The map above shows Illinois and Tennessee side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Illinois vs Tennessee Geography
Land area: Illinois has a land area of 55,513 square miles (143,778 km²), while Tennessee has 41,224 square miles (106,770 km²). Illinois' land area is 1.3 times (35%) larger than Tennessee's.
Total area: Illinois: 57,913 square miles (149,995 km²) vs Tennessee: 42,130 square miles (109,116 km²), including inland and coastal water. Illinois' total area is 1.4 times (37%) larger than Tennessee's.
Length: Illinois is 390 miles (628 km) long from north to south; Tennessee is 191 miles (308 km). Illinois' north-south length is 2.0 times (104%) longer than Tennessee's.
Width: Illinois spans 283 miles (456 km) east to west; Tennessee spans 497 miles (800 km). Tennessee's east-west width is 1.8 times (76%) wider than Illinois'.
Highest point: Illinois's highest point is Charles Mound at 1,232 feet (376 m); Tennessee's is Clingmans Dome at 6,624 feet (2,019 m). Clingmans Dome is 5,392 feet higher than Charles Mound.
Lowest point: Illinois's lowest point is Mississippi River at 292 feet; Tennessee's is Mississippi River at 178 feet. Tennessee's lowest point is 114 feet lower.
Illinois vs Tennessee Population and History
Population: Illinois has a population of 12,710,158 (2024), while Tennessee has 7,227,750 (2024). Illinois' population is 1.8 times (76%) larger than Tennessee's.
Population density: Illinois: 229.0 people per square mile vs Tennessee: 175.3. Illinois' population density is 1.3 times (31%) higher than Tennessee's.
Biggest city: Illinois's biggest city is Chicago with 2,721,308 people; Tennessee's is Nashville with 704,963. Chicago's population is 3.9 times (286%) larger than Nashville's.
Largest metro area: Illinois's largest metropolitan area is Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (9,408,576 people) vs Tennessee's Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area (2,150,553). Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area's population is 4.4 times (337%) larger than Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area's.
History: Illinois: Admitted to the Union on December 3, 1818, as the 21st 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 22 years.
Illinois vs Tennessee Economy
GDP: Illinois's GDP is $1,148.1 billion (2024) vs Tennessee's $561.2 billion. Illinois' economic output is 2.0 times (105%) larger than Tennessee's.
GDP per capita: Illinois: $90,330 per person vs Tennessee: $77,645. Illinois' GDP per capita is 1.2 times (16%) higher than Tennessee's.
Average income: Illinois: $74,522 vs Tennessee: $66,504 average income per person (per capita personal income). Illinois' average income is 1.1 times (12%) higher than Tennessee's.
Illinois vs Tennessee Counties
Number of counties: Illinois has 102 counties, while Tennessee has 95. Illinois' county count is 1.1 times (7%) higher than Tennessee's.
Biggest county by area: Illinois's largest county is McLean County at 1,183 square miles; Tennessee's is Shelby County at 753 square miles. McLean County's land area is 1.6 times (57%) larger than Shelby County's.
Smallest county by area: Illinois: Putnam County (160 sq mi) vs Tennessee: Trousdale County (114 sq mi). Putnam County's land area is 1.4 times (40%) larger than Trousdale County's.
Most populous county: Illinois: Cook County (5,182,617 people) vs Tennessee: Shelby County (910,530 people). Cook County's population is 5.7 times (469%) larger than Shelby County's.
Least populous county: Illinois: Hardin County (3,550 people) vs Tennessee: Pickett County (5,108 people). Pickett County's population is 1.4 times (44%) larger than Hardin County's.
Richest county: Illinois: Cumberland County ($104,890 per capita income) vs Tennessee: Williamson County ($139,704). Williamson County's income is 1.3 times (33%) richer than Cumberland County's.
Poorest county: Illinois: Lawrence County ($43,606 per capita income) vs Tennessee: Lake County ($31,572). Lawrence County's income is 1.4 times (38%) richer than Lake County's.
Illinois vs Tennessee Taxes
State income tax: Illinois has a top income tax rate of 4.95%, while Tennessee has no state income tax. Illinois's top rate is 4.95 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Illinois: 1.92% effective rate vs Tennessee: 0.45% of home value per year. Illinois's rate is 1.47 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Illinois: 8.98% combined state and average local rate vs Tennessee: 9.61%. Tennessee's combined rate is 0.63 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Illinois official website · Tennessee official website
More Size Comparisons
All Illinois 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.