The map above shows North Carolina and West Virginia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
North Carolina vs West Virginia Geography
Land area: North Carolina has a land area of 48,624 square miles (125,936 km²), while West Virginia has 24,041 square miles (62,266 km²). North Carolina's land area is 2.0 times (102%) larger than West Virginia's.
Total area: North Carolina: 53,819 square miles (139,390 km²) vs West Virginia: 24,230 square miles (62,755 km²), including inland and coastal water. North Carolina's total area is 2.2 times (122%) larger than West Virginia's.
Length: North Carolina is 258 miles (415 km) long from north to south; West Virginia is 245 miles (394 km). North Carolina's north-south length is 1.1 times (5%) longer than West Virginia's.
Width: North Carolina spans 487 miles (784 km) east to west; West Virginia spans 276 miles (444 km). North Carolina's east-west width is 1.8 times (76%) wider than West Virginia's.
Highest point: North Carolina's highest point is Mount Mitchell at 6,674 feet (2,034 m); West Virginia's is Spruce Knob at 4,863 feet (1,482 m). Mount Mitchell is 1,811 feet higher than Spruce Knob.
Lowest point: North Carolina's lowest point is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet; West Virginia's is Potomac River at 240 feet. North Carolina's lowest point is 240 feet lower.
North Carolina vs West Virginia Population and History
Population: North Carolina has a population of 11,046,024 (2024), while West Virginia has 1,769,979 (2024). North Carolina's population is 6.2 times (524%) larger than West Virginia's.
Population density: North Carolina: 227.2 people per square mile vs West Virginia: 73.6. North Carolina's population density is 3.1 times (209%) higher than West Virginia's.
Biggest city: North Carolina's biggest city is Charlotte with 943,476 people; West Virginia's is Charleston with 46,482. Charlotte's population is 20.3 times larger than Charleston's.
Largest metro area: North Carolina's largest metropolitan area is Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area (2,883,370 people) vs West Virginia's Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area (6,436,489). 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: North Carolina: Admitted to the Union on November 21, 1789, as the 12th state. West Virginia: Admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863, as the 35th state. In its current form, North Carolina is the older of the two by 74 years.
North Carolina vs West Virginia Economy
GDP: North Carolina's GDP is $844.2 billion (2024) vs West Virginia's $106.5 billion. North Carolina's economic output is 7.9 times (693%) larger than West Virginia's.
GDP per capita: North Carolina: $76,427 per person vs West Virginia: $60,156. North Carolina's GDP per capita is 1.3 times (27%) higher than West Virginia's.
Average income: North Carolina: $65,634 vs West Virginia: $55,351 average income per person (per capita personal income). North Carolina's average income is 1.2 times (19%) higher than West Virginia's.
North Carolina vs West Virginia Counties
Number of counties: North Carolina has 100 counties, while West Virginia has 55. North Carolina's county count is 1.8 times (82%) higher than West Virginia's.
Biggest county by area: North Carolina's largest county is Robeson County at 947 square miles; West Virginia's is Randolph County at 1,040 square miles. Randolph County's land area is 1.1 times (10%) larger than Robeson County's.
Smallest county by area: North Carolina: Chowan County (173 sq mi) vs West Virginia: Hancock County (83 sq mi). Chowan County's land area is 2.1 times (109%) larger than Hancock County's.
Most populous county: North Carolina: Wake County (1,232,444 people) vs West Virginia: Kanawha County (173,906 people). Wake County's population is 7.1 times (609%) larger than Kanawha County's.
Least populous county: North Carolina: Tyrrell County (3,517 people) vs West Virginia: Wirt County (4,924 people). Wirt County's population is 1.4 times (40%) larger than Tyrrell County's.
Richest county: North Carolina: Chatham County ($91,638 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Jefferson County ($70,542). Chatham County's income is 1.3 times (30%) richer than Jefferson County's.
Poorest county: North Carolina: Warren County ($40,932 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Webster County ($35,039). Warren County's income is 1.2 times (17%) richer than Webster County's.
North Carolina vs West Virginia Taxes
State income tax: North Carolina has a top income tax rate of 3.99%, while West Virginia has a top income tax rate of 4.82%. West Virginia's top rate is 0.83 percentage points higher.
Property tax: North Carolina: 0.61% effective rate vs West Virginia: 0.52% of home value per year. North Carolina's rate is 0.09 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: North Carolina: 7.1% combined state and average local rate vs West Virginia: 6.6%. North Carolina's combined rate is 0.5 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
North Carolina official website · West Virginia official website
More Size Comparisons
All North Carolina size comparisons · All West Virginia 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.