The map above shows Alaska and Iowa side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Alaska vs Iowa Geography
Land area: Alaska has a land area of 571,242 square miles (1,479,509 km²), while Iowa has 55,854 square miles (144,660 km²). Alaska's land area is 10.2 times larger than Iowa's.
Total area: Alaska: 665,725 square miles (1,724,220 km²) vs Iowa: 56,273 square miles (145,746 km²), including inland and coastal water. Alaska's total area is 11.8 times larger than Iowa's.
Length: Alaska is 1,201 miles (1,933 km) long from north to south; Iowa is 216 miles (347 km). Alaska's north-south length is 5.6 times (456%) longer than Iowa's.
Width: Alaska spans 1,544 miles (2,485 km) east to west; Iowa spans 335 miles (539 km). Alaska's east-west width is 4.6 times (361%) wider than Iowa's.
Highest point: Alaska's highest point is Denali at 20,235 feet (6,168 m); Iowa's is Hawkeye Point at 1,669 feet (509 m). Denali is 18,566 feet higher than Hawkeye Point.
Lowest point: Alaska's lowest point is Pacific Ocean at 0 feet; Iowa's is Mississippi River at 480 feet. Alaska's lowest point is 480 feet lower.
Alaska vs Iowa Population and History
Population: Alaska has a population of 740,133 (2024), while Iowa has 3,241,488 (2024). Iowa's population is 4.4 times (338%) larger than Alaska's.
Population density: Alaska: 1.3 people per square mile vs Iowa: 58.0. Iowa's population density is 44.6 times higher than Alaska's.
Biggest city: Alaska's biggest city is Anchorage with 289,600 people; Iowa's is Des Moines with 213,096. Anchorage's population is 1.4 times (36%) larger than Des Moines'.
Largest metro area: Alaska's largest metropolitan area is Anchorage, AK metro area (407,213 people) vs Iowa's Omaha, NE-IA metro area (1,001,010). Omaha, NE-IA metro area's population is 2.5 times (146%) larger than Anchorage, AK metro area's.
History: Alaska: Admitted to the Union on January 3, 1959, as the 49th state. Iowa: Admitted to the Union on December 28, 1846, as the 29th state. In its current form, Iowa is the older of the two by 113 years.
Alaska vs Iowa Economy
GDP: Alaska's GDP is $71.6 billion (2024) vs Iowa's $265.8 billion. Iowa's economic output is 3.7 times (271%) larger than Alaska's.
GDP per capita: Alaska: $96,695 per person vs Iowa: $81,998. Alaska's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (18%) higher than Iowa's.
Average income: Alaska: $76,234 vs Iowa: $65,225 average income per person (per capita personal income). Alaska's average income is 1.2 times (17%) higher than Iowa's.
Alaska vs Iowa Counties
Number of counties: Alaska has 30 counties, while Iowa has 99. Iowa's county count is 3.3 times (230%) higher than Alaska's.
Biggest county by area: Alaska's largest county is Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area at 145,769 square miles; Iowa's is Kossuth County at 973 square miles. Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area's land area is 149.9 times larger than Kossuth County's.
Smallest county by area: Alaska: Skagway Municipality (443 sq mi) vs Iowa: Dickinson County (381 sq mi). Skagway Municipality's land area is 1.2 times (16%) larger than Dickinson County's.
Most populous county: Alaska: Anchorage Municipality (289,600 people) vs Iowa: Polk County (516,185 people). Polk County's population is 1.8 times (78%) larger than Anchorage Municipality's.
Least populous county: Alaska: Yakutat City and Borough (690 people) vs Iowa: Adams County (3,606 people). Adams County's population is 5.2 times (423%) larger than Yakutat City and Borough's.
Richest county: Alaska: Bristol Bay Borough ($158,406 per capita income) vs Iowa: Mitchell County ($98,211). Bristol Bay Borough's income is 1.6 times (61%) richer than Mitchell County's.
Poorest county: Alaska: Kusilvak Census Area ($37,765 per capita income) vs Iowa: Decatur County ($46,134). Decatur County's income is 1.2 times (22%) richer than Kusilvak Census Area's.
Alaska vs Iowa Taxes
State income tax: Alaska has no state income tax, while Iowa has a top income tax rate of 3.8%. Iowa's top rate is 3.8 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Alaska: 1.06% effective rate vs Iowa: 1.29% of home value per year. Iowa's rate is 0.23 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Alaska: 1.82% combined state and average local rate vs Iowa: 6.94%. Iowa's combined rate is 5.12 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Alaska official website · Iowa official website
More Size Comparisons
All Alaska size comparisons · All Iowa 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.