Boston
232 km²
Madrid
604 km²
USA
Spain
Area Comparison
Boston is 2.6x smaller than Madrid
Population Comparison
Boston has 4.9x fewer people than Madrid
Yes — Madrid is 2.6x larger than Boston by area. Madrid spans 604 km² (233 mi²) while Boston covers 232 km² (90 mi²) — a difference of 372 km². You could fit Boston inside Madrid approximately 2 times.
To put Boston's size in perspective, its area of 232 km² is roughly the same size as Amsterdam. Meanwhile, Madrid at 604 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul.
In more relatable units, Boston's 232 km² is about 32,000 American football fields, 110 times the area of Monaco, or 68 times the area of Central Park. Madrid works out to about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan.
Boston is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It serves as a cultural and financial center of New England, a region of the Northeastern United States. Boston has an area of 48.4 sq mi (125 km2) and a population of 675,647 as of the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in the Northeastern United States after New York City and Philadelphia.
Known as "Beantown", Boston covers 232 km² with a population of 0.7 million. The city was established in 1630. Boston is known for Fenway Park, Freedom Trail, Harvard University, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the MBTA (The T).
Boston covers just 125 km2 yet serves as the cultural and financial heart of all New England
Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain. It had a population of over 3.4 million in the city proper in 2025, and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.8 million. Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), after Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the second-largest in the EU, after Paris. The municipality covers an area of 605.77 square kilometres (233.89 sq mi).
Often called "La Villa y Corte", Madrid has an area of 604 km² and is home to 3.3 million people. It was established in 852. Visitors come for Royal Palace of Madrid, Prado Museum, Plaza Mayor, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Madrid Metro.
Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union after Berlin, with over 3.4 million residents in the city proper
Looking beyond city limits, the Boston metropolitan area covers 11,700 km², which is 1.5x larger than greater Madrid at 8,028 km². The Madrid metro area is also more populous, with 6.8 million people compared to 4.9 million.
Boston has a population density of 2,931 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Madrid, with 5,513 people per km², is a densely populated city. Madrid is noticeably denser, packing 1.9 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Boston in North America versus Madrid in Europe. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Boston has a humid continental climate while Madrid experiences hot-summer Mediterranean conditions. When it's noon in Madrid, it's 6:00 AM in Boston — a 6-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Boston fits inside Madrid ~2 times
Density Gap
Madrid is 1.9x more densely populated
Time Difference
6 hours apart
History
Madrid is ~778 years older
Boston covers 232 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Osaka (225 km²), Kuala Lumpur (243 km²), Amsterdam (219 km²), Helsinki (214 km²), or Edinburgh (259 km²).
Madrid covers 604 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Seoul (605 km²), Mumbai (603 km²), Chicago (606 km²), Toronto (630 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).
The straight-line distance from Boston to Madrid is 5,471 km (3,399 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~6h 56m.
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