The map above shows Minnesota and North Dakota side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Minnesota vs North Dakota Geography
Land area: Minnesota has a land area of 79,632 square miles (206,245 km²), while North Dakota has 68,994 square miles (178,694 km²). Minnesota's land area is 1.2 times (15%) larger than North Dakota's.
Total area: Minnesota: 86,943 square miles (225,182 km²) vs North Dakota: 70,699 square miles (183,109 km²), including inland and coastal water. Minnesota's total area is 1.2 times (23%) larger than North Dakota's.
Length: Minnesota is 408 miles (657 km) long from north to south; North Dakota is 338 miles (544 km). Minnesota's north-south length is 1.2 times (21%) longer than North Dakota's.
Width: Minnesota spans 360 miles (580 km) east to west; North Dakota spans 408 miles (657 km). North Dakota's east-west width is 1.1 times (13%) wider than Minnesota's.
Highest point: Minnesota's highest point is Eagle Mountain at 2,292 feet (699 m); North Dakota's is White Butte at 3,500 feet (1,067 m). White Butte is 1,208 feet higher than Eagle Mountain.
Lowest point: Minnesota's lowest point is Lake Superior at 601 feet; North Dakota's is Red River of the North at 754 feet. Minnesota's lowest point is 153 feet lower.
Minnesota vs North Dakota Population and History
Population: Minnesota has a population of 5,793,151 (2024), while North Dakota has 796,568 (2024). Minnesota's population is 7.3 times (627%) larger than North Dakota's.
Population density: Minnesota: 72.7 people per square mile vs North Dakota: 11.5. Minnesota's population density is 6.3 times (532%) higher than North Dakota's.
Biggest city: Minnesota's biggest city is Minneapolis with 428,579 people; North Dakota's is Fargo with 136,285. Minneapolis' population is 3.1 times (214%) larger than Fargo's.
Largest metro area: Minnesota's largest metropolitan area is Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area (3,757,952 people) vs North Dakota's Fargo, ND-MN metro area (267,793). Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area's population is 14.0 times larger than Fargo, ND-MN metro area's.
History: Minnesota: Admitted to the Union on May 11, 1858, as the 32nd state. North Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 39th state. In its current form, Minnesota is the older of the two by 31 years.
Minnesota vs North Dakota Economy
GDP: Minnesota's GDP is $507.7 billion (2024) vs North Dakota's $80.1 billion. Minnesota's economic output is 6.3 times (534%) larger than North Dakota's.
GDP per capita: Minnesota: $87,636 per person vs North Dakota: $100,504. North Dakota's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (15%) higher than Minnesota's.
Average income: Minnesota: $75,603 vs North Dakota: $71,749 average income per person (per capita personal income). Minnesota's average income is 1.1 times (5%) higher than North Dakota's.
Minnesota vs North Dakota Counties
Number of counties: Minnesota has 87 counties, while North Dakota has 53. Minnesota's county count is 1.6 times (64%) higher than North Dakota's.
Biggest county by area: Minnesota's largest county is St. Louis County at 6,248 square miles; North Dakota's is McKenzie County at 2,760 square miles. St. Louis County's land area is 2.3 times (126%) larger than McKenzie County's.
Smallest county by area: Minnesota: Ramsey County (152 sq mi) vs North Dakota: Eddy County (630 sq mi). Eddy County's land area is 4.1 times (314%) larger than Ramsey County's.
Most populous county: Minnesota: Hennepin County (1,273,334 people) vs North Dakota: Cass County (200,945 people). Hennepin County's population is 6.3 times (534%) larger than Cass County's.
Least populous county: Minnesota: Traverse County (3,134 people) vs North Dakota: Slope County (660 people). Traverse County's population is 4.7 times (375%) larger than Slope County's.
Richest county: Minnesota: Hennepin County ($100,352 per capita income) vs North Dakota: Dunn County ($99,793). Hennepin County and Dunn County have about the same income.
Poorest county: Minnesota: Pine County ($48,677 per capita income) vs North Dakota: Sioux County ($33,782). Pine County's income is 1.4 times (44%) richer than Sioux County's.
Minnesota vs North Dakota Taxes
State income tax: Minnesota has a top income tax rate of 9.85%, while North Dakota has a top income tax rate of 2.5%. Minnesota's top rate is 7.35 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Minnesota: 1.02% effective rate vs North Dakota: 0.96% of home value per year. Minnesota's rate is 0.06 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Minnesota: 8.14% combined state and average local rate vs North Dakota: 7.09%. Minnesota's combined rate is 1.05 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Minnesota official website · North Dakota official website
More Size Comparisons
All Minnesota 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.