The map above shows Massachusetts and Michigan side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Massachusetts vs Michigan Geography
Land area: Massachusetts has a land area of 7,801 square miles (20,204 km²), while Michigan has 56,611 square miles (146,622 km²). Michigan's land area is 7.3 times (626%) larger than Massachusetts'.
Total area: Massachusetts: 10,554 square miles (27,335 km²) vs Michigan: 96,713 square miles (250,486 km²), including inland and coastal water. Michigan's total area is 9.2 times (816%) larger than Massachusetts'.
Length: Massachusetts is 123 miles (198 km) long from north to south; Michigan is 489 miles (786 km). Michigan's north-south length is 4.0 times (298%) longer than Massachusetts'.
Width: Massachusetts spans 185 miles (297 km) east to west; Michigan spans 453 miles (728 km). Michigan's east-west width is 2.4 times (145%) wider than Massachusetts'.
Highest point: Massachusetts's highest point is Mount Greylock at 3,489 feet (1,063 m); Michigan's is Mount Arvon at 2,014 feet (614 m). Mount Greylock is 1,475 feet higher than Mount Arvon.
Lowest point: Massachusetts's lowest point is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet; Michigan's is Lake Erie at 571 feet. Massachusetts's lowest point is 571 feet lower.
Massachusetts vs Michigan Population and History
Population: Massachusetts has a population of 7,136,171 (2024), while Michigan has 10,140,459 (2024). Michigan's population is 1.4 times (42%) larger than Massachusetts'.
Population density: Massachusetts: 914.8 people per square mile vs Michigan: 179.1. Massachusetts' population density is 5.1 times (411%) higher than Michigan's.
Biggest city: Massachusetts's biggest city is Boston with 673,458 people; Michigan's is Detroit with 645,705. Boston and Detroit have about the same population.
Largest metro area: Massachusetts's largest metropolitan area is Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area (5,025,517 people) vs Michigan's Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area (4,400,578). Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area's population is 1.1 times (14%) larger than Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area's.
History: Massachusetts: Admitted to the Union on February 6, 1788, as the 6th state. Michigan: Admitted to the Union on January 26, 1837, as the 26th state. In its current form, Massachusetts is the older of the two by 49 years.
Massachusetts vs Michigan Economy
GDP: Massachusetts's GDP is $778.5 billion (2024) vs Michigan's $702.5 billion. Massachusetts' economic output is 1.1 times (11%) larger than Michigan's.
GDP per capita: Massachusetts: $109,095 per person vs Michigan: $69,274. Massachusetts' GDP per capita is 1.6 times (57%) higher than Michigan's.
Average income: Massachusetts: $93,607 vs Michigan: $63,690 average income per person (per capita personal income). Massachusetts' average income is 1.5 times (47%) higher than Michigan's.
Massachusetts vs Michigan Counties
Number of counties: Massachusetts has 14 counties, while Michigan has 83. Michigan's county count is 5.9 times (493%) higher than Massachusetts'.
Biggest county by area: Massachusetts's largest county is Worcester County at 1,511 square miles; Michigan's is Marquette County at 1,809 square miles. Marquette County's land area is 1.2 times (20%) larger than Worcester County's.
Smallest county by area: Massachusetts: Nantucket County (46 sq mi) vs Michigan: Benzie County (320 sq mi). Benzie County's land area is 6.9 times (592%) larger than Nantucket County's.
Most populous county: Massachusetts: Middlesex County (1,668,956 people) vs Michigan: Wayne County (1,771,063 people). Wayne County's population is 1.1 times (6%) larger than Middlesex County's.
Least populous county: Massachusetts: Nantucket County (14,670 people) vs Michigan: Keweenaw County (2,161 people). Nantucket County's population is 6.8 times (579%) larger than Keweenaw County's.
Richest county: Massachusetts: Nantucket County ($129,250 per capita income) vs Michigan: Oakland County ($93,579). Nantucket County's income is 1.4 times (38%) richer than Oakland County's.
Poorest county: Massachusetts: Hampshire County ($65,432 per capita income) vs Michigan: Lake County ($39,505). Hampshire County's income is 1.7 times (66%) richer than Lake County's.
Massachusetts vs Michigan Taxes
State income tax: Massachusetts has a top income tax rate of 9%, while Michigan has a top income tax rate of 4.25%. Massachusetts's top rate is 4.75 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Massachusetts: 1% effective rate vs Michigan: 1.18% of home value per year. Michigan's rate is 0.18 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Massachusetts: 6.25% combined state and average local rate vs Michigan: 6%. Massachusetts's combined rate is 0.25 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Massachusetts official website · Michigan official website
More Size Comparisons
All Massachusetts size comparisons · All Michigan 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.