The map above shows Michigan and West Virginia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Michigan vs West Virginia Geography
Land area: Michigan has a land area of 56,611 square miles (146,622 km²), while West Virginia has 24,041 square miles (62,266 km²). Michigan's land area is 2.4 times (135%) larger than West Virginia's.
Total area: Michigan: 96,713 square miles (250,486 km²) vs West Virginia: 24,230 square miles (62,755 km²), including inland and coastal water. Michigan's total area is 4.0 times (299%) larger than West Virginia's.
Length: Michigan is 489 miles (786 km) long from north to south; West Virginia is 245 miles (394 km). Michigan's north-south length is 2.0 times (100%) longer than West Virginia's.
Width: Michigan spans 453 miles (728 km) east to west; West Virginia spans 276 miles (444 km). Michigan's east-west width is 1.6 times (64%) wider than West Virginia's.
Highest point: Michigan's highest point is Mount Arvon at 2,014 feet (614 m); West Virginia's is Spruce Knob at 4,863 feet (1,482 m). Spruce Knob is 2,849 feet higher than Mount Arvon.
Lowest point: Michigan's lowest point is Lake Erie at 571 feet; West Virginia's is Potomac River at 240 feet. West Virginia's lowest point is 331 feet lower.
Michigan vs West Virginia Population and History
Population: Michigan has a population of 10,140,459 (2024), while West Virginia has 1,769,979 (2024). Michigan's population is 5.7 times (473%) larger than West Virginia's.
Population density: Michigan: 179.1 people per square mile vs West Virginia: 73.6. Michigan's population density is 2.4 times (143%) higher than West Virginia's.
Biggest city: Michigan's biggest city is Detroit with 645,705 people; West Virginia's is Charleston with 46,482. Detroit's population is 13.9 times larger than Charleston's.
Largest metro area: Michigan's largest metropolitan area is Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area (4,400,578 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 1.5 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. West Virginia: Admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863, as the 35th state. In its current form, Michigan is the older of the two by 26 years.
Michigan vs West Virginia Economy
GDP: Michigan's GDP is $702.5 billion (2024) vs West Virginia's $106.5 billion. Michigan's economic output is 6.6 times (560%) larger than West Virginia's.
GDP per capita: Michigan: $69,274 per person vs West Virginia: $60,156. Michigan's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (15%) higher than West Virginia's.
Average income: Michigan: $63,690 vs West Virginia: $55,351 average income per person (per capita personal income). Michigan's average income is 1.2 times (15%) higher than West Virginia's.
Michigan vs West Virginia Counties
Number of counties: Michigan has 83 counties, while West Virginia has 55. Michigan's county count is 1.5 times (51%) higher than West Virginia's.
Biggest county by area: Michigan's largest county is Marquette County at 1,809 square miles; West Virginia's is Randolph County at 1,040 square miles. Marquette County's land area is 1.7 times (74%) larger than Randolph County's.
Smallest county by area: Michigan: Benzie County (320 sq mi) vs West Virginia: Hancock County (83 sq mi). Benzie County's land area is 3.9 times (287%) larger than Hancock County's.
Most populous county: Michigan: Wayne County (1,771,063 people) vs West Virginia: Kanawha County (173,906 people). Wayne County's population is 10.2 times larger than Kanawha County's.
Least populous county: Michigan: Keweenaw County (2,161 people) vs West Virginia: Wirt County (4,924 people). Wirt County's population is 2.3 times (128%) larger than Keweenaw County's.
Richest county: Michigan: Oakland County ($93,579 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Jefferson County ($70,542). Oakland County's income is 1.3 times (33%) richer than Jefferson County's.
Poorest county: Michigan: Lake County ($39,505 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Webster County ($35,039). Lake County's income is 1.1 times (13%) richer than Webster County's.
Michigan vs West Virginia Taxes
State income tax: Michigan has a top income tax rate of 4.25%, while West Virginia has a top income tax rate of 4.82%. West Virginia's top rate is 0.57 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Michigan: 1.18% effective rate vs West Virginia: 0.52% of home value per year. Michigan's rate is 0.66 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Michigan: 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
Michigan official website · West Virginia official website
More Size Comparisons
All Michigan 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.