City Map Compare/Brisbane vs Chicago
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Brisbane

15,826 km²

Chicago

606 km²

Brisbane vs Chicago - City Size Comparison

Brisbane vs Chicago - City Size Comparison

Brisbane

Australia

Area15,826 km²
Population2.71M
Density171 /km²
Elevation0 m
Founded1824
Chicago

USA

Area606 km²
Population2.70M
Density4,455 /km²
Elevation176 m
Metro Pop.9.5M
Founded1833
Climatehumid continental

Area Comparison

Brisbane is 26.1x larger than Chicago

Population Comparison

Brisbane has 1.0x more people than Chicago

Is Brisbane Bigger Than Chicago?

Yes — Brisbane is 26.1x larger than Chicago by area. Brisbane spans 15,826 km² (6,110 mi²) while Chicago covers 606 km² (234 mi²) — a difference of 15,220 km². You could fit Chicago inside Brisbane approximately 26 times.

To put Brisbane's size in perspective, its area of 15,826 km² is about 2.5x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Chicago at 606 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul.

Picture Brisbane another way: its area is large enough to fit about 2,200,000 American football fields, 150 times the area of Paris, or 130 times the area of San Francisco. Chicago works out to about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan.

About Brisbane

Brisbane is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Queensland and the third-most populous city in Australia, with a population of approximately 2.8 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of South East Queensland, a bio-geographical and urban region with an estimated population of 4.1 million as of 2024. The central business district is situated within a peninsula of the Brisbane River approximately 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from its mouth at Moreton Bay.

Known as "Brissy", Brisbane covers 15,826 km² with a population of 2.7 million. The city was established in 1824. Brisbane is known for Brisbane River, South Bank Parklands, Story Bridge, among other attractions.

Brisbane is Queensland's capital and Australia's third-most populous city with around 2.8 million residents.

About Chicago

Chicago is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the third-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 2.74 million at the 2020 census. The Chicago metropolitan area has 9.41 million residents and is the third-largest metropolitan area in the country. Chicago is the seat of Cook County, the second-most populous county in the U.S.

Often called "The Windy City", Chicago has an area of 606 km² and is home to 2.7 million people. The city dates back to 1833. Visitors come for Willis Tower, Millennium Park Bean, Navy Pier, and much more. Getting around is easy with the CTA (L train).

Chicago is the third-most populous city in the United States with 2.74 million residents at the 2020 census.

Population Density

Brisbane has a population density of 171 people per km² — a low-density, sprawling urban area. Chicago, with 4,455 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Chicago is dramatically more crowded, with 26.1x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Chicago fits inside Brisbane ~26 times

Density Gap

Chicago is 26.1x more densely populated

Cities Similar in Size to Brisbane

Brisbane covers 15,826 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Beijing (16,411 km²), Hangzhou (16,854 km²), Chengdu (14,378 km²), Sydney (12,368 km²), or Xi'an (10,097 km²).

Cities Similar in Size to Chicago

Chicago covers 606 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Seoul (605 km²), Madrid (604 km²), Mumbai (603 km²), Toronto (630 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Brisbane bigger than Chicago?
Brisbane is 26.1 times larger than Chicago by area. Brisbane covers 15,826 km² while Chicago spans 606 km², a difference of 15,220 km².
How many times does Chicago fit inside Brisbane?
Chicago (606 km²) fits inside Brisbane (15,826 km²) approximately 26 times. That means Brisbane is 26.1x the area of Chicago.
What is the population difference between Brisbane and Chicago?
Brisbane has approximately 2.7 million people, while Chicago has about 2.7 million. Brisbane has 0.0 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Brisbane or Chicago?
Chicago is more densely populated with 4,455 people per km², compared to 171 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 Brisbane and Chicago

The straight-line distance from Brisbane to Chicago is 14,363 km (8,925 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~17h 24m.

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