The map above shows Michigan and North Dakota side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Michigan vs North Dakota Geography
Land area: Michigan has a land area of 56,611 square miles (146,622 km²), while North Dakota has 68,994 square miles (178,694 km²). North Dakota's land area is 1.2 times (22%) larger than Michigan's.
Total area: Michigan: 96,713 square miles (250,486 km²) vs North Dakota: 70,699 square miles (183,109 km²), including inland and coastal water. Michigan's total area is 1.4 times (37%) larger than North Dakota's.
Length: Michigan is 489 miles (786 km) long from north to south; North Dakota is 338 miles (544 km). Michigan's north-south length is 1.4 times (45%) longer than North Dakota's.
Width: Michigan spans 453 miles (728 km) east to west; North Dakota spans 408 miles (657 km). Michigan's east-west width is 1.1 times (11%) wider than North Dakota's.
Highest point: Michigan's highest point is Mount Arvon at 2,014 feet (614 m); North Dakota's is White Butte at 3,500 feet (1,067 m). White Butte is 1,486 feet higher than Mount Arvon.
Lowest point: Michigan's lowest point is Lake Erie at 571 feet; North Dakota's is Red River of the North at 754 feet. Michigan's lowest point is 183 feet lower.
Michigan vs North Dakota Population and History
Population: Michigan has a population of 10,140,459 (2024), while North Dakota has 796,568 (2024). Michigan's population is 12.7 times larger than North Dakota's.
Population density: Michigan: 179.1 people per square mile vs North Dakota: 11.5. Michigan's population density is 15.6 times higher than North Dakota's.
Biggest city: Michigan's biggest city is Detroit with 645,705 people; North Dakota's is Fargo with 136,285. Detroit's population is 4.7 times (374%) larger than Fargo's.
Largest metro area: Michigan's largest metropolitan area is Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area (4,400,578 people) vs North Dakota's Fargo, ND-MN metro area (267,793). Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area's population is 16.4 times larger than Fargo, ND-MN metro area's.
History: Michigan: Admitted to the Union on January 26, 1837, as the 26th state. North Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 39th state. In its current form, Michigan is the older of the two by 52 years.
Michigan vs North Dakota Economy
GDP: Michigan's GDP is $702.5 billion (2024) vs North Dakota's $80.1 billion. Michigan's economic output is 8.8 times (777%) larger than North Dakota's.
GDP per capita: Michigan: $69,274 per person vs North Dakota: $100,504. North Dakota's GDP per capita is 1.5 times (45%) higher than Michigan's.
Average income: Michigan: $63,690 vs North Dakota: $71,749 average income per person (per capita personal income). North Dakota's average income is 1.1 times (13%) higher than Michigan's.
Michigan vs North Dakota Counties
Number of counties: Michigan has 83 counties, while North Dakota has 53. Michigan's county count is 1.6 times (57%) higher than North Dakota's.
Biggest county by area: Michigan's largest county is Marquette County at 1,809 square miles; North Dakota's is McKenzie County at 2,760 square miles. McKenzie County's land area is 1.5 times (53%) larger than Marquette County's.
Smallest county by area: Michigan: Benzie County (320 sq mi) vs North Dakota: Eddy County (630 sq mi). Eddy County's land area is 2.0 times (97%) larger than Benzie County's.
Most populous county: Michigan: Wayne County (1,771,063 people) vs North Dakota: Cass County (200,945 people). Wayne County's population is 8.8 times (781%) larger than Cass County's.
Least populous county: Michigan: Keweenaw County (2,161 people) vs North Dakota: Slope County (660 people). Keweenaw County's population is 3.3 times (227%) larger than Slope County's.
Richest county: Michigan: Oakland County ($93,579 per capita income) vs North Dakota: Dunn County ($99,793). Dunn County's income is 1.1 times (7%) richer than Oakland County's.
Poorest county: Michigan: Lake County ($39,505 per capita income) vs North Dakota: Sioux County ($33,782). Lake County's income is 1.2 times (17%) richer than Sioux County's.
Michigan vs North Dakota Taxes
State income tax: Michigan has a top income tax rate of 4.25%, while North Dakota has a top income tax rate of 2.5%. Michigan's top rate is 1.75 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Michigan: 1.18% effective rate vs North Dakota: 0.96% of home value per year. Michigan's rate is 0.22 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Michigan: 6% combined state and average local rate vs North Dakota: 7.09%. North Dakota's combined rate is 1.09 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Michigan official website · North Dakota official website
More Size Comparisons
All Michigan 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.