The map above shows Alaska and Tennessee side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Alaska vs Tennessee Geography
Land area: Alaska has a land area of 571,242 square miles (1,479,509 km²), while Tennessee has 41,224 square miles (106,770 km²). Alaska's land area is 13.9 times larger than Tennessee's.
Total area: Alaska: 665,725 square miles (1,724,220 km²) vs Tennessee: 42,130 square miles (109,116 km²), including inland and coastal water. Alaska's total area is 15.8 times larger than Tennessee's.
Length: Alaska is 1,201 miles (1,933 km) long from north to south; Tennessee is 191 miles (308 km). Alaska's north-south length is 6.3 times (529%) longer than Tennessee's.
Width: Alaska spans 1,544 miles (2,485 km) east to west; Tennessee spans 497 miles (800 km). Alaska's east-west width is 3.1 times (211%) wider than Tennessee's.
Highest point: Alaska's highest point is Denali at 20,235 feet (6,168 m); Tennessee's is Clingmans Dome at 6,624 feet (2,019 m). Denali is 13,611 feet higher than Clingmans Dome.
Lowest point: Alaska's lowest point is Pacific Ocean at 0 feet; Tennessee's is Mississippi River at 178 feet. Alaska's lowest point is 178 feet lower.
Alaska vs Tennessee Population and History
Population: Alaska has a population of 740,133 (2024), while Tennessee has 7,227,750 (2024). Tennessee's population is 9.8 times (877%) larger than Alaska's.
Population density: Alaska: 1.3 people per square mile vs Tennessee: 175.3. Tennessee's population density is 134.8 times higher than Alaska's.
Biggest city: Alaska's biggest city is Anchorage with 289,600 people; Tennessee's is Nashville with 704,963. Nashville's population is 2.4 times (143%) larger than Anchorage's.
Largest metro area: Alaska's largest metropolitan area is Anchorage, AK metro area (407,213 people) vs Tennessee's Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area (2,150,553). Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area's population is 5.3 times (428%) larger than Anchorage, AK metro area's.
History: Alaska: Admitted to the Union on January 3, 1959, as the 49th state. Tennessee: Admitted to the Union on June 1, 1796, as the 16th state. In its current form, Tennessee is the older of the two by 163 years.
Alaska vs Tennessee Economy
GDP: Alaska's GDP is $71.6 billion (2024) vs Tennessee's $561.2 billion. Tennessee's economic output is 7.8 times (684%) larger than Alaska's.
GDP per capita: Alaska: $96,695 per person vs Tennessee: $77,645. Alaska's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (25%) higher than Tennessee's.
Average income: Alaska: $76,234 vs Tennessee: $66,504 average income per person (per capita personal income). Alaska's average income is 1.1 times (15%) higher than Tennessee's.
Alaska vs Tennessee Counties
Number of counties: Alaska has 30 counties, while Tennessee has 95. Tennessee's county count is 3.2 times (217%) higher than Alaska's.
Biggest county by area: Alaska's largest county is Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area at 145,769 square miles; Tennessee's is Shelby County at 753 square miles. Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area's land area is 193.6 times larger than Shelby County's.
Smallest county by area: Alaska: Skagway Municipality (443 sq mi) vs Tennessee: Trousdale County (114 sq mi). Skagway Municipality's land area is 3.9 times (287%) larger than Trousdale County's.
Most populous county: Alaska: Anchorage Municipality (289,600 people) vs Tennessee: Shelby County (910,530 people). Shelby County's population is 3.1 times (214%) larger than Anchorage Municipality's.
Least populous county: Alaska: Yakutat City and Borough (690 people) vs Tennessee: Pickett County (5,108 people). Pickett County's population is 7.4 times (640%) larger than Yakutat City and Borough's.
Richest county: Alaska: Bristol Bay Borough ($158,406 per capita income) vs Tennessee: Williamson County ($139,704). Bristol Bay Borough's income is 1.1 times (13%) richer than Williamson County's.
Poorest county: Alaska: Kusilvak Census Area ($37,765 per capita income) vs Tennessee: Lake County ($31,572). Kusilvak Census Area's income is 1.2 times (20%) richer than Lake County's.
Alaska vs Tennessee Taxes
State income tax: Alaska has no state income tax, while Tennessee has no state income tax.
Property tax: Alaska: 1.06% effective rate vs Tennessee: 0.45% of home value per year. Alaska's rate is 0.61 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Alaska: 1.82% combined state and average local rate vs Tennessee: 9.61%. Tennessee's combined rate is 7.79 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Alaska official website · Tennessee official website
More Size Comparisons
All Alaska size comparisons · All Tennessee 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.