The map above shows Alaska and North Dakota side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Alaska vs North Dakota Geography
Land area: Alaska has a land area of 571,242 square miles (1,479,509 km²), while North Dakota has 68,994 square miles (178,694 km²). Alaska's land area is 8.3 times (728%) larger than North Dakota's.
Total area: Alaska: 665,725 square miles (1,724,220 km²) vs North Dakota: 70,699 square miles (183,109 km²), including inland and coastal water. Alaska's total area is 9.4 times (842%) larger than North Dakota's.
Length: Alaska is 1,201 miles (1,933 km) long from north to south; North Dakota is 338 miles (544 km). Alaska's north-south length is 3.6 times (255%) longer than North Dakota's.
Width: Alaska spans 1,544 miles (2,485 km) east to west; North Dakota spans 408 miles (657 km). Alaska's east-west width is 3.8 times (278%) wider than North Dakota's.
Highest point: Alaska's highest point is Denali at 20,235 feet (6,168 m); North Dakota's is White Butte at 3,500 feet (1,067 m). Denali is 16,735 feet higher than White Butte.
Lowest point: Alaska's lowest point is Pacific Ocean at 0 feet; North Dakota's is Red River of the North at 754 feet. Alaska's lowest point is 754 feet lower.
Alaska vs North Dakota Population and History
Population: Alaska has a population of 740,133 (2024), while North Dakota has 796,568 (2024). North Dakota's population is 1.1 times (8%) larger than Alaska's.
Population density: Alaska: 1.3 people per square mile vs North Dakota: 11.5. North Dakota's population density is 8.8 times (785%) higher than Alaska's.
Biggest city: Alaska's biggest city is Anchorage with 289,600 people; North Dakota's is Fargo with 136,285. Anchorage's population is 2.1 times (112%) larger than Fargo's.
Largest metro area: Alaska's largest metropolitan area is Anchorage, AK metro area (407,213 people) vs North Dakota's Fargo, ND-MN metro area (267,793). Anchorage, AK metro area's population is 1.5 times (52%) larger than Fargo, ND-MN metro area's.
History: Alaska: Admitted to the Union on January 3, 1959, as the 49th state. North Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 39th state. In its current form, North Dakota is the older of the two by 70 years.
Alaska vs North Dakota Economy
GDP: Alaska's GDP is $71.6 billion (2024) vs North Dakota's $80.1 billion. North Dakota's economic output is 1.1 times (12%) larger than Alaska's.
GDP per capita: Alaska: $96,695 per person vs North Dakota: $100,504. Alaska and North Dakota have about the same GDP per capita.
Average income: Alaska: $76,234 vs North Dakota: $71,749 average income per person (per capita personal income). Alaska's average income is 1.1 times (6%) higher than North Dakota's.
Alaska vs North Dakota Counties
Number of counties: Alaska has 30 counties, while North Dakota has 53. North Dakota's county count is 1.8 times (77%) higher than Alaska's.
Biggest county by area: Alaska's largest county is Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area at 145,769 square miles; North Dakota's is McKenzie County at 2,760 square miles. Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area's land area is 52.8 times larger than McKenzie County's.
Smallest county by area: Alaska: Skagway Municipality (443 sq mi) vs North Dakota: Eddy County (630 sq mi). Eddy County's land area is 1.4 times (42%) larger than Skagway Municipality's.
Most populous county: Alaska: Anchorage Municipality (289,600 people) vs North Dakota: Cass County (200,945 people). Anchorage Municipality's population is 1.4 times (44%) larger than Cass County's.
Least populous county: Alaska: Yakutat City and Borough (690 people) vs North Dakota: Slope County (660 people). Yakutat City and Borough and Slope County have about the same population.
Richest county: Alaska: Bristol Bay Borough ($158,406 per capita income) vs North Dakota: Dunn County ($99,793). Bristol Bay Borough's income is 1.6 times (59%) richer than Dunn County's.
Poorest county: Alaska: Kusilvak Census Area ($37,765 per capita income) vs North Dakota: Sioux County ($33,782). Kusilvak Census Area's income is 1.1 times (12%) richer than Sioux County's.
Alaska vs North Dakota Taxes
State income tax: Alaska has no state income tax, while North Dakota has a top income tax rate of 2.5%. North Dakota's top rate is 2.5 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Alaska: 1.06% effective rate vs North Dakota: 0.96% of home value per year. Alaska's rate is 0.1 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Alaska: 1.82% combined state and average local rate vs North Dakota: 7.09%. North Dakota's combined rate is 5.27 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Alaska official website · North Dakota official website
More Size Comparisons
All Alaska size comparisons · All North Dakota 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.