City Map Compare/Boston vs Xi'an
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5 km
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Boston

232 km²

Xi'an

10,097 km²

Boston vs Xi'an - City Size Comparison

Boston vs Xi'an - City Size Comparison

Boston

USA

Area232 km²
Population0.68M
Density2,931 /km²
Elevation43 m
Metro Pop.4.9M
Founded1630
Climatehumid continental
Xi'an

People's Republic of China

Area10,097 km²
Population12.95M
Density1,283 /km²
Elevation405 m

Area Comparison

Boston is 43.5x smaller than Xi'an

Population Comparison

Boston has 19.0x fewer people than Xi'an

Is Boston Bigger Than Xi'an?

Yes — Xi'an is 43.5x larger than Boston by area. Xi'an spans 10,097 km² (3,898 mi²) while Boston covers 232 km² (90 mi²) — a difference of 9,865 km². You could fit Boston inside Xi'an approximately 43 times.

To put Boston's size in perspective, its area of 232 km² is roughly the same size as Amsterdam. Meanwhile, Xi'an at 10,097 km² is about 1.6x the size of Shanghai.

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. Xi'an, by comparison, equals about 1,400,000 American football fields, 170 times the area of Manhattan, or 96 times the area of Paris.

About Boston

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

About Xi'an

Xi'an is the capital of the Chinese province of Shaanxi. A sub-provincial city on the Guanzhong plain, the city is the third-most populous city in Western China after Chongqing and Chengdu, as well as the most populous city in Northwestern China. Its total population was 12.95 million in the 2020 census, including an urban population of 9.28 million.

Often called "Ancient Capital", Xi'an has an area of 10,097 km² and is home to 12.9 million people. Visitors come for Terracotta Army, Xi'an City Wall, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and much more.

Xi'an's 2020 census recorded 12.95 million residents, making it the most populous city in Northwestern China.

Population Density

Boston has a population density of 2,931 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Xi'an, with 1,283 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Boston is noticeably denser, packing 2.3 times more people per square kilometer.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Boston fits inside Xi'an ~43 times

Density Gap

Boston is 2.3x more densely populated

Cities Similar in Size to Boston

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).

Cities Similar in Size to Xi'an

Xi'an covers 10,097 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Melbourne (9,993 km²), Wuhan (8,569 km²), Sydney (12,368 km²), Guangzhou (7,434 km²), or Chengdu (14,378 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Boston actually bigger than Xi'an?
Xi'an is 43.5 times larger than Boston by area. Xi'an covers 10,097 km² while Boston spans 232 km², a difference of 9,865 km².
How many times does Boston fit inside Xi'an?
Boston (232 km²) fits inside Xi'an (10,097 km²) approximately 43 times. That means Xi'an is 43.5x the area of Boston.
What is the population difference between Boston and Xi'an?
Xi'an has approximately 12.9 million people, while Boston has about 0.7 million. Xi'an has 12.3 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Boston or Xi'an?
Boston is more densely populated with 2,931 people per km², compared to 1,283 people per km².
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 Boston and Xi'an

The straight-line distance from Boston to Xi'an is 11,495 km (7,143 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~14h 1m.

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