The map above shows Alaska and Pennsylvania side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Alaska vs Pennsylvania Geography
Land area: Alaska has a land area of 571,242 square miles (1,479,509 km²), while Pennsylvania has 44,742 square miles (115,882 km²). Alaska's land area is 12.8 times larger than Pennsylvania's.
Total area: Alaska: 665,725 square miles (1,724,220 km²) vs Pennsylvania: 46,054 square miles (119,279 km²), including inland and coastal water. Alaska's total area is 14.5 times larger than Pennsylvania's.
Length: Alaska is 1,201 miles (1,933 km) long from north to south; Pennsylvania is 284 miles (458 km). Alaska's north-south length is 4.2 times (323%) longer than Pennsylvania's.
Width: Alaska spans 1,544 miles (2,485 km) east to west; Pennsylvania spans 307 miles (495 km). Alaska's east-west width is 5.0 times (403%) wider than Pennsylvania's.
Highest point: Alaska's highest point is Denali at 20,235 feet (6,168 m); Pennsylvania's is Mount Davis at 3,210 feet (978 m). Denali is 17,025 feet higher than Mount Davis.
Lowest point: Alaska's lowest point is Pacific Ocean at 0 feet; Pennsylvania's is Delaware River at 0 feet. Both lowest points are at or near sea level.
Alaska vs Pennsylvania Population and History
Population: Alaska has a population of 740,133 (2024), while Pennsylvania has 13,078,751 (2024). Pennsylvania's population is 17.7 times larger than Alaska's.
Population density: Alaska: 1.3 people per square mile vs Pennsylvania: 292.3. Pennsylvania's population density is 224.8 times higher than Alaska's.
Biggest city: Alaska's biggest city is Anchorage with 289,600 people; Pennsylvania's is Philadelphia with 1,573,916. Philadelphia's population is 5.4 times (443%) larger than Anchorage's.
Largest metro area: Alaska's largest metropolitan area is Anchorage, AK metro area (407,213 people) vs Pennsylvania's Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area (6,330,422). Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area's population is 15.5 times larger than Anchorage, AK metro area's.
History: Alaska: Admitted to the Union on January 3, 1959, as the 49th state. Pennsylvania: Admitted to the Union on December 12, 1787, as the 2nd state. In its current form, Pennsylvania is the older of the two by 172 years.
Alaska vs Pennsylvania Economy
GDP: Alaska's GDP is $71.6 billion (2024) vs Pennsylvania's $1,007.9 billion. Pennsylvania's economic output is 14.1 times larger than Alaska's.
GDP per capita: Alaska: $96,695 per person vs Pennsylvania: $77,062. Alaska's GDP per capita is 1.3 times (25%) higher than Pennsylvania's.
Average income: Alaska: $76,234 vs Pennsylvania: $70,678 average income per person (per capita personal income). Alaska's average income is 1.1 times (8%) higher than Pennsylvania's.
Alaska vs Pennsylvania Counties
Number of counties: Alaska has 30 counties, while Pennsylvania has 67. Pennsylvania's county count is 2.2 times (123%) higher than Alaska's.
Biggest county by area: Alaska's largest county is Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area at 145,769 square miles; Pennsylvania's is Lycoming County at 1,229 square miles. Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area's land area is 118.6 times larger than Lycoming County's.
Smallest county by area: Alaska: Skagway Municipality (443 sq mi) vs Pennsylvania: Montour County (130 sq mi). Skagway Municipality's land area is 3.4 times (240%) larger than Montour County's.
Most populous county: Alaska: Anchorage Municipality (289,600 people) vs Pennsylvania: Philadelphia County (1,573,916 people). Philadelphia County's population is 5.4 times (443%) larger than Anchorage Municipality's.
Least populous county: Alaska: Yakutat City and Borough (690 people) vs Pennsylvania: Cameron County (4,348 people). Cameron County's population is 6.3 times (530%) larger than Yakutat City and Borough's.
Richest county: Alaska: Bristol Bay Borough ($158,406 per capita income) vs Pennsylvania: Chester County ($110,883). Bristol Bay Borough's income is 1.4 times (43%) richer than Chester County's.
Poorest county: Alaska: Kusilvak Census Area ($37,765 per capita income) vs Pennsylvania: Forest County ($30,234). Kusilvak Census Area's income is 1.2 times (25%) richer than Forest County's.
Alaska vs Pennsylvania Taxes
State income tax: Alaska has no state income tax, while Pennsylvania has a top income tax rate of 3.07%. Pennsylvania's top rate is 3.07 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Alaska: 1.06% effective rate vs Pennsylvania: 1.16% of home value per year. Pennsylvania's rate is 0.1 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Alaska: 1.82% combined state and average local rate vs Pennsylvania: 6.34%. Pennsylvania's combined rate is 4.52 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Alaska official website · Pennsylvania official website
More Size Comparisons
All Alaska size comparisons · All Pennsylvania 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.