The map above shows Alabama and Pennsylvania side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Alabama vs Pennsylvania Geography
Land area: Alabama has a land area of 50,651 square miles (131,185 km²), while Pennsylvania has 44,742 square miles (115,882 km²). Alabama's land area is 1.1 times (13%) larger than Pennsylvania's.
Total area: Alabama: 52,420 square miles (135,767 km²) vs Pennsylvania: 46,054 square miles (119,279 km²), including inland and coastal water. Alabama's total area is 1.1 times (14%) larger than Pennsylvania's.
Length: Alabama is 331 miles (532 km) long from north to south; Pennsylvania is 284 miles (458 km). Alabama's north-south length is 1.2 times (17%) longer than Pennsylvania's.
Width: Alabama spans 212 miles (341 km) east to west; Pennsylvania spans 307 miles (495 km). Pennsylvania's east-west width is 1.4 times (45%) wider than Alabama's.
Highest point: Alabama's highest point is Cheaha Mountain at 2,405 feet (733 m); Pennsylvania's is Mount Davis at 3,210 feet (978 m). Mount Davis is 805 feet higher than Cheaha Mountain.
Lowest point: Alabama's lowest point is Gulf of Mexico at 0 feet; Pennsylvania's is Delaware River at 0 feet. Both lowest points are at or near sea level.
Alabama vs Pennsylvania Population and History
Population: Alabama has a population of 5,157,699 (2024), while Pennsylvania has 13,078,751 (2024). Pennsylvania's population is 2.5 times (154%) larger than Alabama's.
Population density: Alabama: 101.8 people per square mile vs Pennsylvania: 292.3. Pennsylvania's population density is 2.9 times (187%) higher than Alabama's.
Biggest city: Alabama's biggest city is Huntsville with 230,402 people; Pennsylvania's is Philadelphia with 1,573,916. Philadelphia's population is 6.8 times (583%) larger than Huntsville's.
Largest metro area: Alabama's largest metropolitan area is Birmingham, AL metro area (1,192,583 people) vs Pennsylvania's Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area (6,330,422). Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area's population is 5.3 times (431%) larger than Birmingham, AL metro area's.
History: Alabama: Admitted to the Union on December 14, 1819, as the 22nd state. Pennsylvania: Admitted to the Union on December 12, 1787, as the 2nd state. In its current form, Pennsylvania is the older of the two by 32 years.
Alabama vs Pennsylvania Economy
GDP: Alabama's GDP is $325.3 billion (2024) vs Pennsylvania's $1,007.9 billion. Pennsylvania's economic output is 3.1 times (210%) larger than Alabama's.
GDP per capita: Alabama: $63,080 per person vs Pennsylvania: $77,062. Pennsylvania's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (22%) higher than Alabama's.
Average income: Alabama: $57,311 vs Pennsylvania: $70,678 average income per person (per capita personal income). Pennsylvania's average income is 1.2 times (23%) higher than Alabama's.
Alabama vs Pennsylvania Counties
Number of counties: Alabama has 67 counties, while Pennsylvania has 67. Alabama and Pennsylvania have about the same county count.
Biggest county by area: Alabama's largest county is Baldwin County at 1,590 square miles; Pennsylvania's is Lycoming County at 1,229 square miles. Baldwin County's land area is 1.3 times (29%) larger than Lycoming County's.
Smallest county by area: Alabama: Etowah County (535 sq mi) vs Pennsylvania: Montour County (130 sq mi). Etowah County's land area is 4.1 times (311%) larger than Montour County's.
Most populous county: Alabama: Jefferson County (664,744 people) vs Pennsylvania: Philadelphia County (1,573,916 people). Philadelphia County's population is 2.4 times (137%) larger than Jefferson County's.
Least populous county: Alabama: Greene County (7,127 people) vs Pennsylvania: Cameron County (4,348 people). Greene County's population is 1.6 times (64%) larger than Cameron County's.
Richest county: Alabama: Jefferson County ($75,312 per capita income) vs Pennsylvania: Chester County ($110,883). Chester County's income is 1.5 times (47%) richer than Jefferson County's.
Poorest county: Alabama: Bullock County ($39,403 per capita income) vs Pennsylvania: Forest County ($30,234). Bullock County's income is 1.3 times (30%) richer than Forest County's.
Alabama vs Pennsylvania Taxes
State income tax: Alabama has a top income tax rate of 5%, while Pennsylvania has a top income tax rate of 3.07%. Alabama's top rate is 1.93 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Alabama: 0.38% effective rate vs Pennsylvania: 1.16% of home value per year. Pennsylvania's rate is 0.78 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Alabama: 9.46% combined state and average local rate vs Pennsylvania: 6.34%. Alabama's combined rate is 3.12 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Alabama official website · Pennsylvania official website
More Size Comparisons
All Alabama size comparisons · All Pennsylvania 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.