The map above shows Mississippi and North Carolina side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Mississippi vs North Carolina Geography
Land area: Mississippi has a land area of 46,925 square miles (121,534 km²), while North Carolina has 48,624 square miles (125,936 km²). Mississippi and North Carolina have about the same land area.
Total area: Mississippi: 48,436 square miles (125,448 km²) vs North Carolina: 53,819 square miles (139,390 km²), including inland and coastal water. North Carolina's total area is 1.1 times (11%) larger than Mississippi's.
Length: Mississippi is 337 miles (542 km) long from north to south; North Carolina is 258 miles (415 km). Mississippi's north-south length is 1.3 times (31%) longer than North Carolina's.
Width: Mississippi spans 340 miles (547 km) east to west; North Carolina spans 487 miles (784 km). North Carolina's east-west width is 1.4 times (43%) wider than Mississippi's.
Highest point: Mississippi's highest point is Woodall Mountain at 805 feet (245 m); North Carolina's is Mount Mitchell at 6,674 feet (2,034 m). Mount Mitchell is 5,869 feet higher than Woodall Mountain.
Lowest point: Mississippi's lowest point is Gulf of Mexico at 0 feet; North Carolina's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. Both lowest points are at or near sea level.
Mississippi vs North Carolina Population and History
Population: Mississippi has a population of 2,943,045 (2024), while North Carolina has 11,046,024 (2024). North Carolina's population is 3.8 times (275%) larger than Mississippi's.
Population density: Mississippi: 62.7 people per square mile vs North Carolina: 227.2. North Carolina's population density is 3.6 times (262%) higher than Mississippi's.
Biggest city: Mississippi's biggest city is Jackson with 141,449 people; North Carolina's is Charlotte with 943,476. Charlotte's population is 6.7 times (567%) larger than Jackson's.
Largest metro area: Mississippi's largest metropolitan area is Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area (1,339,345 people) vs North Carolina's Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area (2,883,370). Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area's population is 2.2 times (115%) larger than Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area's.
History: Mississippi: Admitted to the Union on December 10, 1817, as the 20th state. North Carolina: Admitted to the Union on November 21, 1789, as the 12th state. In its current form, North Carolina is the older of the two by 28 years.
Mississippi vs North Carolina Economy
GDP: Mississippi's GDP is $158.2 billion (2024) vs North Carolina's $844.2 billion. North Carolina's economic output is 5.3 times (434%) larger than Mississippi's.
GDP per capita: Mississippi: $53,751 per person vs North Carolina: $76,427. North Carolina's GDP per capita is 1.4 times (42%) higher than Mississippi's.
Average income: Mississippi: $52,074 vs North Carolina: $65,634 average income per person (per capita personal income). North Carolina's average income is 1.3 times (26%) higher than Mississippi's.
Mississippi vs North Carolina Counties
Number of counties: Mississippi has 82 counties, while North Carolina has 100. North Carolina's county count is 1.2 times (22%) higher than Mississippi's.
Biggest county by area: Mississippi's largest county is Yazoo County at 922 square miles; North Carolina's is Robeson County at 947 square miles. Yazoo County and Robeson County have about the same land area.
Smallest county by area: Mississippi: Alcorn County (400 sq mi) vs North Carolina: Chowan County (173 sq mi). Alcorn County's land area is 2.3 times (132%) larger than Chowan County's.
Most populous county: Mississippi: Harrison County (213,730 people) vs North Carolina: Wake County (1,232,444 people). Wake County's population is 5.8 times (477%) larger than Harrison County's.
Least populous county: Mississippi: Issaquena County (1,295 people) vs North Carolina: Tyrrell County (3,517 people). Tyrrell County's population is 2.7 times (172%) larger than Issaquena County's.
Richest county: Mississippi: Madison County ($90,668 per capita income) vs North Carolina: Chatham County ($91,638). Madison County and Chatham County have about the same income.
Poorest county: Mississippi: Issaquena County ($27,264 per capita income) vs North Carolina: Warren County ($40,932). Warren County's income is 1.5 times (50%) richer than Issaquena County's.
Mississippi vs North Carolina Taxes
State income tax: Mississippi has a top income tax rate of 4%, while North Carolina has a top income tax rate of 3.99%.
Property tax: Mississippi: 0.65% effective rate vs North Carolina: 0.61% of home value per year. Mississippi's rate is 0.04 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Mississippi: 7.06% combined state and average local rate vs North Carolina: 7.1%. North Carolina's combined rate is 0.04 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Mississippi official website · North Carolina official website
More Size Comparisons
All Mississippi 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.