The map above shows Idaho and West Virginia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Idaho vs West Virginia Geography
Land area: Idaho has a land area of 82,645 square miles (214,051 km²), while West Virginia has 24,041 square miles (62,266 km²). Idaho's land area is 3.4 times (244%) larger than West Virginia's.
Total area: Idaho: 83,569 square miles (216,441 km²) vs West Virginia: 24,230 square miles (62,755 km²), including inland and coastal water. Idaho's total area is 3.4 times (245%) larger than West Virginia's.
Length: Idaho is 483 miles (778 km) long from north to south; West Virginia is 245 miles (394 km). Idaho's north-south length is 2.0 times (97%) longer than West Virginia's.
Width: Idaho spans 352 miles (566 km) east to west; West Virginia spans 276 miles (444 km). Idaho's east-west width is 1.3 times (28%) wider than West Virginia's.
Highest point: Idaho's highest point is Borah Peak at 12,631 feet (3,850 m); West Virginia's is Spruce Knob at 4,863 feet (1,482 m). Borah Peak is 7,768 feet higher than Spruce Knob.
Lowest point: Idaho's lowest point is Snake River at 718 feet; West Virginia's is Potomac River at 240 feet. West Virginia's lowest point is 478 feet lower.
Idaho vs West Virginia Population and History
Population: Idaho has a population of 2,001,619 (2024), while West Virginia has 1,769,979 (2024). Idaho's population is 1.1 times (13%) larger than West Virginia's.
Population density: Idaho: 24.2 people per square mile vs West Virginia: 73.6. West Virginia's population density is 3.0 times (204%) higher than Idaho's.
Biggest city: Idaho's biggest city is Boise with 237,963 people; West Virginia's is Charleston with 46,482. Boise's population is 5.1 times (412%) larger than Charleston's.
Largest metro area: Idaho's largest metropolitan area is Boise City, ID metro area (845,877 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 7.6 times (661%) larger than Boise City, ID metro area's.
History: Idaho: Admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd 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 27 years.
Idaho vs West Virginia Economy
GDP: Idaho's GDP is $129.0 billion (2024) vs West Virginia's $106.5 billion. Idaho's economic output is 1.2 times (21%) larger than West Virginia's.
GDP per capita: Idaho: $64,457 per person vs West Virginia: $60,156. Idaho's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (7%) higher than West Virginia's.
Average income: Idaho: $62,323 vs West Virginia: $55,351 average income per person (per capita personal income). Idaho's average income is 1.1 times (13%) higher than West Virginia's.
Idaho vs West Virginia Counties
Number of counties: Idaho has 44 counties, while West Virginia has 55. West Virginia's county count is 1.3 times (25%) higher than Idaho's.
Biggest county by area: Idaho's largest county is Idaho County at 8,478 square miles; West Virginia's is Randolph County at 1,040 square miles. Idaho County's land area is 8.2 times (715%) larger than Randolph County's.
Smallest county by area: Idaho: Payette County (407 sq mi) vs West Virginia: Hancock County (83 sq mi). Payette County's land area is 4.9 times (393%) larger than Hancock County's.
Most populous county: Idaho: Ada County (535,799 people) vs West Virginia: Kanawha County (173,906 people). Ada County's population is 3.1 times (208%) larger than Kanawha County's.
Least populous county: Idaho: Clark County (794 people) vs West Virginia: Wirt County (4,924 people). Wirt County's population is 6.2 times (520%) larger than Clark County's.
Richest county: Idaho: Blaine County ($202,612 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Jefferson County ($70,542). Blaine County's income is 2.9 times (187%) richer than Jefferson County's.
Poorest county: Idaho: Madison County ($29,485 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Webster County ($35,039). Webster County's income is 1.2 times (19%) richer than Madison County's.
Idaho vs West Virginia Taxes
State income tax: Idaho has a top income tax rate of 5.3%, while West Virginia has a top income tax rate of 4.82%. Idaho's top rate is 0.48 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Idaho: 0.43% effective rate vs West Virginia: 0.52% of home value per year. West Virginia's rate is 0.09 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Idaho: 6.03% combined state and average local rate vs West Virginia: 6.6%. West Virginia's combined rate is 0.57 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Idaho official website · West Virginia official website
More Size Comparisons
All Idaho 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.