The map above shows Rhode Island and Virginia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Rhode Island vs Virginia Geography
Land area: Rhode Island has a land area of 1,034 square miles (2,678 km²), while Virginia has 39,481 square miles (102,256 km²). Virginia's land area is 38.2 times larger than Rhode Island's.
Total area: Rhode Island: 1,545 square miles (4,002 km²) vs Virginia: 42,775 square miles (110,786 km²), including inland and coastal water. Virginia's total area is 27.7 times larger than Rhode Island's.
Length: Rhode Island is 61 miles (98 km) long from north to south; Virginia is 223 miles (359 km). Virginia's north-south length is 3.7 times (266%) longer than Rhode Island's.
Width: Rhode Island spans 42 miles (67 km) east to west; Virginia spans 466 miles (750 km). Virginia's east-west width is 11.1 times wider than Rhode Island's.
Highest point: Rhode Island's highest point is Jerimoth Hill at 811 feet (247 m); Virginia's is Mount Rogers at 5,729 feet (1,746 m). Mount Rogers is 4,918 feet higher than Jerimoth Hill.
Lowest point: Rhode Island's lowest point is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet; Virginia's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. Both lowest points are at or near sea level.
Rhode Island vs Virginia Population and History
Population: Rhode Island has a population of 1,112,308 (2024), while Virginia has 8,811,195 (2024). Virginia's population is 7.9 times (692%) larger than Rhode Island's.
Population density: Rhode Island: 1,075.8 people per square mile vs Virginia: 223.2. Rhode Island's population density is 4.8 times (382%) higher than Virginia's.
Biggest city: Rhode Island's biggest city is Providence with 194,706 people; Virginia's is Virginia Beach with 454,808. Virginia Beach's population is 2.3 times (134%) 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 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 3.8 times (278%) larger than Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area's.
History: Rhode Island: Admitted to the Union on May 29, 1790, as the 13th 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 2 years.
Rhode Island vs Virginia Economy
GDP: Rhode Island's GDP is $80.4 billion (2024) vs Virginia's $761.7 billion. Virginia's economic output is 9.5 times (847%) larger than Rhode Island's.
GDP per capita: Rhode Island: $72,265 per person vs Virginia: $86,451. Virginia's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (20%) higher than Rhode Island's.
Average income: Rhode Island: $70,622 vs Virginia: $77,351 average income per person (per capita personal income). Virginia's average income is 1.1 times (10%) higher than Rhode Island's.
Rhode Island vs Virginia Counties
Number of counties: Rhode Island has 5 counties, while Virginia has 133. Virginia's county count is 26.6 times higher than Rhode Island's.
Biggest county by area: Rhode Island's largest county is Providence County at 410 square miles; Virginia's is Pittsylvania County at 969 square miles. Pittsylvania County's land area is 2.4 times (137%) larger than Providence County's.
Smallest county by area: Rhode Island: Bristol County (24 sq mi) vs Virginia: Falls Church city (2 sq mi). Bristol County's land area is 12.1 times larger than Falls Church city's.
Most populous county: Rhode Island: Providence County (675,912 people) vs Virginia: Fairfax County (1,160,925 people). Fairfax County's population is 1.7 times (72%) larger than Providence County's.
Least populous county: Rhode Island: Bristol County (50,145 people) vs Virginia: Highland County (2,348 people). Bristol County's population is 21.4 times larger than Highland County's.
Richest county: Rhode Island: Bristol County ($99,923 per capita income) vs Virginia: Arlington County ($131,624). Arlington County's income is 1.3 times (32%) richer than Bristol County's.
Poorest county: Rhode Island: Providence County ($61,040 per capita income) vs Virginia: Sussex County ($41,032). Providence County's income is 1.5 times (49%) richer than Sussex County's.
Rhode Island vs Virginia Taxes
State income tax: Rhode Island has a top income tax rate of 5.99%, while Virginia has a top income tax rate of 5.75%. Rhode Island's top rate is 0.24 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Rhode Island: 1.07% effective rate vs Virginia: 0.71% of home value per year. Rhode Island's rate is 0.36 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Rhode Island: 7% combined state and average local rate vs Virginia: 5.77%. Rhode Island's combined rate is 1.23 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Rhode Island official website · Virginia official website
More Size Comparisons
All Rhode Island 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.