The map above shows Iowa and North Carolina side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Iowa vs North Carolina Geography
Land area: Iowa has a land area of 55,854 square miles (144,660 km²), while North Carolina has 48,624 square miles (125,936 km²). Iowa's land area is 1.1 times (15%) larger than North Carolina's.
Total area: Iowa: 56,273 square miles (145,746 km²) vs North Carolina: 53,819 square miles (139,390 km²), including inland and coastal water. Iowa and North Carolina have about the same total area.
Length: Iowa is 216 miles (347 km) long from north to south; North Carolina is 258 miles (415 km). North Carolina's north-south length is 1.2 times (19%) longer than Iowa's.
Width: Iowa spans 335 miles (539 km) east to west; North Carolina spans 487 miles (784 km). North Carolina's east-west width is 1.5 times (45%) wider than Iowa's.
Highest point: Iowa's highest point is Hawkeye Point at 1,669 feet (509 m); North Carolina's is Mount Mitchell at 6,674 feet (2,034 m). Mount Mitchell is 5,005 feet higher than Hawkeye Point.
Lowest point: Iowa's lowest point is Mississippi River at 480 feet; North Carolina's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. North Carolina's lowest point is 480 feet lower.
Iowa vs North Carolina Population and History
Population: Iowa has a population of 3,241,488 (2024), while North Carolina has 11,046,024 (2024). North Carolina's population is 3.4 times (241%) larger than Iowa's.
Population density: Iowa: 58.0 people per square mile vs North Carolina: 227.2. North Carolina's population density is 3.9 times (292%) higher than Iowa's.
Biggest city: Iowa's biggest city is Des Moines with 213,096 people; North Carolina's is Charlotte with 943,476. Charlotte's population is 4.4 times (343%) larger than Des Moines'.
Largest metro area: Iowa's largest metropolitan area is Omaha, NE-IA metro area (1,001,010 people) vs North Carolina's Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area (2,883,370). Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area's population is 2.9 times (188%) larger than Omaha, NE-IA metro area's.
History: Iowa: Admitted to the Union on December 28, 1846, as the 29th state. North Carolina: Admitted to the Union on November 21, 1789, as the 12th state. In its current form, North Carolina is the older of the two by 57 years.
Iowa vs North Carolina Economy
GDP: Iowa's GDP is $265.8 billion (2024) vs North Carolina's $844.2 billion. North Carolina's economic output is 3.2 times (218%) larger than Iowa's.
GDP per capita: Iowa: $81,998 per person vs North Carolina: $76,427. Iowa's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (7%) higher than North Carolina's.
Average income: Iowa: $65,225 vs North Carolina: $65,634 average income per person (per capita personal income). Iowa and North Carolina have about the same average income.
Iowa vs North Carolina Counties
Number of counties: Iowa has 99 counties, while North Carolina has 100. Iowa and North Carolina have about the same county count.
Biggest county by area: Iowa's largest county is Kossuth County at 973 square miles; North Carolina's is Robeson County at 947 square miles. Kossuth County and Robeson County have about the same land area.
Smallest county by area: Iowa: Dickinson County (381 sq mi) vs North Carolina: Chowan County (173 sq mi). Dickinson County's land area is 2.2 times (120%) larger than Chowan County's.
Most populous county: Iowa: Polk County (516,185 people) vs North Carolina: Wake County (1,232,444 people). Wake County's population is 2.4 times (139%) larger than Polk County's.
Least populous county: Iowa: Adams County (3,606 people) vs North Carolina: Tyrrell County (3,517 people). Adams County and Tyrrell County have about the same population.
Richest county: Iowa: Mitchell County ($98,211 per capita income) vs North Carolina: Chatham County ($91,638). Mitchell County's income is 1.1 times (7%) richer than Chatham County's.
Poorest county: Iowa: Decatur County ($46,134 per capita income) vs North Carolina: Warren County ($40,932). Decatur County's income is 1.1 times (13%) richer than Warren County's.
Iowa vs North Carolina Taxes
State income tax: Iowa has a top income tax rate of 3.8%, while North Carolina has a top income tax rate of 3.99%. North Carolina's top rate is 0.19 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Iowa: 1.29% effective rate vs North Carolina: 0.61% of home value per year. Iowa's rate is 0.68 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Iowa: 6.94% combined state and average local rate vs North Carolina: 7.1%. North Carolina's combined rate is 0.16 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Iowa official website · North Carolina official website
More Size Comparisons
All Iowa size comparisons · All North Carolina 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.