The map above shows Louisiana and Pennsylvania side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Louisiana vs Pennsylvania Geography
Land area: Louisiana has a land area of 43,213 square miles (111,921 km²), while Pennsylvania has 44,742 square miles (115,882 km²). Louisiana and Pennsylvania have about the same land area.
Total area: Louisiana: 52,375 square miles (135,652 km²) vs Pennsylvania: 46,054 square miles (119,279 km²), including inland and coastal water. Louisiana's total area is 1.1 times (14%) larger than Pennsylvania's.
Length: Louisiana is 301 miles (484 km) long from north to south; Pennsylvania is 284 miles (458 km). Louisiana's north-south length is 1.1 times (6%) longer than Pennsylvania's.
Width: Louisiana spans 356 miles (574 km) east to west; Pennsylvania spans 307 miles (495 km). Louisiana's east-west width is 1.2 times (16%) wider than Pennsylvania's.
Highest point: Louisiana's highest point is Driskill Mountain at 533 feet (162 m); Pennsylvania's is Mount Davis at 3,210 feet (978 m). Mount Davis is 2,677 feet higher than Driskill Mountain.
Lowest point: Louisiana's lowest point is New Orleans at -8 feet; Pennsylvania's is Delaware River at 0 feet. Louisiana's lowest point is 8 feet lower.
Louisiana vs Pennsylvania Population and History
Population: Louisiana has a population of 4,597,740 (2024), while Pennsylvania has 13,078,751 (2024). Pennsylvania's population is 2.8 times (184%) larger than Louisiana's.
Population density: Louisiana: 106.4 people per square mile vs Pennsylvania: 292.3. Pennsylvania's population density is 2.7 times (175%) higher than Louisiana's.
Biggest city: Louisiana's biggest city is New Orleans with 362,701 people; Pennsylvania's is Philadelphia with 1,573,916. Philadelphia's population is 4.3 times (334%) larger than New Orleans'.
Largest metro area: Louisiana's largest metropolitan area is New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area (966,230 people) vs Pennsylvania's Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area (6,330,422). Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area's population is 6.6 times (555%) larger than New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area's.
History: Louisiana: Admitted to the Union on April 30, 1812, as the 18th state. Pennsylvania: Admitted to the Union on December 12, 1787, as the 2nd state. In its current form, Pennsylvania is the older of the two by 25 years.
Louisiana vs Pennsylvania Economy
GDP: Louisiana's GDP is $329.2 billion (2024) vs Pennsylvania's $1,007.9 billion. Pennsylvania's economic output is 3.1 times (206%) larger than Louisiana's.
GDP per capita: Louisiana: $71,594 per person vs Pennsylvania: $77,062. Pennsylvania's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (8%) higher than Louisiana's.
Average income: Louisiana: $61,897 vs Pennsylvania: $70,678 average income per person (per capita personal income). Pennsylvania's average income is 1.1 times (14%) higher than Louisiana's.
Louisiana vs Pennsylvania Counties
Number of counties: Louisiana has 64 counties, while Pennsylvania has 67. Louisiana and Pennsylvania have about the same county count.
Biggest county by area: Louisiana's largest county is Vernon Parish at 1,327 square miles; Pennsylvania's is Lycoming County at 1,229 square miles. Vernon Parish's land area is 1.1 times (8%) larger than Lycoming County's.
Smallest county by area: Louisiana: Orleans Parish (170 sq mi) vs Pennsylvania: Montour County (130 sq mi). Orleans Parish's land area is 1.3 times (30%) larger than Montour County's.
Most populous county: Louisiana: East Baton Rouge Parish (453,022 people) vs Pennsylvania: Philadelphia County (1,573,916 people). Philadelphia County's population is 3.5 times (247%) larger than East Baton Rouge Parish's.
Least populous county: Louisiana: Tensas Parish (3,844 people) vs Pennsylvania: Cameron County (4,348 people). Cameron County's population is 1.1 times (13%) larger than Tensas Parish's.
Richest county: Louisiana: St. Tammany Parish ($82,398 per capita income) vs Pennsylvania: Chester County ($110,883). Chester County's income is 1.3 times (35%) richer than St. Tammany Parish's.
Poorest county: Louisiana: East Carroll Parish ($36,751 per capita income) vs Pennsylvania: Forest County ($30,234). East Carroll Parish's income is 1.2 times (22%) richer than Forest County's.
Louisiana vs Pennsylvania Taxes
State income tax: Louisiana has a top income tax rate of 3%, while Pennsylvania has a top income tax rate of 3.07%. Pennsylvania's top rate is 0.07 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Louisiana: 0.53% effective rate vs Pennsylvania: 1.16% of home value per year. Pennsylvania's rate is 0.63 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Louisiana: 10.13% combined state and average local rate vs Pennsylvania: 6.34%. Louisiana's combined rate is 3.79 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Louisiana official website · Pennsylvania official website
More Size Comparisons
All Louisiana size comparisons · All Pennsylvania 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.