The map above shows Louisiana and Virginia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Louisiana vs Virginia Geography
Land area: Louisiana has a land area of 43,213 square miles (111,921 km²), while Virginia has 39,481 square miles (102,256 km²). Louisiana's land area is 1.1 times (9%) larger than Virginia's.
Total area: Louisiana: 52,375 square miles (135,652 km²) vs Virginia: 42,775 square miles (110,786 km²), including inland and coastal water. Louisiana's total area is 1.2 times (22%) larger than Virginia's.
Length: Louisiana is 301 miles (484 km) long from north to south; Virginia is 223 miles (359 km). Louisiana's north-south length is 1.3 times (35%) longer than Virginia's.
Width: Louisiana spans 356 miles (574 km) east to west; Virginia spans 466 miles (750 km). Virginia's east-west width is 1.3 times (31%) wider than Louisiana's.
Highest point: Louisiana's highest point is Driskill Mountain at 533 feet (162 m); Virginia's is Mount Rogers at 5,729 feet (1,746 m). Mount Rogers is 5,196 feet higher than Driskill Mountain.
Lowest point: Louisiana's lowest point is New Orleans at -8 feet; Virginia's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. Louisiana's lowest point is 8 feet lower.
Louisiana vs Virginia Population and History
Population: Louisiana has a population of 4,597,740 (2024), while Virginia has 8,811,195 (2024). Virginia's population is 1.9 times (92%) larger than Louisiana's.
Population density: Louisiana: 106.4 people per square mile vs Virginia: 223.2. Virginia's population density is 2.1 times (110%) higher than Louisiana's.
Biggest city: Louisiana's biggest city is New Orleans with 362,701 people; Virginia's is Virginia Beach with 454,808. Virginia Beach's population is 1.3 times (25%) larger than New Orleans'.
Largest metro area: Louisiana's largest metropolitan area is New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area (966,230 people) vs Virginia's Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area (6,436,489). Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area's population is 6.7 times (566%) larger than New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area's.
History: Louisiana: Admitted to the Union on April 30, 1812, as the 18th state. Virginia: Admitted to the Union on June 25, 1788, as the 10th state. In its current form, Virginia is the older of the two by 24 years.
Louisiana vs Virginia Economy
GDP: Louisiana's GDP is $329.2 billion (2024) vs Virginia's $761.7 billion. Virginia's economic output is 2.3 times (131%) larger than Louisiana's.
GDP per capita: Louisiana: $71,594 per person vs Virginia: $86,451. Virginia's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (21%) higher than Louisiana's.
Average income: Louisiana: $61,897 vs Virginia: $77,351 average income per person (per capita personal income). Virginia's average income is 1.2 times (25%) higher than Louisiana's.
Louisiana vs Virginia Counties
Number of counties: Louisiana has 64 counties, while Virginia has 133. Virginia's county count is 2.1 times (108%) higher than Louisiana's.
Biggest county by area: Louisiana's largest county is Vernon Parish at 1,327 square miles; Virginia's is Pittsylvania County at 969 square miles. Vernon Parish's land area is 1.4 times (37%) larger than Pittsylvania County's.
Smallest county by area: Louisiana: Orleans Parish (170 sq mi) vs Virginia: Falls Church city (2 sq mi). Orleans Parish's land area is 84.8 times larger than Falls Church city's.
Most populous county: Louisiana: East Baton Rouge Parish (453,022 people) vs Virginia: Fairfax County (1,160,925 people). Fairfax County's population is 2.6 times (156%) larger than East Baton Rouge Parish's.
Least populous county: Louisiana: Tensas Parish (3,844 people) vs Virginia: Highland County (2,348 people). Tensas Parish's population is 1.6 times (64%) larger than Highland County's.
Richest county: Louisiana: St. Tammany Parish ($82,398 per capita income) vs Virginia: Arlington County ($131,624). Arlington County's income is 1.6 times (60%) richer than St. Tammany Parish's.
Poorest county: Louisiana: East Carroll Parish ($36,751 per capita income) vs Virginia: Sussex County ($41,032). Sussex County's income is 1.1 times (12%) richer than East Carroll Parish's.
Louisiana vs Virginia Taxes
State income tax: Louisiana has a top income tax rate of 3%, while Virginia has a top income tax rate of 5.75%. Virginia's top rate is 2.75 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Louisiana: 0.53% effective rate vs Virginia: 0.71% of home value per year. Virginia's rate is 0.18 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Louisiana: 10.13% combined state and average local rate vs Virginia: 5.77%. Louisiana's combined rate is 4.36 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Louisiana official website · Virginia official website
More Size Comparisons
All Louisiana size comparisons · All 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.