The map above shows Alaska and Illinois side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Alaska vs Illinois Geography
Land area: Alaska has a land area of 571,242 square miles (1,479,509 km²), while Illinois has 55,513 square miles (143,778 km²). Alaska's land area is 10.3 times larger than Illinois'.
Total area: Alaska: 665,725 square miles (1,724,220 km²) vs Illinois: 57,913 square miles (149,995 km²), including inland and coastal water. Alaska's total area is 11.5 times larger than Illinois'.
Length: Alaska is 1,201 miles (1,933 km) long from north to south; Illinois is 390 miles (628 km). Alaska's north-south length is 3.1 times (208%) longer than Illinois'.
Width: Alaska spans 1,544 miles (2,485 km) east to west; Illinois spans 283 miles (456 km). Alaska's east-west width is 5.5 times (446%) wider than Illinois'.
Highest point: Alaska's highest point is Denali at 20,235 feet (6,168 m); Illinois's is Charles Mound at 1,232 feet (376 m). Denali is 19,003 feet higher than Charles Mound.
Lowest point: Alaska's lowest point is Pacific Ocean at 0 feet; Illinois's is Mississippi River at 292 feet. Alaska's lowest point is 292 feet lower.
Alaska vs Illinois Population and History
Population: Alaska has a population of 740,133 (2024), while Illinois has 12,710,158 (2024). Illinois' population is 17.2 times larger than Alaska's.
Population density: Alaska: 1.3 people per square mile vs Illinois: 229.0. Illinois' population density is 176.2 times higher than Alaska's.
Biggest city: Alaska's biggest city is Anchorage with 289,600 people; Illinois's is Chicago with 2,721,308. Chicago's population is 9.4 times (840%) larger than Anchorage's.
Largest metro area: Alaska's largest metropolitan area is Anchorage, AK metro area (407,213 people) vs Illinois's Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (9,408,576). Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area's population is 23.1 times larger than Anchorage, AK metro area's.
History: Alaska: Admitted to the Union on January 3, 1959, as the 49th state. Illinois: Admitted to the Union on December 3, 1818, as the 21st state. In its current form, Illinois is the older of the two by 141 years.
Alaska vs Illinois Economy
GDP: Alaska's GDP is $71.6 billion (2024) vs Illinois's $1,148.1 billion. Illinois' economic output is 16.0 times larger than Alaska's.
GDP per capita: Alaska: $96,695 per person vs Illinois: $90,330. Alaska's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (7%) higher than Illinois'.
Average income: Alaska: $76,234 vs Illinois: $74,522 average income per person (per capita personal income). Alaska and Illinois have about the same average income.
Alaska vs Illinois Counties
Number of counties: Alaska has 30 counties, while Illinois has 102. Illinois' county count is 3.4 times (240%) higher than Alaska's.
Biggest county by area: Alaska's largest county is Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area at 145,769 square miles; Illinois's is McLean County at 1,183 square miles. Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area's land area is 123.2 times larger than McLean County's.
Smallest county by area: Alaska: Skagway Municipality (443 sq mi) vs Illinois: Putnam County (160 sq mi). Skagway Municipality's land area is 2.8 times (177%) larger than Putnam County's.
Most populous county: Alaska: Anchorage Municipality (289,600 people) vs Illinois: Cook County (5,182,617 people). Cook County's population is 17.9 times larger than Anchorage Municipality's.
Least populous county: Alaska: Yakutat City and Borough (690 people) vs Illinois: Hardin County (3,550 people). Hardin County's population is 5.1 times (414%) larger than Yakutat City and Borough's.
Richest county: Alaska: Bristol Bay Borough ($158,406 per capita income) vs Illinois: Cumberland County ($104,890). Bristol Bay Borough's income is 1.5 times (51%) richer than Cumberland County's.
Poorest county: Alaska: Kusilvak Census Area ($37,765 per capita income) vs Illinois: Lawrence County ($43,606). Lawrence County's income is 1.2 times (15%) richer than Kusilvak Census Area's.
Alaska vs Illinois Taxes
State income tax: Alaska has no state income tax, while Illinois has a top income tax rate of 4.95%. Illinois's top rate is 4.95 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Alaska: 1.06% effective rate vs Illinois: 1.92% of home value per year. Illinois's rate is 0.86 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Alaska: 1.82% combined state and average local rate vs Illinois: 8.98%. Illinois's combined rate is 7.16 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Alaska official website · Illinois official website
More Size Comparisons
All Alaska size comparisons · All Illinois 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.