The map above shows Alabama and Virginia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Alabama vs Virginia Geography
Land area: Alabama has a land area of 50,651 square miles (131,185 km²), while Virginia has 39,481 square miles (102,256 km²). Alabama's land area is 1.3 times (28%) larger than Virginia's.
Total area: Alabama: 52,420 square miles (135,767 km²) vs Virginia: 42,775 square miles (110,786 km²), including inland and coastal water. Alabama's total area is 1.2 times (23%) larger than Virginia's.
Length: Alabama is 331 miles (532 km) long from north to south; Virginia is 223 miles (359 km). Alabama's north-south length is 1.5 times (48%) longer than Virginia's.
Width: Alabama spans 212 miles (341 km) east to west; Virginia spans 466 miles (750 km). Virginia's east-west width is 2.2 times (120%) wider than Alabama's.
Highest point: Alabama's highest point is Cheaha Mountain at 2,405 feet (733 m); Virginia's is Mount Rogers at 5,729 feet (1,746 m). Mount Rogers is 3,324 feet higher than Cheaha Mountain.
Lowest point: Alabama's lowest point is Gulf of Mexico at 0 feet; Virginia's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. Both lowest points are at or near sea level.
Alabama vs Virginia Population and History
Population: Alabama has a population of 5,157,699 (2024), while Virginia has 8,811,195 (2024). Virginia's population is 1.7 times (71%) larger than Alabama's.
Population density: Alabama: 101.8 people per square mile vs Virginia: 223.2. Virginia's population density is 2.2 times (119%) higher than Alabama's.
Biggest city: Alabama's biggest city is Huntsville with 230,402 people; Virginia's is Virginia Beach with 454,808. Virginia Beach's population is 2.0 times (97%) larger than Huntsville's.
Largest metro area: Alabama's largest metropolitan area is Birmingham, AL metro area (1,192,583 people) vs 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 5.4 times (440%) larger than Birmingham, AL metro area's.
History: Alabama: Admitted to the Union on December 14, 1819, as the 22nd state. Virginia: Admitted to the Union on June 25, 1788, as the 10th state. In its current form, Virginia is the older of the two by 31 years.
Alabama vs Virginia Economy
GDP: Alabama's GDP is $325.3 billion (2024) vs Virginia's $761.7 billion. Virginia's economic output is 2.3 times (134%) larger than Alabama's.
GDP per capita: Alabama: $63,080 per person vs Virginia: $86,451. Virginia's GDP per capita is 1.4 times (37%) higher than Alabama's.
Average income: Alabama: $57,311 vs Virginia: $77,351 average income per person (per capita personal income). Virginia's average income is 1.3 times (35%) higher than Alabama's.
Alabama vs Virginia Counties
Number of counties: Alabama has 67 counties, while Virginia has 133. Virginia's county count is 2.0 times (99%) higher than Alabama's.
Biggest county by area: Alabama's largest county is Baldwin County at 1,590 square miles; Virginia's is Pittsylvania County at 969 square miles. Baldwin County's land area is 1.6 times (64%) larger than Pittsylvania County's.
Smallest county by area: Alabama: Etowah County (535 sq mi) vs Virginia: Falls Church city (2 sq mi). Etowah County's land area is 267.6 times larger than Falls Church city's.
Most populous county: Alabama: Jefferson County (664,744 people) vs Virginia: Fairfax County (1,160,925 people). Fairfax County's population is 1.7 times (75%) larger than Jefferson County's.
Least populous county: Alabama: Greene County (7,127 people) vs Virginia: Highland County (2,348 people). Greene County's population is 3.0 times (204%) larger than Highland County's.
Richest county: Alabama: Jefferson County ($75,312 per capita income) vs Virginia: Arlington County ($131,624). Arlington County's income is 1.7 times (75%) richer than Jefferson County's.
Poorest county: Alabama: Bullock County ($39,403 per capita income) vs Virginia: Sussex County ($41,032). Bullock County and Sussex County have about the same income.
Alabama vs Virginia Taxes
State income tax: Alabama has a top income tax rate of 5%, while Virginia has a top income tax rate of 5.75%. Virginia's top rate is 0.75 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Alabama: 0.38% effective rate vs Virginia: 0.71% of home value per year. Virginia's rate is 0.33 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Alabama: 9.46% combined state and average local rate vs Virginia: 5.77%. Alabama's combined rate is 3.69 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Alabama official website · Virginia official website
More Size Comparisons
All Alabama size comparisons · All 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.