The map above shows Iowa and North Dakota side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Iowa vs North Dakota Geography
Land area: Iowa has a land area of 55,854 square miles (144,660 km²), while North Dakota has 68,994 square miles (178,694 km²). North Dakota's land area is 1.2 times (24%) larger than Iowa's.
Total area: Iowa: 56,273 square miles (145,746 km²) vs North Dakota: 70,699 square miles (183,109 km²), including inland and coastal water. North Dakota's total area is 1.3 times (26%) larger than Iowa's.
Length: Iowa is 216 miles (347 km) long from north to south; North Dakota is 338 miles (544 km). North Dakota's north-south length is 1.6 times (56%) longer than Iowa's.
Width: Iowa spans 335 miles (539 km) east to west; North Dakota spans 408 miles (657 km). North Dakota's east-west width is 1.2 times (22%) wider than Iowa's.
Highest point: Iowa's highest point is Hawkeye Point at 1,669 feet (509 m); North Dakota's is White Butte at 3,500 feet (1,067 m). White Butte is 1,831 feet higher than Hawkeye Point.
Lowest point: Iowa's lowest point is Mississippi River at 480 feet; North Dakota's is Red River of the North at 754 feet. Iowa's lowest point is 274 feet lower.
Iowa vs North Dakota Population and History
Population: Iowa has a population of 3,241,488 (2024), while North Dakota has 796,568 (2024). Iowa's population is 4.1 times (307%) larger than North Dakota's.
Population density: Iowa: 58.0 people per square mile vs North Dakota: 11.5. Iowa's population density is 5.0 times (404%) higher than North Dakota's.
Biggest city: Iowa's biggest city is Des Moines with 213,096 people; North Dakota's is Fargo with 136,285. Des Moines' population is 1.6 times (56%) larger than Fargo's.
Largest metro area: Iowa's largest metropolitan area is Omaha, NE-IA metro area (1,001,010 people) vs North Dakota's Fargo, ND-MN metro area (267,793). Omaha, NE-IA metro area's population is 3.7 times (274%) larger than Fargo, ND-MN metro area's.
History: Iowa: Admitted to the Union on December 28, 1846, as the 29th state. North Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 39th state. In its current form, Iowa is the older of the two by 43 years.
Iowa vs North Dakota Economy
GDP: Iowa's GDP is $265.8 billion (2024) vs North Dakota's $80.1 billion. Iowa's economic output is 3.3 times (232%) larger than North Dakota's.
GDP per capita: Iowa: $81,998 per person vs North Dakota: $100,504. North Dakota's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (23%) higher than Iowa's.
Average income: Iowa: $65,225 vs North Dakota: $71,749 average income per person (per capita personal income). North Dakota's average income is 1.1 times (10%) higher than Iowa's.
Iowa vs North Dakota Counties
Number of counties: Iowa has 99 counties, while North Dakota has 53. Iowa's county count is 1.9 times (87%) higher than North Dakota's.
Biggest county by area: Iowa's largest county is Kossuth County at 973 square miles; North Dakota's is McKenzie County at 2,760 square miles. McKenzie County's land area is 2.8 times (184%) larger than Kossuth County's.
Smallest county by area: Iowa: Dickinson County (381 sq mi) vs North Dakota: Eddy County (630 sq mi). Eddy County's land area is 1.7 times (66%) larger than Dickinson County's.
Most populous county: Iowa: Polk County (516,185 people) vs North Dakota: Cass County (200,945 people). Polk County's population is 2.6 times (157%) larger than Cass County's.
Least populous county: Iowa: Adams County (3,606 people) vs North Dakota: Slope County (660 people). Adams County's population is 5.5 times (446%) larger than Slope County's.
Richest county: Iowa: Mitchell County ($98,211 per capita income) vs North Dakota: Dunn County ($99,793). Mitchell County and Dunn County have about the same income.
Poorest county: Iowa: Decatur County ($46,134 per capita income) vs North Dakota: Sioux County ($33,782). Decatur County's income is 1.4 times (37%) richer than Sioux County's.
Iowa vs North Dakota Taxes
State income tax: Iowa has a top income tax rate of 3.8%, while North Dakota has a top income tax rate of 2.5%. Iowa's top rate is 1.3 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Iowa: 1.29% effective rate vs North Dakota: 0.96% of home value per year. Iowa's rate is 0.33 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Iowa: 6.94% combined state and average local rate vs North Dakota: 7.09%. North Dakota's combined rate is 0.15 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Iowa official website · North Dakota official website
More Size Comparisons
All Iowa size comparisons · All North Dakota 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.