The map above shows Tennessee and West Virginia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Tennessee vs West Virginia Geography
Land area: Tennessee has a land area of 41,224 square miles (106,770 km²), while West Virginia has 24,041 square miles (62,266 km²). Tennessee's land area is 1.7 times (71%) larger than West Virginia's.
Total area: Tennessee: 42,130 square miles (109,116 km²) vs West Virginia: 24,230 square miles (62,755 km²), including inland and coastal water. Tennessee's total area is 1.7 times (74%) larger than West Virginia's.
Length: Tennessee is 191 miles (308 km) long from north to south; West Virginia is 245 miles (394 km). West Virginia's north-south length is 1.3 times (28%) longer than Tennessee's.
Width: Tennessee spans 497 miles (800 km) east to west; West Virginia spans 276 miles (444 km). Tennessee's east-west width is 1.8 times (80%) wider than West Virginia's.
Highest point: Tennessee's highest point is Clingmans Dome at 6,624 feet (2,019 m); West Virginia's is Spruce Knob at 4,863 feet (1,482 m). Clingmans Dome is 1,761 feet higher than Spruce Knob.
Lowest point: Tennessee's lowest point is Mississippi River at 178 feet; West Virginia's is Potomac River at 240 feet. Tennessee's lowest point is 62 feet lower.
Tennessee vs West Virginia Population and History
Population: Tennessee has a population of 7,227,750 (2024), while West Virginia has 1,769,979 (2024). Tennessee's population is 4.1 times (308%) larger than West Virginia's.
Population density: Tennessee: 175.3 people per square mile vs West Virginia: 73.6. Tennessee's population density is 2.4 times (138%) higher than West Virginia's.
Biggest city: Tennessee's biggest city is Nashville with 704,963 people; West Virginia's is Charleston with 46,482. Nashville's population is 15.2 times larger than Charleston's.
Largest metro area: Tennessee's largest metropolitan area is Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area (2,150,553 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 3.0 times (199%) larger than Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area's.
History: Tennessee: Admitted to the Union on June 1, 1796, as the 16th state. West Virginia: Admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863, as the 35th state. In its current form, Tennessee is the older of the two by 67 years.
Tennessee vs West Virginia Economy
GDP: Tennessee's GDP is $561.2 billion (2024) vs West Virginia's $106.5 billion. Tennessee's economic output is 5.3 times (427%) larger than West Virginia's.
GDP per capita: Tennessee: $77,645 per person vs West Virginia: $60,156. Tennessee's GDP per capita is 1.3 times (29%) higher than West Virginia's.
Average income: Tennessee: $66,504 vs West Virginia: $55,351 average income per person (per capita personal income). Tennessee's average income is 1.2 times (20%) higher than West Virginia's.
Tennessee vs West Virginia Counties
Number of counties: Tennessee has 95 counties, while West Virginia has 55. Tennessee's county count is 1.7 times (73%) higher than West Virginia's.
Biggest county by area: Tennessee's largest county is Shelby County at 753 square miles; West Virginia's is Randolph County at 1,040 square miles. Randolph County's land area is 1.4 times (38%) larger than Shelby County's.
Smallest county by area: Tennessee: Trousdale County (114 sq mi) vs West Virginia: Hancock County (83 sq mi). Trousdale County's land area is 1.4 times (38%) larger than Hancock County's.
Most populous county: Tennessee: Shelby County (910,530 people) vs West Virginia: Kanawha County (173,906 people). Shelby County's population is 5.2 times (424%) larger than Kanawha County's.
Least populous county: Tennessee: Pickett County (5,108 people) vs West Virginia: Wirt County (4,924 people). Pickett County and Wirt County have about the same population.
Richest county: Tennessee: Williamson County ($139,704 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Jefferson County ($70,542). Williamson County's income is 2.0 times (98%) richer than Jefferson County's.
Poorest county: Tennessee: Lake County ($31,572 per capita income) vs West Virginia: Webster County ($35,039). Webster County's income is 1.1 times (11%) richer than Lake County's.
Tennessee vs West Virginia Taxes
State income tax: Tennessee has no state income tax, while West Virginia has a top income tax rate of 4.82%. West Virginia's top rate is 4.82 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Tennessee: 0.45% effective rate vs West Virginia: 0.52% of home value per year. West Virginia's rate is 0.07 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Tennessee: 9.61% combined state and average local rate vs West Virginia: 6.6%. Tennessee's combined rate is 3.01 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Tennessee official website · West Virginia official website
More Size Comparisons
All Tennessee 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.