Boston
232 km²
Seattle
369 km²
USA
United States
Area Comparison
Boston is 1.6x smaller than Seattle
Population Comparison
Boston has 1.1x fewer people than Seattle
In terms of area, Seattle is 1.6x the size of Boston. Seattle spans 369 km² (142 mi²) while Boston covers 232 km² (90 mi²) — a difference of 137 km².
To put Boston's size in perspective, its area of 232 km² is roughly the same size as Amsterdam. Meanwhile, Seattle at 369 km² is about 1.6x smaller than Seoul.
Picture Boston another way: its area is large enough to fit about 32,000 American football fields, 110 times the area of Monaco, or 68 times the area of Central Park. For Seattle, that's about 52,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Monaco, or 110 times the area of Central Park.
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
Seattle is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It is the 18th-most populous city in the United States with a population of 780,995 in 2024, while the Seattle metropolitan area at over 4.15 million residents is the 15th-most populous metropolitan area in the nation. The city is the county seat of King County, the most populous county in Washington.
Also known as "The Emerald City", Seattle has an area of 369 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. Its history stretches back to 1851. Visitors come for Space Needle, Pike Place Market, Starbucks headquarters, and much more.
Seattle is Washington's most populous city with 780,995 residents in 2024, anchoring the Pacific Northwest.
Boston has a population density of 2,931 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Seattle, with 2,005 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Boston is slightly more compact.
Density Gap
Boston is 1.5x more densely populated
History
Boston is ~221 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).
Seattle covers 369 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Philadelphia (370 km²), Dhaka (368 km²), Portland (376 km²), Atlanta (348 km²), or Denver (401 km²).
The straight-line distance from Boston to Seattle is 4,000 km (2,485 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~5h 12m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.