The map above shows Rhode Island and Puerto Rico side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Rhode Island vs Puerto Rico Geography
Land area: Rhode Island has a land area of 1,034 square miles (2,678 km²), while Puerto Rico has 3,424 square miles (8,868 km²). Puerto Rico's land area is 3.3 times (231%) larger than Rhode Island's.
Total area: Rhode Island: 1,545 square miles (4,002 km²) vs Puerto Rico: 3,515 square miles (9,104 km²), including inland and coastal water. Puerto Rico's total area is 2.3 times (127%) larger than Rhode Island's.
Length: Rhode Island is 61 miles (98 km) long from north to south; Puerto Rico is 67 miles (107 km). Puerto Rico's north-south length is 1.1 times (10%) longer than Rhode Island's.
Width: Rhode Island spans 42 miles (67 km) east to west; Puerto Rico spans 174 miles (279 km). Puerto Rico's east-west width is 4.1 times (314%) wider than Rhode Island's.
Highest point: Rhode Island's highest point is Jerimoth Hill at 811 feet (247 m); Puerto Rico's is Cerro de Punta at 4,390 feet (1,338 m). Cerro de Punta is 3,579 feet higher than Jerimoth Hill.
Lowest point: Rhode Island's lowest point is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet; Puerto Rico's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. Both lowest points are at or near sea level.
Rhode Island vs Puerto Rico Population and History
Population: Rhode Island has a population of 1,112,308 (2024), while Puerto Rico has 3,285,874 (2020). Puerto Rico's population is 3.0 times (195%) larger than Rhode Island's.
Population density: Rhode Island: 1,075.8 people per square mile vs Puerto Rico: 959.7. Rhode Island's population density is 1.1 times (12%) higher than Puerto Rico's.
Biggest city: Rhode Island's biggest city is Providence with 194,706 people; Puerto Rico's is San Juan with 342,259. San Juan's population is 1.8 times (76%) larger than Providence's.
Largest metro area: Rhode Island's largest metropolitan area is Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area (1,700,901 people) vs Puerto Rico's San Juan metro area (2,233,177). San Juan metro area's population is 1.3 times (31%) larger than Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area's.
History: Rhode Island: Admitted to the Union on May 29, 1790, as the 13th state. Puerto Rico: A US territory since 1898; a commonwealth since 1952. In its current form, Rhode Island is the older of the two by 108 years.
Rhode Island vs Puerto Rico Economy
GDP: Rhode Island's GDP is $80.4 billion (2024) vs Puerto Rico's $129.0 billion. Puerto Rico's economic output is 1.6 times (60%) larger than Rhode Island's.
GDP per capita: Rhode Island: $72,265 per person vs Puerto Rico: $40,650. Rhode Island's GDP per capita is 1.8 times (78%) higher than Puerto Rico's.
Official Websites
Rhode Island official website · Puerto Rico official website
More Size Comparisons
All Rhode Island size comparisons · All Puerto Rico 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.