The map above shows Alabama and West Virginia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Alabama vs West Virginia Geography
Land area
- Alabama has a land area of 50,651 square miles (131,185 km²), while West Virginia has 24,041 square miles (62,266 km²).
- Alabama's land area is 2.1 times (111%) larger than West Virginia's.
Total area
- Alabama: 52,420 square miles (135,767 km²) vs West Virginia: 24,230 square miles (62,755 km²), including inland and coastal water.
- Alabama's total area is 2.2 times (116%) larger than West Virginia's.
Length
- Alabama is 331 miles (532 km) long from north to south; West Virginia is 245 miles (394 km).
- Alabama's north-south length is 1.4 times (35%) longer than West Virginia's.
Width
- Alabama spans 212 miles (341 km) east to west; West Virginia spans 276 miles (444 km).
- West Virginia's east-west width is 1.3 times (30%) wider than Alabama's.
Highest point
- Alabama's highest point is Cheaha Mountain at 2,405 feet (733 m); West Virginia's is Spruce Knob at 4,863 feet (1,482 m).
- Spruce Knob is 2,458 feet higher than Cheaha Mountain.
Lowest point
- Alabama's lowest point is Gulf of Mexico at 0 feet; West Virginia's is Potomac River at 240 feet.
- Alabama's lowest point is 240 feet lower.
Alabama vs West Virginia Population and History
Population
- Alabama has a population of 5,157,699 (2024), while West Virginia has 1,769,979 (2024).
- Alabama's population is 2.9 times (191%) larger than West Virginia's.
Population density
- Alabama: 101.8 people per square mile vs West Virginia: 73.6.
- Alabama's population density is 1.4 times (38%) higher than West Virginia's.
Biggest city
- Alabama's biggest city is Huntsville with 230,402 people; West Virginia's is Charleston with 46,482.
- Huntsville's population is 5.0 times (396%) larger than Charleston's.
Largest metro area
- Alabama's largest metropolitan area is Birmingham, AL metro area (1,192,583 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 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.
- West Virginia: Admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863, as the 35th state.
- In its current form, Alabama is the older of the two by 44 years.
Alabama vs West Virginia Economy
GDP
- Alabama's GDP is $325.3 billion (2024) vs West Virginia's $106.5 billion.
- Alabama's economic output is 3.1 times (205%) larger than West Virginia's.
GDP per capita
- Alabama: $63,080 per person vs West Virginia: $60,156.
- Alabama's GDP per capita is 1.0 times (5%) higher than West Virginia's.
Average income
- Alabama: $57,311 vs West Virginia: $55,351 average income per person (per capita personal income).
- Alabama and West Virginia have about the same average income.
Alabama vs West Virginia Counties
Number of counties
- Alabama has 67 counties, while West Virginia has 55.
- Alabama's county count is 1.2 times (22%) higher than West Virginia's.
Biggest county by area
- Alabama's largest county is Baldwin County at 1,590 square miles; West Virginia's is Randolph County at 1,040 square miles.
- Baldwin County's land area is 1.5 times (53%) larger than Randolph County's.
Smallest county by area
- Alabama: Etowah County (535 sq mi) vs West Virginia: Hancock County (83 sq mi).
- Etowah County's land area is 6.5 times (548%) larger than Hancock County's.
Most populous county
- Alabama: Jefferson County (664,744 people) vs West Virginia: Kanawha County (173,906 people).
- Jefferson County's population is 3.8 times (282%) larger than Kanawha County's.
Least populous county
- Alabama: Greene County (7,127 people) vs West Virginia: Wirt County (4,924 people).
- Greene County's population is 1.4 times (45%) larger than Wirt County's.
Richest county
- Alabama: Jefferson County ($75,312 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Jefferson County ($70,542).
- Jefferson County's income is 1.1 times (7%) richer than Jefferson County's.
Poorest county
- Alabama: Bullock County ($39,403 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Webster County ($35,039).
- Bullock County's income is 1.1 times (12%) richer than Webster County's.
Alabama vs West Virginia Taxes
State income tax
- Alabama has a top income tax rate of 5%, while West Virginia has a top income tax rate of 4.82%.
- Alabama's top rate is 0.18 percentage points higher.
Property tax
- Alabama: 0.38% effective rate vs West Virginia: 0.52% of home value per year.
- West Virginia's rate is 0.14 percentage points higher.
Sales tax
- Alabama: 9.46% combined state and average local rate vs West Virginia: 6.6%.
- Alabama's combined rate is 2.86 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Alabama official website · West Virginia official website
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More Size Comparisons
All Alabama 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.