The map above shows Pennsylvania and Wisconsin side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Pennsylvania vs Wisconsin Geography
Land area: Pennsylvania has a land area of 44,742 square miles (115,882 km²), while Wisconsin has 54,168 square miles (140,294 km²). Wisconsin's land area is 1.2 times (21%) larger than Pennsylvania's.
Total area: Pennsylvania: 46,054 square miles (119,279 km²) vs Wisconsin: 65,497 square miles (169,636 km²), including inland and coastal water. Wisconsin's total area is 1.4 times (42%) larger than Pennsylvania's.
Length: Pennsylvania is 284 miles (458 km) long from north to south; Wisconsin is 368 miles (593 km). Wisconsin's north-south length is 1.3 times (30%) longer than Pennsylvania's.
Width: Pennsylvania spans 307 miles (495 km) east to west; Wisconsin spans 323 miles (521 km). Wisconsin's east-west width is 1.1 times (5%) wider than Pennsylvania's.
Highest point: Pennsylvania's highest point is Mount Davis at 3,210 feet (978 m); Wisconsin's is Timms Hill at 1,946 feet (593 m). Mount Davis is 1,264 feet higher than Timms Hill.
Lowest point: Pennsylvania's lowest point is Delaware River at 0 feet; Wisconsin's is Lake Michigan at 577 feet. Pennsylvania's lowest point is 577 feet lower.
Pennsylvania vs Wisconsin Population and History
Population: Pennsylvania has a population of 13,078,751 (2024), while Wisconsin has 5,960,975 (2024). Pennsylvania's population is 2.2 times (119%) larger than Wisconsin's.
Population density: Pennsylvania: 292.3 people per square mile vs Wisconsin: 110.0. Pennsylvania's population density is 2.7 times (166%) higher than Wisconsin's.
Biggest city: Pennsylvania's biggest city is Philadelphia with 1,573,916 people; Wisconsin's is Milwaukee with 563,531. Philadelphia's population is 2.8 times (179%) larger than Milwaukee's.
Largest metro area: Pennsylvania's largest metropolitan area is Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area (6,330,422 people) vs Wisconsin's Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area (3,757,952). Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area's population is 1.7 times (68%) larger than Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area's.
History: Pennsylvania: Admitted to the Union on December 12, 1787, as the 2nd state. Wisconsin: Admitted to the Union on May 29, 1848, as the 30th state. In its current form, Pennsylvania is the older of the two by 61 years.
Pennsylvania vs Wisconsin Economy
GDP: Pennsylvania's GDP is $1,007.9 billion (2024) vs Wisconsin's $453.3 billion. Pennsylvania's economic output is 2.2 times (122%) larger than Wisconsin's.
GDP per capita: Pennsylvania: $77,062 per person vs Wisconsin: $76,044. Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have about the same GDP per capita.
Average income: Pennsylvania: $70,678 vs Wisconsin: $67,755 average income per person (per capita personal income). Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have about the same average income.
Pennsylvania vs Wisconsin Counties
Number of counties: Pennsylvania has 67 counties, while Wisconsin has 72. Wisconsin's county count is 1.1 times (7%) higher than Pennsylvania's.
Biggest county by area: Pennsylvania's largest county is Lycoming County at 1,229 square miles; Wisconsin's is Marathon County at 1,545 square miles. Marathon County's land area is 1.3 times (26%) larger than Lycoming County's.
Smallest county by area: Pennsylvania: Montour County (130 sq mi) vs Wisconsin: Pepin County (232 sq mi). Pepin County's land area is 1.8 times (78%) larger than Montour County's.
Most populous county: Pennsylvania: Philadelphia County (1,573,916 people) vs Wisconsin: Milwaukee County (924,740 people). Philadelphia County's population is 1.7 times (70%) larger than Milwaukee County's.
Least populous county: Pennsylvania: Cameron County (4,348 people) vs Wisconsin: Menominee County (4,286 people). Cameron County and Menominee County have about the same population.
Richest county: Pennsylvania: Chester County ($110,883 per capita income) vs Wisconsin: Ozaukee County ($109,947). Chester County and Ozaukee County have about the same income.
Poorest county: Pennsylvania: Forest County ($30,234 per capita income) vs Wisconsin: Menominee County ($43,696). Menominee County's income is 1.4 times (45%) richer than Forest County's.
Pennsylvania vs Wisconsin Taxes
State income tax: Pennsylvania has a top income tax rate of 3.07%, while Wisconsin has a top income tax rate of 7.65%. Wisconsin's top rate is 4.58 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Pennsylvania: 1.16% effective rate vs Wisconsin: 1.25% of home value per year. Wisconsin's rate is 0.09 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Pennsylvania: 6.34% combined state and average local rate vs Wisconsin: 5.72%. Pennsylvania's combined rate is 0.62 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Pennsylvania official website · Wisconsin official website
More Size Comparisons
All Pennsylvania size comparisons · All Wisconsin 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.