The map above shows Michigan and Virginia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Michigan vs Virginia Geography
Land area: Michigan has a land area of 56,611 square miles (146,622 km²), while Virginia has 39,481 square miles (102,256 km²). Michigan's land area is 1.4 times (43%) larger than Virginia's.
Total area: Michigan: 96,713 square miles (250,486 km²) vs Virginia: 42,775 square miles (110,786 km²), including inland and coastal water. Michigan's total area is 2.3 times (126%) larger than Virginia's.
Length: Michigan is 489 miles (786 km) long from north to south; Virginia is 223 miles (359 km). Michigan's north-south length is 2.2 times (119%) longer than Virginia's.
Width: Michigan spans 453 miles (728 km) east to west; Virginia spans 466 miles (750 km). Michigan and Virginia have about the same east-west width.
Highest point: Michigan's highest point is Mount Arvon at 2,014 feet (614 m); Virginia's is Mount Rogers at 5,729 feet (1,746 m). Mount Rogers is 3,715 feet higher than Mount Arvon.
Lowest point: Michigan's lowest point is Lake Erie at 571 feet; Virginia's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. Virginia's lowest point is 571 feet lower.
Michigan vs Virginia Population and History
Population: Michigan has a population of 10,140,459 (2024), while Virginia has 8,811,195 (2024). Michigan's population is 1.2 times (15%) larger than Virginia's.
Population density: Michigan: 179.1 people per square mile vs Virginia: 223.2. Virginia's population density is 1.2 times (25%) higher than Michigan's.
Biggest city: Michigan's biggest city is Detroit with 645,705 people; Virginia's is Virginia Beach with 454,808. Detroit's population is 1.4 times (42%) larger than Virginia Beach's.
Largest metro area: Michigan's largest metropolitan area is Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area (4,400,578 people) vs 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 1.5 times (46%) larger than Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area's.
History: Michigan: Admitted to the Union on January 26, 1837, as the 26th state. Virginia: Admitted to the Union on June 25, 1788, as the 10th state. In its current form, Virginia is the older of the two by 49 years.
Michigan vs Virginia Economy
GDP: Michigan's GDP is $702.5 billion (2024) vs Virginia's $761.7 billion. Virginia's economic output is 1.1 times (8%) larger than Michigan's.
GDP per capita: Michigan: $69,274 per person vs Virginia: $86,451. Virginia's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (25%) higher than Michigan's.
Average income: Michigan: $63,690 vs Virginia: $77,351 average income per person (per capita personal income). Virginia's average income is 1.2 times (21%) higher than Michigan's.
Michigan vs Virginia Counties
Number of counties: Michigan has 83 counties, while Virginia has 133. Virginia's county count is 1.6 times (60%) higher than Michigan's.
Biggest county by area: Michigan's largest county is Marquette County at 1,809 square miles; Virginia's is Pittsylvania County at 969 square miles. Marquette County's land area is 1.9 times (87%) larger than Pittsylvania County's.
Smallest county by area: Michigan: Benzie County (320 sq mi) vs Virginia: Falls Church city (2 sq mi). Benzie County's land area is 159.9 times larger than Falls Church city's.
Most populous county: Michigan: Wayne County (1,771,063 people) vs Virginia: Fairfax County (1,160,925 people). Wayne County's population is 1.5 times (53%) larger than Fairfax County's.
Least populous county: Michigan: Keweenaw County (2,161 people) vs Virginia: Highland County (2,348 people). Highland County's population is 1.1 times (9%) larger than Keweenaw County's.
Richest county: Michigan: Oakland County ($93,579 per capita income) vs Virginia: Arlington County ($131,624). Arlington County's income is 1.4 times (41%) richer than Oakland County's.
Poorest county: Michigan: Lake County ($39,505 per capita income) vs Virginia: Sussex County ($41,032). Lake County and Sussex County have about the same income.
Michigan vs Virginia Taxes
State income tax: Michigan has a top income tax rate of 4.25%, while Virginia has a top income tax rate of 5.75%. Virginia's top rate is 1.5 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Michigan: 1.18% effective rate vs Virginia: 0.71% of home value per year. Michigan's rate is 0.47 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Michigan: 6% combined state and average local rate vs Virginia: 5.77%. Michigan's combined rate is 0.23 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Michigan official website · Virginia official website
More Size Comparisons
All Michigan size comparisons · All 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.