The map above shows Alabama and Arkansas side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Alabama vs Arkansas Geography
Land area
- Alabama has a land area of 50,651 square miles (131,185 km²), while Arkansas has 51,992 square miles (134,658 km²).
- Alabama and Arkansas have about the same land area.
Total area
- Alabama: 52,420 square miles (135,767 km²) vs Arkansas: 53,198 square miles (137,781 km²), including inland and coastal water.
- Alabama and Arkansas have about the same total area.
Length
- Alabama is 331 miles (532 km) long from north to south; Arkansas is 243 miles (392 km).
- Alabama's north-south length is 1.4 times (36%) longer than Arkansas'.
Width
- Alabama spans 212 miles (341 km) east to west; Arkansas spans 279 miles (449 km).
- Arkansas' east-west width is 1.3 times (32%) wider than Alabama's.
Highest point
- Alabama's highest point is Cheaha Mountain at 2,405 feet (733 m); Arkansas's is Mount Magazine at 2,752 feet (839 m).
- Mount Magazine is 347 feet higher than Cheaha Mountain.
Lowest point
- Alabama's lowest point is Gulf of Mexico at 0 feet; Arkansas's is Ouachita River at 55 feet.
- Alabama's lowest point is 55 feet lower.
Alabama vs Arkansas Population and History
Population
- Alabama has a population of 5,157,699 (2024), while Arkansas has 3,088,354 (2024).
- Alabama's population is 1.7 times (67%) larger than Arkansas'.
Population density
- Alabama: 101.8 people per square mile vs Arkansas: 59.4.
- Alabama's population density is 1.7 times (71%) higher than Arkansas'.
Biggest city
- Alabama's biggest city is Huntsville with 230,402 people; Arkansas's is Little Rock with 204,774.
- Huntsville's population is 1.1 times (13%) larger than Little Rock's.
Largest metro area
- Alabama's largest metropolitan area is Birmingham, AL metro area (1,192,583 people) vs Arkansas's Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area (1,339,345).
- Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area's population is 1.1 times (12%) larger than Birmingham, AL metro area's.
History
- Alabama: Admitted to the Union on December 14, 1819, as the 22nd state.
- Arkansas: Admitted to the Union on June 15, 1836, as the 25th state.
- In its current form, Alabama is the older of the two by 17 years.
Alabama vs Arkansas Economy
GDP
- Alabama's GDP is $325.3 billion (2024) vs Arkansas's $188.3 billion.
- Alabama's economic output is 1.7 times (73%) larger than Arkansas'.
GDP per capita
- Alabama: $63,080 per person vs Arkansas: $60,984.
- Alabama and Arkansas have about the same GDP per capita.
Average income
- Alabama: $57,311 vs Arkansas: $59,320 average income per person (per capita personal income).
- Alabama and Arkansas have about the same average income.
Alabama vs Arkansas Counties
Number of counties
- Alabama has 67 counties, while Arkansas has 75.
- Arkansas' county count is 1.1 times (12%) higher than Alabama's.
Biggest county by area
- Alabama's largest county is Baldwin County at 1,590 square miles; Arkansas's is Union County at 1,039 square miles.
- Baldwin County's land area is 1.5 times (53%) larger than Union County's.
Smallest county by area
- Alabama: Etowah County (535 sq mi) vs Arkansas: Lafayette County (530 sq mi).
- Etowah County and Lafayette County have about the same land area.
Most populous county
- Alabama: Jefferson County (664,744 people) vs Arkansas: Pulaski County (401,209 people).
- Jefferson County's population is 1.7 times (66%) larger than Pulaski County's.
Least populous county
- Alabama: Greene County (7,127 people) vs Arkansas: Calhoun County (4,690 people).
- Greene County's population is 1.5 times (52%) larger than Calhoun County's.
Richest county
- Alabama: Jefferson County ($75,312 per capita income) vs Arkansas: Benton County ($120,594).
- Benton County's income is 1.6 times (60%) richer than Jefferson County's.
Poorest county
- Alabama: Bullock County ($39,403 per capita income) vs Arkansas: Lincoln County ($36,032).
- Bullock County's income is 1.1 times (9%) richer than Lincoln County's.
Alabama vs Arkansas Taxes
State income tax
- Alabama has a top income tax rate of 5%, while Arkansas has a top income tax rate of 3.9%.
- Alabama's top rate is 1.1 percentage points higher.
Property tax
- Alabama: 0.38% effective rate vs Arkansas: 0.52% of home value per year.
- Arkansas's rate is 0.14 percentage points higher.
Sales tax
- Alabama: 9.46% combined state and average local rate vs Arkansas: 9.48%.
- Arkansas's combined rate is 0.02 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Alabama official website · Arkansas official website
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More Size Comparisons
All Alabama size comparisons · All Arkansas 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.