The map above shows Missouri and North Carolina side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Missouri vs North Carolina Geography
Land area: Missouri has a land area of 68,746 square miles (178,052 km²), while North Carolina has 48,624 square miles (125,936 km²). Missouri's land area is 1.4 times (41%) larger than North Carolina's.
Total area: Missouri: 69,707 square miles (180,540 km²) vs North Carolina: 53,819 square miles (139,390 km²), including inland and coastal water. Missouri's total area is 1.3 times (30%) larger than North Carolina's.
Length: Missouri is 328 miles (529 km) long from north to south; North Carolina is 258 miles (415 km). Missouri's north-south length is 1.3 times (27%) longer than North Carolina's.
Width: Missouri spans 437 miles (703 km) east to west; North Carolina spans 487 miles (784 km). North Carolina's east-west width is 1.1 times (11%) wider than Missouri's.
Highest point: Missouri's highest point is Taum Sauk Mountain at 1,771 feet (540 m); North Carolina's is Mount Mitchell at 6,674 feet (2,034 m). Mount Mitchell is 4,903 feet higher than Taum Sauk Mountain.
Lowest point: Missouri's lowest point is St. Francis River at 230 feet; North Carolina's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. North Carolina's lowest point is 230 feet lower.
Missouri vs North Carolina Population and History
Population: Missouri has a population of 6,245,466 (2024), while North Carolina has 11,046,024 (2024). North Carolina's population is 1.8 times (77%) larger than Missouri's.
Population density: Missouri: 90.8 people per square mile vs North Carolina: 227.2. North Carolina's population density is 2.5 times (150%) higher than Missouri's.
Biggest city: Missouri's biggest city is Kansas City with 516,032 people; North Carolina's is Charlotte with 943,476. Charlotte's population is 1.8 times (83%) larger than Kansas City's.
Largest metro area: Missouri's largest metropolitan area is St. Louis, MO-IL metro area (2,811,927 people) vs North Carolina's Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area (2,883,370). St. Louis, MO-IL metro area and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area have about the same population.
History: Missouri: Admitted to the Union on August 10, 1821, as the 24th 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 32 years.
Missouri vs North Carolina Economy
GDP: Missouri's GDP is $448.7 billion (2024) vs North Carolina's $844.2 billion. North Carolina's economic output is 1.9 times (88%) larger than Missouri's.
GDP per capita: Missouri: $71,846 per person vs North Carolina: $76,427. North Carolina's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (6%) higher than Missouri's.
Average income: Missouri: $64,920 vs North Carolina: $65,634 average income per person (per capita personal income). Missouri and North Carolina have about the same average income.
Missouri vs North Carolina Counties
Number of counties: Missouri has 115 counties, while North Carolina has 100. Missouri's county count is 1.2 times (15%) higher than North Carolina's.
Biggest county by area: Missouri's largest county is Texas County at 1,177 square miles; North Carolina's is Robeson County at 947 square miles. Texas County's land area is 1.2 times (24%) larger than Robeson County's.
Smallest county by area: Missouri: St. Louis city (62 sq mi) vs North Carolina: Chowan County (173 sq mi). Chowan County's land area is 2.8 times (180%) larger than St. Louis city's.
Most populous county: Missouri: St. Louis County (992,929 people) vs North Carolina: Wake County (1,232,444 people). Wake County's population is 1.2 times (24%) larger than St. Louis County's.
Least populous county: Missouri: Worth County (1,872 people) vs North Carolina: Tyrrell County (3,517 people). Tyrrell County's population is 1.9 times (88%) larger than Worth County's.
Richest county: Missouri: St. Louis County ($104,775 per capita income) vs North Carolina: Chatham County ($91,638). St. Louis County's income is 1.1 times (14%) richer than Chatham County's.
Poorest county: Missouri: Douglas County ($40,515 per capita income) vs North Carolina: Warren County ($40,932). Douglas County and Warren County have about the same income.
Missouri vs North Carolina Taxes
State income tax: Missouri has a top income tax rate of 4.7%, while North Carolina has a top income tax rate of 3.99%. Missouri's top rate is 0.71 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Missouri: 0.79% effective rate vs North Carolina: 0.61% of home value per year. Missouri's rate is 0.18 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Missouri: 8.44% combined state and average local rate vs North Carolina: 7.1%. Missouri's combined rate is 1.34 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Missouri official website · North Carolina official website
More Size Comparisons
All Missouri 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.