City Map Compare/Atlanta vs San Diego
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5 km
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Atlanta

348 km²

San Diego

964 km²

Atlanta vs San Diego - City Size Comparison

Atlanta vs San Diego - City Size Comparison

Atlanta

United States

Area348 km²
Population0.50M
Density1,437 /km²
Elevation225 m
Founded1845
San Diego

United States

Area964 km²
Population1.39M
Density1,442 /km²
Elevation422 m
Founded1769

Area Comparison

Atlanta is 2.8x smaller than San Diego

Population Comparison

Atlanta has 2.8x fewer people than San Diego

Is Atlanta Bigger Than San Diego?

In terms of area, San Diego is 2.8x the size of Atlanta. San Diego spans 964 km² (372 mi²) while Atlanta covers 348 km² (134 mi²) — a difference of 616 km². You could fit Atlanta inside San Diego approximately 2 times.

To put Atlanta's size in perspective, its area of 348 km² is about 1.6x the size of Amsterdam. Meanwhile, San Diego at 964 km² is roughly the same size as Berlin.

Picture Atlanta another way: its area is large enough to fit about 49,000 American football fields, 170 times the area of Monaco, or 100 times the area of Central Park. San Diego, by comparison, equals about 135,000 American football fields, 16 times the area of Manhattan, or 9 times the area of Paris.

About Atlanta

Atlanta is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the county seat of Fulton County and extends into neighboring DeKalb County. With a population of 498,715 at the 2020 census and an estimated 520,070 in 2024, Atlanta is the eighth-most populous city in the Southeast and the 36th-most populous city in the United States. Atlanta is classified as a Beta+ global city.

Known as "The ATL", Atlanta covers 348 km² with a population of 0.5 million. The city was established in 1845. Atlanta is known for Coca-Cola headquarters, Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, Georgia Aquarium, among other attractions.

Atlanta is Georgia's capital and most populous city, with around 520,070 residents estimated in 2024.

About San Diego

San Diego is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. It is the eighth-most populous city in the U.S. and second-most populous city in California with a population of over 1.4 million, while the San Diego metropolitan area with over 3.3 million residents is the 18th-largest metropolitan area in the country. San Diego is the county seat of San Diego County.

Nicknamed "America's Finest City", San Diego has an area of 964 km² and is home to 1.4 million people. It was established in 1769. Visitors come for San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park, Coronado Beach, and much more.

San Diego sits directly on the Mexico-United States border, making it California's southwesternmost major city.

Population Density

Atlanta has a population density of 1,437 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. San Diego, with 1,442 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Both cities have comparable density, though San Diego is slightly more compact.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Atlanta fits inside San Diego ~2 times

Cities Similar in Size to Atlanta

Atlanta covers 348 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Dhaka (368 km²), Seattle (369 km²), Philadelphia (370 km²), Portland (376 km²), or Munich (311 km²).

Cities Similar in Size to San Diego

San Diego covers 964 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Abu Dhabi (972 km²), Dallas (997 km²), Berlin (892 km²), Santiago (838 km²), or Hong Kong (1,114 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Atlanta actually bigger than San Diego?
San Diego is 2.8 times larger than Atlanta by area. San Diego covers 964 km² while Atlanta spans 348 km², a difference of 616 km².
How many times does Atlanta fit inside San Diego?
Atlanta (348 km²) fits inside San Diego (964 km²) approximately 2 times. That means San Diego is 2.8x the area of Atlanta.
What is the population difference between Atlanta and San Diego?
San Diego has approximately 1.4 million people, while Atlanta has about 0.5 million. San Diego has 0.9 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Atlanta or San Diego?
San Diego is more densely populated with 1,442 people per km², compared to 1,437 people per km².
Which city is older, Atlanta or San Diego?
San Diego is older, founded around 1769, while Atlanta was established around 1845 — a difference of about 76 years.
How does the map comparison work?
Our synchronized map comparison tool displays both cities at the same zoom level. When you zoom in or out on one map, the other automatically adjusts to maintain the same scale, allowing you to directly compare the relative sizes of both cities.
Can I compare other cities?
Yes! Use the city selectors at the top of the page to choose any two cities from our database of 50+ major cities worldwide, or enter custom coordinates for any location.

Distance Between Atlanta and San Diego

The straight-line distance from Atlanta to San Diego is 3,037 km (1,887 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~4h 4m.

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