The map above shows Maryland and North Carolina side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Maryland vs North Carolina Geography
Land area: Maryland has a land area of 9,711 square miles (25,151 km²), while North Carolina has 48,624 square miles (125,936 km²). North Carolina's land area is 5.0 times (401%) larger than Maryland's.
Total area: Maryland: 12,406 square miles (32,131 km²) vs North Carolina: 53,819 square miles (139,390 km²), including inland and coastal water. North Carolina's total area is 4.3 times (334%) larger than Maryland's.
Length: Maryland is 231 miles (371 km) long from north to south; North Carolina is 258 miles (415 km). North Carolina's north-south length is 1.1 times (12%) longer than Maryland's.
Width: Maryland spans 243 miles (391 km) east to west; North Carolina spans 487 miles (784 km). North Carolina's east-west width is 2.0 times (100%) wider than Maryland's.
Highest point: Maryland's highest point is Hoye-Crest at 3,362 feet (1,025 m); North Carolina's is Mount Mitchell at 6,674 feet (2,034 m). Mount Mitchell is 3,312 feet higher than Hoye-Crest.
Lowest point: Maryland's lowest point is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet; North Carolina's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. Both lowest points are at or near sea level.
Maryland vs North Carolina Population and History
Population: Maryland has a population of 6,263,220 (2024), while North Carolina has 11,046,024 (2024). North Carolina's population is 1.8 times (76%) larger than Maryland's.
Population density: Maryland: 645.0 people per square mile vs North Carolina: 227.2. Maryland's population density is 2.8 times (184%) higher than North Carolina's.
Biggest city: Maryland's biggest city is Baltimore with 568,271 people; North Carolina's is Charlotte with 943,476. Charlotte's population is 1.7 times (66%) larger than Baltimore's.
Largest metro area: Maryland's largest metropolitan area is Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area (6,436,489 people) vs North Carolina's Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area (2,883,370). Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area's population is 2.2 times (123%) larger than Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area's.
History: Maryland: Admitted to the Union on April 28, 1788, as the 7th state. North Carolina: Admitted to the Union on November 21, 1789, as the 12th state. In its current form, Maryland is the older of the two by 1 years.
Maryland vs North Carolina Economy
GDP: Maryland's GDP is $546.0 billion (2024) vs North Carolina's $844.2 billion. North Carolina's economic output is 1.5 times (55%) larger than Maryland's.
GDP per capita: Maryland: $87,180 per person vs North Carolina: $76,427. Maryland's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (14%) higher than North Carolina's.
Average income: Maryland: $79,259 vs North Carolina: $65,634 average income per person (per capita personal income). Maryland's average income is 1.2 times (21%) higher than North Carolina's.
Maryland vs North Carolina Counties
Number of counties: Maryland has 24 counties, while North Carolina has 100. North Carolina's county count is 4.2 times (317%) higher than Maryland's.
Biggest county by area: Maryland's largest county is Frederick County at 661 square miles; North Carolina's is Robeson County at 947 square miles. Robeson County's land area is 1.4 times (43%) larger than Frederick County's.
Smallest county by area: Maryland: Baltimore city (81 sq mi) vs North Carolina: Chowan County (173 sq mi). Chowan County's land area is 2.1 times (113%) larger than Baltimore city's.
Most populous county: Maryland: Montgomery County (1,082,273 people) vs North Carolina: Wake County (1,232,444 people). Wake County's population is 1.1 times (14%) larger than Montgomery County's.
Least populous county: Maryland: Kent County (19,557 people) vs North Carolina: Tyrrell County (3,517 people). Kent County's population is 5.6 times (456%) larger than Tyrrell County's.
Richest county: Maryland: Montgomery County ($104,882 per capita income) vs North Carolina: Chatham County ($91,638). Montgomery County's income is 1.1 times (14%) richer than Chatham County's.
Poorest county: Maryland: Somerset County ($41,421 per capita income) vs North Carolina: Warren County ($40,932). Somerset County and Warren County have about the same income.
Maryland vs North Carolina Taxes
State income tax: Maryland has a top income tax rate of 6.5%, while North Carolina has a top income tax rate of 3.99%. Maryland's top rate is 2.51 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Maryland: 0.95% effective rate vs North Carolina: 0.61% of home value per year. Maryland's rate is 0.34 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Maryland: 6% combined state and average local rate vs North Carolina: 7.1%. North Carolina's combined rate is 1.1 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Maryland official website · North Carolina official website
More Size Comparisons
All Maryland size comparisons · All North Carolina 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.