The map above shows Colorado and West Virginia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Colorado vs West Virginia Geography
Land area: Colorado has a land area of 103,637 square miles (268,419 km²), while West Virginia has 24,041 square miles (62,266 km²). Colorado's land area is 4.3 times (331%) larger than West Virginia's.
Total area: Colorado: 104,095 square miles (269,605 km²) vs West Virginia: 24,230 square miles (62,755 km²), including inland and coastal water. Colorado's total area is 4.3 times (330%) larger than West Virginia's.
Length: Colorado is 467 miles (751 km) long from north to south; West Virginia is 245 miles (394 km). Colorado's north-south length is 1.9 times (91%) longer than West Virginia's.
Width: Colorado spans 387 miles (622 km) east to west; West Virginia spans 276 miles (444 km). Colorado's east-west width is 1.4 times (40%) wider than West Virginia's.
Highest point: Colorado's highest point is Mount Elbert at 14,422 feet (4,396 m); West Virginia's is Spruce Knob at 4,863 feet (1,482 m). Mount Elbert is 9,559 feet higher than Spruce Knob.
Lowest point: Colorado's lowest point is Arikaree River at 3,326 feet; West Virginia's is Potomac River at 240 feet. West Virginia's lowest point is 3,086 feet lower.
Colorado vs West Virginia Population and History
Population: Colorado has a population of 5,957,493 (2024), while West Virginia has 1,769,979 (2024). Colorado's population is 3.4 times (237%) larger than West Virginia's.
Population density: Colorado: 57.5 people per square mile vs West Virginia: 73.6. West Virginia's population density is 1.3 times (28%) higher than Colorado's.
Biggest city: Colorado's biggest city is Denver with 729,019 people; West Virginia's is Charleston with 46,482. Denver's population is 15.7 times larger than Charleston's.
Largest metro area: Colorado's largest metropolitan area is Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area (3,052,498 people) vs West 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 2.1 times (111%) larger than Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area's.
History: Colorado: Admitted to the Union on August 1, 1876, as the 38th state. West Virginia: Admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863, as the 35th state. In its current form, West Virginia is the older of the two by 13 years.
Colorado vs West Virginia Economy
GDP: Colorado's GDP is $557.6 billion (2024) vs West Virginia's $106.5 billion. Colorado's economic output is 5.2 times (424%) larger than West Virginia's.
GDP per capita: Colorado: $93,602 per person vs West Virginia: $60,156. Colorado's GDP per capita is 1.6 times (56%) higher than West Virginia's.
Average income: Colorado: $83,055 vs West Virginia: $55,351 average income per person (per capita personal income). Colorado's average income is 1.5 times (50%) higher than West Virginia's.
Colorado vs West Virginia Counties
Number of counties: Colorado has 64 counties, while West Virginia has 55. Colorado's county count is 1.2 times (16%) higher than West Virginia's.
Biggest county by area: Colorado's largest county is Las Animas County at 4,773 square miles; West Virginia's is Randolph County at 1,040 square miles. Las Animas County's land area is 4.6 times (359%) larger than Randolph County's.
Smallest county by area: Colorado: Broomfield County (33 sq mi) vs West Virginia: Hancock County (83 sq mi). Hancock County's land area is 2.5 times (150%) larger than Broomfield County's.
Most populous county: Colorado: El Paso County (752,772 people) vs West Virginia: Kanawha County (173,906 people). El Paso County's population is 4.3 times (333%) larger than Kanawha County's.
Least populous county: Colorado: Hinsdale County (747 people) vs West Virginia: Wirt County (4,924 people). Wirt County's population is 6.6 times (559%) larger than Hinsdale County's.
Richest county: Colorado: Pitkin County ($275,044 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Jefferson County ($70,542). Pitkin County's income is 3.9 times (290%) richer than Jefferson County's.
Poorest county: Colorado: Crowley County ($27,232 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Webster County ($35,039). Webster County's income is 1.3 times (29%) richer than Crowley County's.
Colorado vs West Virginia Taxes
State income tax: Colorado has a top income tax rate of 4.4%, while West Virginia has a top income tax rate of 4.82%. West Virginia's top rate is 0.42 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Colorado: 0.49% effective rate vs West Virginia: 0.52% of home value per year. West Virginia's rate is 0.03 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Colorado: 7.89% combined state and average local rate vs West Virginia: 6.6%. Colorado's combined rate is 1.29 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Colorado official website · West Virginia official website
More Size Comparisons
All Colorado size comparisons · All West 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.