The map above shows Iowa and Nevada side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Iowa vs Nevada Geography
Land area: Iowa has a land area of 55,854 square miles (144,660 km²), while Nevada has 109,860 square miles (284,537 km²). Nevada's land area is 2.0 times (97%) larger than Iowa's.
Total area: Iowa: 56,273 square miles (145,746 km²) vs Nevada: 110,571 square miles (286,377 km²), including inland and coastal water. Nevada's total area is 2.0 times (96%) larger than Iowa's.
Length: Iowa is 216 miles (347 km) long from north to south; Nevada is 484 miles (780 km). Nevada's north-south length is 2.2 times (124%) longer than Iowa's.
Width: Iowa spans 335 miles (539 km) east to west; Nevada spans 469 miles (755 km). Nevada's east-west width is 1.4 times (40%) wider than Iowa's.
Highest point: Iowa's highest point is Hawkeye Point at 1,669 feet (509 m); Nevada's is Boundary Peak at 13,115 feet (3,997 m). Boundary Peak is 11,446 feet higher than Hawkeye Point.
Lowest point: Iowa's lowest point is Mississippi River at 480 feet; Nevada's is Colorado River at 481 feet. Both lowest points are at or near sea level.
Iowa vs Nevada Population and History
Population: Iowa has a population of 3,241,488 (2024), while Nevada has 3,267,467 (2024). Iowa and Nevada have about the same population.
Population density: Iowa: 58.0 people per square mile vs Nevada: 29.7. Iowa's population density is 2.0 times (95%) higher than Nevada's.
Biggest city: Iowa's biggest city is Des Moines with 213,096 people; Nevada's is Las Vegas with 678,922. Las Vegas' population is 3.2 times (219%) larger than Des Moines'.
Largest metro area: Iowa's largest metropolitan area is Omaha, NE-IA metro area (1,001,010 people) vs Nevada's Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV metro area (2,398,871). Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV metro area's population is 2.4 times (140%) larger than Omaha, NE-IA metro area's.
History: Iowa: Admitted to the Union on December 28, 1846, as the 29th state. Nevada: Admitted to the Union on October 31, 1864, as the 36th state. In its current form, Iowa is the older of the two by 18 years.
Iowa vs Nevada Economy
GDP: Iowa's GDP is $265.8 billion (2024) vs Nevada's $269.0 billion. Iowa and Nevada have about the same economic output.
GDP per capita: Iowa: $81,998 per person vs Nevada: $82,330. Iowa and Nevada have about the same GDP per capita.
Average income: Iowa: $65,225 vs Nevada: $69,805 average income per person (per capita personal income). Nevada's average income is 1.1 times (7%) higher than Iowa's.
Iowa vs Nevada Counties
Number of counties: Iowa has 99 counties, while Nevada has 17. Iowa's county count is 5.8 times (482%) higher than Nevada's.
Biggest county by area: Iowa's largest county is Kossuth County at 973 square miles; Nevada's is Nye County at 18,182 square miles. Nye County's land area is 18.7 times larger than Kossuth County's.
Smallest county by area: Iowa: Dickinson County (381 sq mi) vs Nevada: Carson City (145 sq mi). Dickinson County's land area is 2.6 times (163%) larger than Carson City's.
Most populous county: Iowa: Polk County (516,185 people) vs Nevada: Clark County (2,398,871 people). Clark County's population is 4.6 times (365%) larger than Polk County's.
Least populous county: Iowa: Adams County (3,606 people) vs Nevada: Esmeralda County (720 people). Adams County's population is 5.0 times (401%) larger than Esmeralda County's.
Richest county: Iowa: Mitchell County ($98,211 per capita income) vs Nevada: Douglas County ($109,486). Douglas County's income is 1.1 times (11%) richer than Mitchell County's.
Poorest county: Iowa: Decatur County ($46,134 per capita income) vs Nevada: Pershing County ($45,906). Decatur County and Pershing County have about the same income.
Iowa vs Nevada Taxes
State income tax: Iowa has a top income tax rate of 3.8%, while Nevada has no state income tax. Iowa's top rate is 3.8 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Iowa: 1.29% effective rate vs Nevada: 0.47% of home value per year. Iowa's rate is 0.82 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Iowa: 6.94% combined state and average local rate vs Nevada: 8.24%. Nevada's combined rate is 1.3 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Iowa official website · Nevada official website
More Size Comparisons
All Iowa size comparisons · All Nevada 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.