois vs West Virginia Economy
GDP: Illinois's GDP is $1,148.1 billion (2024) vs West Virginia's $106.5 billion. Illinois' economic output is 10.8 times larger than West Virginia's.
GDP per capita: Illinois: $90,330 per person vs West Virginia: $60,156. Illinois' GDP per capita is 1.5 times (50%) higher than West Virginia's.
Average income: Illinois: $74,522 vs West Virginia: $55,351 average income per person (per capita personal income). Illinois' average income is 1.3 times (35%) higher than West Virginia's.
Illinois vs West Virginia Counties
Number of counties: Illinois has 102 counties, while West Virginia has 55. Illinois' county count is 1.9 times (85%) higher than West Virginia's.
Biggest county by area: Illinois's largest county is McLean County at 1,183 square miles; West Virginia's is Randolph County at 1,040 square miles. McLean County's land area is 1.1 times (14%) larger than Randolph County's.
Smallest county by area: Illinois: Putnam County (160 sq mi) vs West Virginia: Hancock County (83 sq mi). Putnam County's land area is 1.9 times (94%) larger than Hancock County's.
Most populous county: Illinois: Cook County (5,182,617 people) vs West Virginia: Kanawha County (173,906 people). Cook County's population is 29.8 times larger than Kanawha County's.
Least populous county: Illinois: Hardin County (3,550 people) vs West Virginia: Wirt County (4,924 people). Wirt County's population is 1.4 times (39%) larger than Hardin County's.
Richest county: Illinois: Cumberland County ($104,890 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Jefferson County ($70,542). Cumberland County's income is 1.5 times (49%) richer than Jefferson County's.
Poorest county: Illinois: Lawrence County ($43,606 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Webster County ($35,039). Lawrence County's income is 1.2 times (24%) richer than Webster County's.
Illinois vs West Virginia Taxes
State income tax: Illinois has a top income tax rate of 4.95%, while West Virginia has a top income tax rate of 4.82%. Illinois's top rate is 0.13 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Illinois: 1.92% effective rate vs West Virginia: 0.52% of home value per year. Illinois's rate is 1.4 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Illinois: 8.98% combined state and average local rate vs West Virginia: 6.6%. Illinois's combined rate is 2.38 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Illinois official website · West Virginia official website
More Size Comparisons
All Illinois 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.