The map above shows Alaska and Virginia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Alaska vs Virginia Geography
Land area: Alaska has a land area of 571,242 square miles (1,479,509 km²), while Virginia has 39,481 square miles (102,256 km²). Alaska's land area is 14.5 times larger than Virginia's.
Total area: Alaska: 665,725 square miles (1,724,220 km²) vs Virginia: 42,775 square miles (110,786 km²), including inland and coastal water. Alaska's total area is 15.6 times larger than Virginia's.
Length: Alaska is 1,201 miles (1,933 km) long from north to south; Virginia is 223 miles (359 km). Alaska's north-south length is 5.4 times (439%) longer than Virginia's.
Width: Alaska spans 1,544 miles (2,485 km) east to west; Virginia spans 466 miles (750 km). Alaska's east-west width is 3.3 times (231%) wider than Virginia's.
Highest point: Alaska's highest point is Denali at 20,235 feet (6,168 m); Virginia's is Mount Rogers at 5,729 feet (1,746 m). Denali is 14,506 feet higher than Mount Rogers.
Lowest point: Alaska's lowest point is Pacific Ocean at 0 feet; Virginia's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. Both lowest points are at or near sea level.
Alaska vs Virginia Population and History
Population: Alaska has a population of 740,133 (2024), while Virginia has 8,811,195 (2024). Virginia's population is 11.9 times larger than Alaska's.
Population density: Alaska: 1.3 people per square mile vs Virginia: 223.2. Virginia's population density is 171.7 times higher than Alaska's.
Biggest city: Alaska's biggest city is Anchorage with 289,600 people; Virginia's is Virginia Beach with 454,808. Virginia Beach's population is 1.6 times (57%) larger than Anchorage's.
Largest metro area: Alaska's largest metropolitan area is Anchorage, AK metro area (407,213 people) vs Virginia's Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area (6,436,489). Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area's population is 15.8 times larger than Anchorage, AK metro area's.
History: Alaska: Admitted to the Union on January 3, 1959, as the 49th state. Virginia: Admitted to the Union on June 25, 1788, as the 10th state. In its current form, Virginia is the older of the two by 171 years.
Alaska vs Virginia Economy
GDP: Alaska's GDP is $71.6 billion (2024) vs Virginia's $761.7 billion. Virginia's economic output is 10.6 times larger than Alaska's.
GDP per capita: Alaska: $96,695 per person vs Virginia: $86,451. Alaska's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (12%) higher than Virginia's.
Average income: Alaska: $76,234 vs Virginia: $77,351 average income per person (per capita personal income). Alaska and Virginia have about the same average income.
Alaska vs Virginia Counties
Number of counties: Alaska has 30 counties, while Virginia has 133. Virginia's county count is 4.4 times (343%) higher than Alaska's.
Biggest county by area: Alaska's largest county is Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area at 145,769 square miles; Virginia's is Pittsylvania County at 969 square miles. Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area's land area is 150.4 times larger than Pittsylvania County's.
Smallest county by area: Alaska: Skagway Municipality (443 sq mi) vs Virginia: Falls Church city (2 sq mi). Skagway Municipality's land area is 221.5 times larger than Falls Church city's.
Most populous county: Alaska: Anchorage Municipality (289,600 people) vs Virginia: Fairfax County (1,160,925 people). Fairfax County's population is 4.0 times (301%) larger than Anchorage Municipality's.
Least populous county: Alaska: Yakutat City and Borough (690 people) vs Virginia: Highland County (2,348 people). Highland County's population is 3.4 times (240%) larger than Yakutat City and Borough's.
Richest county: Alaska: Bristol Bay Borough ($158,406 per capita income) vs Virginia: Arlington County ($131,624). Bristol Bay Borough's income is 1.2 times (20%) richer than Arlington County's.
Poorest county: Alaska: Kusilvak Census Area ($37,765 per capita income) vs Virginia: Sussex County ($41,032). Sussex County's income is 1.1 times (9%) richer than Kusilvak Census Area's.
Alaska vs Virginia Taxes
State income tax: Alaska has no state income tax, while Virginia has a top income tax rate of 5.75%. Virginia's top rate is 5.75 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Alaska: 1.06% effective rate vs Virginia: 0.71% of home value per year. Alaska's rate is 0.35 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Alaska: 1.82% combined state and average local rate vs Virginia: 5.77%. Virginia's combined rate is 3.95 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Alaska official website · Virginia official website
More Size Comparisons
All Alaska size comparisons · All Virginia 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.