The map above shows Louisiana and North Carolina side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Louisiana vs North Carolina Geography
Land area: Louisiana has a land area of 43,213 square miles (111,921 km²), while North Carolina has 48,624 square miles (125,936 km²). North Carolina's land area is 1.1 times (13%) larger than Louisiana's.
Total area: Louisiana: 52,375 square miles (135,652 km²) vs North Carolina: 53,819 square miles (139,390 km²), including inland and coastal water. Louisiana and North Carolina have about the same total area.
Length: Louisiana is 301 miles (484 km) long from north to south; North Carolina is 258 miles (415 km). Louisiana's north-south length is 1.2 times (17%) longer than North Carolina's.
Width: Louisiana spans 356 miles (574 km) east to west; North Carolina spans 487 miles (784 km). North Carolina's east-west width is 1.4 times (37%) wider than Louisiana's.
Highest point: Louisiana's highest point is Driskill Mountain at 533 feet (162 m); North Carolina's is Mount Mitchell at 6,674 feet (2,034 m). Mount Mitchell is 6,141 feet higher than Driskill Mountain.
Lowest point: Louisiana's lowest point is New Orleans at -8 feet; North Carolina's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. Louisiana's lowest point is 8 feet lower.
Louisiana vs North Carolina Population and History
Population: Louisiana has a population of 4,597,740 (2024), while North Carolina has 11,046,024 (2024). North Carolina's population is 2.4 times (140%) larger than Louisiana's.
Population density: Louisiana: 106.4 people per square mile vs North Carolina: 227.2. North Carolina's population density is 2.1 times (114%) higher than Louisiana's.
Biggest city: Louisiana's biggest city is New Orleans with 362,701 people; North Carolina's is Charlotte with 943,476. Charlotte's population is 2.6 times (160%) larger than New Orleans'.
Largest metro area: Louisiana's largest metropolitan area is New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area (966,230 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 3.0 times (198%) larger than New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area's.
History: Louisiana: Admitted to the Union on April 30, 1812, as the 18th 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 23 years.
Louisiana vs North Carolina Economy
GDP: Louisiana's GDP is $329.2 billion (2024) vs North Carolina's $844.2 billion. North Carolina's economic output is 2.6 times (156%) larger than Louisiana's.
GDP per capita: Louisiana: $71,594 per person vs North Carolina: $76,427. North Carolina's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (7%) higher than Louisiana's.
Average income: Louisiana: $61,897 vs North Carolina: $65,634 average income per person (per capita personal income). North Carolina's average income is 1.1 times (6%) higher than Louisiana's.
Louisiana vs North Carolina Counties
Number of counties: Louisiana has 64 counties, while North Carolina has 100. North Carolina's county count is 1.6 times (56%) higher than Louisiana's.
Biggest county by area: Louisiana's largest county is Vernon Parish at 1,327 square miles; North Carolina's is Robeson County at 947 square miles. Vernon Parish's land area is 1.4 times (40%) larger than Robeson County's.
Smallest county by area: Louisiana: Orleans Parish (170 sq mi) vs North Carolina: Chowan County (173 sq mi). Orleans Parish and Chowan County have about the same land area.
Most populous county: Louisiana: East Baton Rouge Parish (453,022 people) vs North Carolina: Wake County (1,232,444 people). Wake County's population is 2.7 times (172%) larger than East Baton Rouge Parish's.
Least populous county: Louisiana: Tensas Parish (3,844 people) vs North Carolina: Tyrrell County (3,517 people). Tensas Parish's population is 1.1 times (9%) larger than Tyrrell County's.
Richest county: Louisiana: St. Tammany Parish ($82,398 per capita income) vs North Carolina: Chatham County ($91,638). Chatham County's income is 1.1 times (11%) richer than St. Tammany Parish's.
Poorest county: Louisiana: East Carroll Parish ($36,751 per capita income) vs North Carolina: Warren County ($40,932). Warren County's income is 1.1 times (11%) richer than East Carroll Parish's.
Louisiana vs North Carolina Taxes
State income tax: Louisiana has a top income tax rate of 3%, while North Carolina has a top income tax rate of 3.99%. North Carolina's top rate is 0.99 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Louisiana: 0.53% effective rate vs North Carolina: 0.61% of home value per year. North Carolina's rate is 0.08 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Louisiana: 10.13% combined state and average local rate vs North Carolina: 7.1%. Louisiana's combined rate is 3.03 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Louisiana official website · North Carolina official website
More Size Comparisons
All Louisiana 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.