The map above shows Maine and West Virginia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Maine vs West Virginia Geography
Land area: Maine has a land area of 30,845 square miles (79,888 km²), while West Virginia has 24,041 square miles (62,266 km²). Maine's land area is 1.3 times (28%) larger than West Virginia's.
Total area: Maine: 35,380 square miles (91,634 km²) vs West Virginia: 24,230 square miles (62,755 km²), including inland and coastal water. Maine's total area is 1.5 times (46%) larger than West Virginia's.
Length: Maine is 311 miles (501 km) long from north to south; West Virginia is 245 miles (394 km). Maine's north-south length is 1.3 times (27%) longer than West Virginia's.
Width: Maine spans 203 miles (327 km) east to west; West Virginia spans 276 miles (444 km). West Virginia's east-west width is 1.4 times (36%) wider than Maine's.
Highest point: Maine's highest point is Mount Katahdin at 5,253 feet (1,601 m); West Virginia's is Spruce Knob at 4,863 feet (1,482 m). Mount Katahdin is 390 feet higher than Spruce Knob.
Lowest point: Maine's lowest point is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet; West Virginia's is Potomac River at 240 feet. Maine's lowest point is 240 feet lower.
Maine vs West Virginia Population and History
Population: Maine has a population of 1,405,012 (2024), while West Virginia has 1,769,979 (2024). West Virginia's population is 1.3 times (26%) larger than Maine's.
Population density: Maine: 45.6 people per square mile vs West Virginia: 73.6. West Virginia's population density is 1.6 times (61%) higher than Maine's.
Biggest city: Maine's biggest city is Portland with 69,568 people; West Virginia's is Charleston with 46,482. Portland's population is 1.5 times (50%) larger than Charleston's.
Largest metro area: Maine's largest metropolitan area is Portland-South Portland, ME metro area (571,534 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 11.3 times larger than Portland-South Portland, ME metro area's.
History: Maine: Admitted to the Union on March 15, 1820, as the 23rd state. West Virginia: Admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863, as the 35th state. In its current form, Maine is the older of the two by 43 years.
Maine vs West Virginia Economy
GDP: Maine's GDP is $99.2 billion (2024) vs West Virginia's $106.5 billion. West Virginia's economic output is 1.1 times (7%) larger than Maine's.
GDP per capita: Maine: $70,586 per person vs West Virginia: $60,156. Maine's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (17%) higher than West Virginia's.
Average income: Maine: $68,932 vs West Virginia: $55,351 average income per person (per capita personal income). Maine's average income is 1.2 times (25%) higher than West Virginia's.
Maine vs West Virginia Counties
Number of counties: Maine has 16 counties, while West Virginia has 55. West Virginia's county count is 3.4 times (244%) higher than Maine's.
Biggest county by area: Maine's largest county is Aroostook County at 6,671 square miles; West Virginia's is Randolph County at 1,040 square miles. Aroostook County's land area is 6.4 times (542%) larger than Randolph County's.
Smallest county by area: Maine: Sagadahoc County (254 sq mi) vs West Virginia: Hancock County (83 sq mi). Sagadahoc County's land area is 3.1 times (208%) larger than Hancock County's.
Most populous county: Maine: Cumberland County (313,809 people) vs West Virginia: Kanawha County (173,906 people). Cumberland County's population is 1.8 times (80%) larger than Kanawha County's.
Least populous county: Maine: Piscataquis County (17,432 people) vs West Virginia: Wirt County (4,924 people). Piscataquis County's population is 3.5 times (254%) larger than Wirt County's.
Richest county: Maine: Cumberland County ($90,142 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Jefferson County ($70,542). Cumberland County's income is 1.3 times (28%) richer than Jefferson County's.
Poorest county: Maine: Franklin County ($52,725 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Webster County ($35,039). Franklin County's income is 1.5 times (50%) richer than Webster County's.
Maine vs West Virginia Taxes
State income tax: Maine has a top income tax rate of 7.15%, while West Virginia has a top income tax rate of 4.82%. Maine's top rate is 2.33 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Maine: 0.91% effective rate vs West Virginia: 0.52% of home value per year. Maine's rate is 0.39 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Maine: 5.5% combined state and average local rate vs West Virginia: 6.6%. West Virginia's combined rate is 1.1 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Maine official website · West Virginia official website
More Size Comparisons
All Maine 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.