The map above shows Arkansas and Louisiana side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Arkansas vs Louisiana Geography
Land area: Arkansas has a land area of 51,992 square miles (134,658 km²), while Louisiana has 43,213 square miles (111,921 km²). Arkansas' land area is 1.2 times (20%) larger than Louisiana's.
Total area: Arkansas: 53,198 square miles (137,781 km²) vs Louisiana: 52,375 square miles (135,652 km²), including inland and coastal water. Arkansas and Louisiana have about the same total area.
Length: Arkansas is 243 miles (392 km) long from north to south; Louisiana is 301 miles (484 km). Louisiana's north-south length is 1.2 times (24%) longer than Arkansas'.
Width: Arkansas spans 279 miles (449 km) east to west; Louisiana spans 356 miles (574 km). Louisiana's east-west width is 1.3 times (28%) wider than Arkansas'.
Highest point: Arkansas's highest point is Mount Magazine at 2,752 feet (839 m); Louisiana's is Driskill Mountain at 533 feet (162 m). Mount Magazine is 2,219 feet higher than Driskill Mountain.
Lowest point: Arkansas's lowest point is Ouachita River at 55 feet; Louisiana's is New Orleans at -8 feet. Louisiana's lowest point is 63 feet lower.
Arkansas vs Louisiana Population and History
Population: Arkansas has a population of 3,088,354 (2024), while Louisiana has 4,597,740 (2024). Louisiana's population is 1.5 times (49%) larger than Arkansas'.
Population density: Arkansas: 59.4 people per square mile vs Louisiana: 106.4. Louisiana's population density is 1.8 times (79%) higher than Arkansas'.
Biggest city: Arkansas's biggest city is Little Rock with 204,774 people; Louisiana's is New Orleans with 362,701. New Orleans' population is 1.8 times (77%) larger than Little Rock's.
Largest metro area: Arkansas's largest metropolitan area is Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area (1,339,345 people) vs Louisiana's New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area (966,230). Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area's population is 1.4 times (39%) larger than New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area's.
History: Arkansas: Admitted to the Union on June 15, 1836, as the 25th state. Louisiana: Admitted to the Union on April 30, 1812, as the 18th state. In its current form, Louisiana is the older of the two by 24 years.
Arkansas vs Louisiana Economy
GDP: Arkansas's GDP is $188.3 billion (2024) vs Louisiana's $329.2 billion. Louisiana's economic output is 1.7 times (75%) larger than Arkansas'.
GDP per capita: Arkansas: $60,984 per person vs Louisiana: $71,594. Louisiana's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (17%) higher than Arkansas'.
Average income: Arkansas: $59,320 vs Louisiana: $61,897 average income per person (per capita personal income). Arkansas and Louisiana have about the same average income.
Arkansas vs Louisiana Counties
Number of counties: Arkansas has 75 counties, while Louisiana has 64. Arkansas' county count is 1.2 times (17%) higher than Louisiana's.
Biggest county by area: Arkansas's largest county is Union County at 1,039 square miles; Louisiana's is Vernon Parish at 1,327 square miles. Vernon Parish's land area is 1.3 times (28%) larger than Union County's.
Smallest county by area: Arkansas: Lafayette County (530 sq mi) vs Louisiana: Orleans Parish (170 sq mi). Lafayette County's land area is 3.1 times (212%) larger than Orleans Parish's.
Most populous county: Arkansas: Pulaski County (401,209 people) vs Louisiana: East Baton Rouge Parish (453,022 people). East Baton Rouge Parish's population is 1.1 times (13%) larger than Pulaski County's.
Least populous county: Arkansas: Calhoun County (4,690 people) vs Louisiana: Tensas Parish (3,844 people). Calhoun County's population is 1.2 times (22%) larger than Tensas Parish's.
Richest county: Arkansas: Benton County ($120,594 per capita income) vs Louisiana: St. Tammany Parish ($82,398). Benton County's income is 1.5 times (46%) richer than St. Tammany Parish's.
Poorest county: Arkansas: Lincoln County ($36,032 per capita income) vs Louisiana: East Carroll Parish ($36,751). Lincoln County and East Carroll Parish have about the same income.
Arkansas vs Louisiana Taxes
State income tax: Arkansas has a top income tax rate of 3.9%, while Louisiana has a top income tax rate of 3%. Arkansas's top rate is 0.9 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Arkansas: 0.52% effective rate vs Louisiana: 0.53% of home value per year. The two are essentially equal.
Sales tax: Arkansas: 9.48% combined state and average local rate vs Louisiana: 10.13%. Louisiana's combined rate is 0.65 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Arkansas official website · Louisiana official website
More Size Comparisons
All Arkansas size comparisons · All Louisiana 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.