The map above shows Iowa and New South Wales side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Iowa vs New South Wales Geography
Land area: Iowa has a land area of 55,854 square miles (144,660 km²), while New South Wales has 309,130 square miles (800,642 km²). New South Wales' land area is 5.5 times (453%) larger than Iowa's.
Total area: Iowa: 56,273 square miles (145,746 km²) vs New South Wales: 309,130 square miles (800,642 km²), including inland and coastal water. New South Wales' total area is 5.5 times (449%) larger than Iowa's.
Length: Iowa is 216 miles (347 km) long from north to south; New South Wales is 678 miles (1,092 km). New South Wales' north-south length is 3.1 times (214%) longer than Iowa's.
Width: Iowa spans 335 miles (539 km) east to west; New South Wales spans 831 miles (1,338 km). New South Wales' east-west width is 2.5 times (148%) wider than Iowa's.
Highest point: Iowa's highest point is Hawkeye Point at 1,669 feet (509 m); New South Wales's is Mount Kosciuszko at 7,310 feet (2,228 m). Mount Kosciuszko is 5,641 feet higher than Hawkeye Point.
Lowest point: Iowa's lowest point is Mississippi River at 480 feet; New South Wales's is Pacific Ocean at 0 feet. New South Wales's lowest point is 480 feet lower.
Iowa vs New South Wales Population and History
Population: Iowa has a population of 3,241,488 (2024), while New South Wales has 8,624,534 (2025). New South Wales' population is 2.7 times (166%) larger than Iowa's.
Population density: Iowa: 58.0 people per square mile vs New South Wales: 27.9. Iowa's population density is 2.1 times (108%) higher than New South Wales'.
Largest metro area: Iowa's largest metropolitan area is Omaha, NE-IA metro area (1,001,010 people) vs New South Wales's Greater Sydney (5,638,830). Greater Sydney's population is 5.6 times (463%) larger than Omaha, NE-IA metro area's.
History: Iowa: Admitted to the Union on December 28, 1846, as the 29th state. New South Wales: Became an Australian state at Federation on January 1, 1901; founded as a colony in 1788. In its current form, Iowa is the older of the two by 55 years.
Iowa vs New South Wales Economy
GDP: Iowa's GDP is $265.8 billion (2024) vs New South Wales's $547.1 billion. New South Wales' economic output is 2.1 times (106%) larger than Iowa's.
GDP per capita: Iowa: $81,998 per person vs New South Wales: $63,435. Iowa's GDP per capita is 1.3 times (29%) higher than New South Wales'.
Official Websites
Iowa official website · New South Wales official website
More Size Comparisons
All Iowa size comparisons · All New South Wales 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.