The map above shows Pennsylvania and Tennessee side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Pennsylvania vs Tennessee Geography
Land area: Pennsylvania has a land area of 44,742 square miles (115,882 km²), while Tennessee has 41,224 square miles (106,770 km²). Pennsylvania's land area is 1.1 times (9%) larger than Tennessee's.
Total area: Pennsylvania: 46,054 square miles (119,279 km²) vs Tennessee: 42,130 square miles (109,116 km²), including inland and coastal water. Pennsylvania's total area is 1.1 times (9%) larger than Tennessee's.
Length: Pennsylvania is 284 miles (458 km) long from north to south; Tennessee is 191 miles (308 km). Pennsylvania's north-south length is 1.5 times (49%) longer than Tennessee's.
Width: Pennsylvania spans 307 miles (495 km) east to west; Tennessee spans 497 miles (800 km). Tennessee's east-west width is 1.6 times (62%) wider than Pennsylvania's.
Highest point: Pennsylvania's highest point is Mount Davis at 3,210 feet (978 m); Tennessee's is Clingmans Dome at 6,624 feet (2,019 m). Clingmans Dome is 3,414 feet higher than Mount Davis.
Lowest point: Pennsylvania's lowest point is Delaware River at 0 feet; Tennessee's is Mississippi River at 178 feet. Pennsylvania's lowest point is 178 feet lower.
Pennsylvania vs Tennessee Population and History
Population: Pennsylvania has a population of 13,078,751 (2024), while Tennessee has 7,227,750 (2024). Pennsylvania's population is 1.8 times (81%) larger than Tennessee's.
Population density: Pennsylvania: 292.3 people per square mile vs Tennessee: 175.3. Pennsylvania's population density is 1.7 times (67%) higher than Tennessee's.
Biggest city: Pennsylvania's biggest city is Philadelphia with 1,573,916 people; Tennessee's is Nashville with 704,963. Philadelphia's population is 2.2 times (123%) larger than Nashville's.
Largest metro area: Pennsylvania's largest metropolitan area is Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area (6,330,422 people) vs Tennessee's Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area (2,150,553). Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area's population is 2.9 times (194%) larger than Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area's.
History: Pennsylvania: Admitted to the Union on December 12, 1787, as the 2nd state. Tennessee: Admitted to the Union on June 1, 1796, as the 16th state. In its current form, Pennsylvania is the older of the two by 9 years.
Pennsylvania vs Tennessee Economy
GDP: Pennsylvania's GDP is $1,007.9 billion (2024) vs Tennessee's $561.2 billion. Pennsylvania's economic output is 1.8 times (80%) larger than Tennessee's.
GDP per capita: Pennsylvania: $77,062 per person vs Tennessee: $77,645. Pennsylvania and Tennessee have about the same GDP per capita.
Average income: Pennsylvania: $70,678 vs Tennessee: $66,504 average income per person (per capita personal income). Pennsylvania's average income is 1.1 times (6%) higher than Tennessee's.
Pennsylvania vs Tennessee Counties
Number of counties: Pennsylvania has 67 counties, while Tennessee has 95. Tennessee's county count is 1.4 times (42%) higher than Pennsylvania's.
Biggest county by area: Pennsylvania's largest county is Lycoming County at 1,229 square miles; Tennessee's is Shelby County at 753 square miles. Lycoming County's land area is 1.6 times (63%) larger than Shelby County's.
Smallest county by area: Pennsylvania: Montour County (130 sq mi) vs Tennessee: Trousdale County (114 sq mi). Montour County's land area is 1.1 times (14%) larger than Trousdale County's.
Most populous county: Pennsylvania: Philadelphia County (1,573,916 people) vs Tennessee: Shelby County (910,530 people). Philadelphia County's population is 1.7 times (73%) larger than Shelby County's.
Least populous county: Pennsylvania: Cameron County (4,348 people) vs Tennessee: Pickett County (5,108 people). Pickett County's population is 1.2 times (17%) larger than Cameron County's.
Richest county: Pennsylvania: Chester County ($110,883 per capita income) vs Tennessee: Williamson County ($139,704). Williamson County's income is 1.3 times (26%) richer than Chester County's.
Poorest county: Pennsylvania: Forest County ($30,234 per capita income) vs Tennessee: Lake County ($31,572). Forest County and Lake County have about the same income.
Pennsylvania vs Tennessee Taxes
State income tax: Pennsylvania has a top income tax rate of 3.07%, while Tennessee has no state income tax. Pennsylvania's top rate is 3.07 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Pennsylvania: 1.16% effective rate vs Tennessee: 0.45% of home value per year. Pennsylvania's rate is 0.71 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Pennsylvania: 6.34% combined state and average local rate vs Tennessee: 9.61%. Tennessee's combined rate is 3.27 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Pennsylvania official website · Tennessee official website
More Size Comparisons
All Pennsylvania size comparisons · All Tennessee 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.