The map above shows Massachusetts and West Virginia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Massachusetts vs West Virginia Geography
Land area: Massachusetts has a land area of 7,801 square miles (20,204 km²), while West Virginia has 24,041 square miles (62,266 km²). West Virginia's land area is 3.1 times (208%) larger than Massachusetts'.
Total area: Massachusetts: 10,554 square miles (27,335 km²) vs West Virginia: 24,230 square miles (62,755 km²), including inland and coastal water. West Virginia's total area is 2.3 times (130%) larger than Massachusetts'.
Length: Massachusetts is 123 miles (198 km) long from north to south; West Virginia is 245 miles (394 km). West Virginia's north-south length is 2.0 times (99%) longer than Massachusetts'.
Width: Massachusetts spans 185 miles (297 km) east to west; West Virginia spans 276 miles (444 km). West Virginia's east-west width is 1.5 times (49%) wider than Massachusetts'.
Highest point: Massachusetts's highest point is Mount Greylock at 3,489 feet (1,063 m); West Virginia's is Spruce Knob at 4,863 feet (1,482 m). Spruce Knob is 1,374 feet higher than Mount Greylock.
Lowest point: Massachusetts's lowest point is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet; West Virginia's is Potomac River at 240 feet. Massachusetts's lowest point is 240 feet lower.
Massachusetts vs West Virginia Population and History
Population: Massachusetts has a population of 7,136,171 (2024), while West Virginia has 1,769,979 (2024). Massachusetts' population is 4.0 times (303%) larger than West Virginia's.
Population density: Massachusetts: 914.8 people per square mile vs West Virginia: 73.6. Massachusetts' population density is 12.4 times higher than West Virginia's.
Biggest city: Massachusetts's biggest city is Boston with 673,458 people; West Virginia's is Charleston with 46,482. Boston's population is 14.5 times larger than Charleston's.
Largest metro area: Massachusetts's largest metropolitan area is Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area (5,025,517 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 1.3 times (28%) larger than Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area's.
History: Massachusetts: Admitted to the Union on February 6, 1788, as the 6th state. West Virginia: Admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863, as the 35th state. In its current form, Massachusetts is the older of the two by 75 years.
Massachusetts vs West Virginia Economy
GDP: Massachusetts's GDP is $778.5 billion (2024) vs West Virginia's $106.5 billion. Massachusetts' economic output is 7.3 times (631%) larger than West Virginia's.
GDP per capita: Massachusetts: $109,095 per person vs West Virginia: $60,156. Massachusetts' GDP per capita is 1.8 times (81%) higher than West Virginia's.
Average income: Massachusetts: $93,607 vs West Virginia: $55,351 average income per person (per capita personal income). Massachusetts' average income is 1.7 times (69%) higher than West Virginia's.
Massachusetts vs West Virginia Counties
Number of counties: Massachusetts has 14 counties, while West Virginia has 55. West Virginia's county count is 3.9 times (293%) higher than Massachusetts'.
Biggest county by area: Massachusetts's largest county is Worcester County at 1,511 square miles; West Virginia's is Randolph County at 1,040 square miles. Worcester County's land area is 1.5 times (45%) larger than Randolph County's.
Smallest county by area: Massachusetts: Nantucket County (46 sq mi) vs West Virginia: Hancock County (83 sq mi). Hancock County's land area is 1.8 times (79%) larger than Nantucket County's.
Most populous county: Massachusetts: Middlesex County (1,668,956 people) vs West Virginia: Kanawha County (173,906 people). Middlesex County's population is 9.6 times (860%) larger than Kanawha County's.
Least populous county: Massachusetts: Nantucket County (14,670 people) vs West Virginia: Wirt County (4,924 people). Nantucket County's population is 3.0 times (198%) larger than Wirt County's.
Richest county: Massachusetts: Nantucket County ($129,250 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Jefferson County ($70,542). Nantucket County's income is 1.8 times (83%) richer than Jefferson County's.
Poorest county: Massachusetts: Hampshire County ($65,432 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Webster County ($35,039). Hampshire County's income is 1.9 times (87%) richer than Webster County's.
Massachusetts vs West Virginia Taxes
State income tax: Massachusetts has a top income tax rate of 9%, while West Virginia has a top income tax rate of 4.82%. Massachusetts's top rate is 4.18 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Massachusetts: 1% effective rate vs West Virginia: 0.52% of home value per year. Massachusetts's rate is 0.48 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Massachusetts: 6.25% combined state and average local rate vs West Virginia: 6.6%. West Virginia's combined rate is 0.35 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Massachusetts official website · West Virginia official website
More Size Comparisons
All Massachusetts 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.