The map above shows Indiana and West Virginia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Indiana vs West Virginia Geography
Land area: Indiana has a land area of 35,825 square miles (92,787 km²), while West Virginia has 24,041 square miles (62,266 km²). Indiana's land area is 1.5 times (49%) larger than West Virginia's.
Total area: Indiana: 36,421 square miles (94,331 km²) vs West Virginia: 24,230 square miles (62,755 km²), including inland and coastal water. Indiana's total area is 1.5 times (50%) larger than West Virginia's.
Length: Indiana is 276 miles (444 km) long from north to south; West Virginia is 245 miles (394 km). Indiana's north-south length is 1.1 times (13%) longer than West Virginia's.
Width: Indiana spans 193 miles (310 km) east to west; West Virginia spans 276 miles (444 km). West Virginia's east-west width is 1.4 times (43%) wider than Indiana's.
Highest point: Indiana's highest point is Hoosier Hill at 1,255 feet (383 m); West Virginia's is Spruce Knob at 4,863 feet (1,482 m). Spruce Knob is 3,608 feet higher than Hoosier Hill.
Lowest point: Indiana's lowest point is Ohio River at 330 feet; West Virginia's is Potomac River at 240 feet. West Virginia's lowest point is 90 feet lower.
Indiana vs West Virginia Population and History
Population: Indiana has a population of 6,924,275 (2024), while West Virginia has 1,769,979 (2024). Indiana's population is 3.9 times (291%) larger than West Virginia's.
Population density: Indiana: 193.3 people per square mile vs West Virginia: 73.6. Indiana's population density is 2.6 times (163%) higher than West Virginia's.
Biggest city: Indiana's biggest city is Indianapolis with 891,484 people; West Virginia's is Charleston with 46,482. Indianapolis' population is 19.2 times larger than Charleston's.
Largest metro area: Indiana's largest metropolitan area is Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (9,408,576 people) vs West Virginia's Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area (6,436,489). Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area's population is 1.5 times (46%) larger than Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area's.
History: Indiana: Admitted to the Union on December 11, 1816, as the 19th state. West Virginia: Admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863, as the 35th state. In its current form, Indiana is the older of the two by 47 years.
Indiana vs West Virginia Economy
GDP: Indiana's GDP is $519.5 billion (2024) vs West Virginia's $106.5 billion. Indiana's economic output is 4.9 times (388%) larger than West Virginia's.
GDP per capita: Indiana: $75,028 per person vs West Virginia: $60,156. Indiana's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (25%) higher than West Virginia's.
Average income: Indiana: $64,077 vs West Virginia: $55,351 average income per person (per capita personal income). Indiana's average income is 1.2 times (16%) higher than West Virginia's.
Indiana vs West Virginia Counties
Number of counties: Indiana has 92 counties, while West Virginia has 55. Indiana's county count is 1.7 times (67%) higher than West Virginia's.
Biggest county by area: Indiana's largest county is Allen County at 657 square miles; West Virginia's is Randolph County at 1,040 square miles. Randolph County's land area is 1.6 times (58%) larger than Allen County's.
Smallest county by area: Indiana: Ohio County (86 sq mi) vs West Virginia: Hancock County (83 sq mi). Ohio County and Hancock County have about the same land area.
Most populous county: Indiana: Marion County (981,628 people) vs West Virginia: Kanawha County (173,906 people). Marion County's population is 5.6 times (464%) larger than Kanawha County's.
Least populous county: Indiana: Ohio County (5,996 people) vs West Virginia: Wirt County (4,924 people). Ohio County's population is 1.2 times (22%) larger than Wirt County's.
Richest county: Indiana: Hamilton County ($104,283 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Jefferson County ($70,542). Hamilton County's income is 1.5 times (48%) richer than Jefferson County's.
Poorest county: Indiana: Miami County ($44,940 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Webster County ($35,039). Miami County's income is 1.3 times (28%) richer than Webster County's.
Indiana vs West Virginia Taxes
State income tax: Indiana has a top income tax rate of 2.95%, while West Virginia has a top income tax rate of 4.82%. West Virginia's top rate is 1.87 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Indiana: 0.74% effective rate vs West Virginia: 0.52% of home value per year. Indiana's rate is 0.22 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Indiana: 7% combined state and average local rate vs West Virginia: 6.6%. Indiana's combined rate is 0.4 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Indiana official website · West Virginia official website
More Size Comparisons
All Indiana 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.