The map above shows Maryland and West Virginia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Maryland vs West Virginia Geography
Land area
- Maryland has a land area of 9,711 square miles (25,151 km²), while West Virginia has 24,041 square miles (62,266 km²).
- West Virginia's land area is 2.5 times (148%) larger than Maryland's.
Total area
- Maryland: 12,406 square miles (32,131 km²) vs West Virginia: 24,230 square miles (62,755 km²), including inland and coastal water.
- West Virginia's total area is 2.0 times (95%) larger than Maryland's.
Length
- Maryland is 231 miles (371 km) long from north to south; West Virginia is 245 miles (394 km).
- West Virginia's north-south length is 1.1 times (6%) longer than Maryland's.
Width
- Maryland spans 243 miles (391 km) east to west; West Virginia spans 276 miles (444 km).
- West Virginia's east-west width is 1.1 times (14%) wider than Maryland's.
Highest point
- Maryland's highest point is Hoye-Crest at 3,362 feet (1,025 m); West Virginia's is Spruce Knob at 4,863 feet (1,482 m).
- Spruce Knob is 1,501 feet higher than Hoye-Crest.
Lowest point
- Maryland's lowest point is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet; West Virginia's is Potomac River at 240 feet.
- Maryland's lowest point is 240 feet lower.
Maryland vs West Virginia Population and History
Population
- Maryland has a population of 6,263,220 (2024), while West Virginia has 1,769,979 (2024).
- Maryland's population is 3.5 times (254%) larger than West Virginia's.
Population density
- Maryland: 645.0 people per square mile vs West Virginia: 73.6.
- Maryland's population density is 8.8 times (776%) higher than West Virginia's.
Biggest city
- Maryland's biggest city is Baltimore with 568,271 people; West Virginia's is Charleston with 46,482.
- Baltimore's population is 12.2 times larger than Charleston's.
Largest metro area
- Maryland's largest metropolitan area is Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area (6,436,489 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 and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area have about the same population.
History
- Maryland: Admitted to the Union on April 28, 1788, as the 7th state.
- West Virginia: Admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863, as the 35th state.
- In its current form, Maryland is the older of the two by 75 years.
Maryland vs West Virginia Economy
GDP
- Maryland's GDP is $546.0 billion (2024) vs West Virginia's $106.5 billion.
- Maryland's economic output is 5.1 times (413%) larger than West Virginia's.
GDP per capita
- Maryland: $87,180 per person vs West Virginia: $60,156.
- Maryland's GDP per capita is 1.4 times (45%) higher than West Virginia's.
Average income
- Maryland: $79,259 vs West Virginia: $55,351 average income per person (per capita personal income).
- Maryland's average income is 1.4 times (43%) higher than West Virginia's.
Maryland vs West Virginia Counties
Number of counties
- Maryland has 24 counties, while West Virginia has 55.
- West Virginia's county count is 2.3 times (129%) higher than Maryland's.
Biggest county by area
- Maryland's largest county is Frederick County at 661 square miles; West Virginia's is Randolph County at 1,040 square miles.
- Randolph County's land area is 1.6 times (57%) larger than Frederick County's.
Smallest county by area
- Maryland: Baltimore city (81 sq mi) vs West Virginia: Hancock County (83 sq mi).
- Baltimore city and Hancock County have about the same land area.
Most populous county
- Maryland: Montgomery County (1,082,273 people) vs West Virginia: Kanawha County (173,906 people).
- Montgomery County's population is 6.2 times (522%) larger than Kanawha County's.
Least populous county
- Maryland: Kent County (19,557 people) vs West Virginia: Wirt County (4,924 people).
- Kent County's population is 4.0 times (297%) larger than Wirt County's.
Richest county
- Maryland: Montgomery County ($104,882 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Jefferson County ($70,542).
- Montgomery County's income is 1.5 times (49%) richer than Jefferson County's.
Poorest county
- Maryland: Somerset County ($41,421 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Webster County ($35,039).
- Somerset County's income is 1.2 times (18%) richer than Webster County's.
Maryland vs West Virginia Taxes
State income tax
- Maryland has a top income tax rate of 6.5%, while West Virginia has a top income tax rate of 4.82%.
- Maryland's top rate is 1.68 percentage points higher.
Property tax
- Maryland: 0.95% effective rate vs West Virginia: 0.52% of home value per year.
- Maryland's rate is 0.43 percentage points higher.
Sales tax
- Maryland: 6% combined state and average local rate vs West Virginia: 6.6%.
- West Virginia's combined rate is 0.6 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Maryland official website · West Virginia official website
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More Size Comparisons
All Maryland 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.