City Map Compare/Brussels vs Houston
vs
5 km
|

Brussels

161 km²

Houston

1,725 km²

Brussels vs Houston - City Size Comparison

Brussels vs Houston - City Size Comparison

Brussels

Belgium

Area161 km²
Population1.26M
Density7,826 /km²
Elevation13 m
Founded1989
Houston

United States

Area1,725 km²
Population2.30M
Density1,333 /km²
Elevation13 m
Founded1836

Area Comparison

Brussels is 10.7x smaller than Houston

Population Comparison

Brussels has 1.8x fewer people than Houston

Is Brussels Bigger Than Houston?

In terms of area, Houston is 10.7x the size of Brussels. Houston spans 1,725 km² (666 mi²) while Brussels covers 161 km² (62 mi²) — a difference of 1,564 km². You could fit Brussels inside Houston approximately 10 times.

To put Brussels's size in perspective, its area of 161 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C.. Meanwhile, Houston at 1,725 km² is roughly the same size as London.

Picture Brussels another way: its area is large enough to fit about 23,000 American football fields, 80 times the area of Monaco, or 47 times the area of Central Park. Houston works out to about 242,000 American football fields, 29 times the area of Manhattan, or 16 times the area of Paris.

About Brussels

Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, is a region of Belgium comprising 19 municipalities, including the City of Brussels, which is the capital of Belgium. The Brussels-Capital Region is located in the central portion of the country. It is a part of both the French Community of Belgium and the Flemish Community, and is separate from the Flemish Region (Flanders), within which it forms an enclave, and the Walloon Region (Wallonia), located less than 4 km (2.5 mi) south.

Known as "Capital of Europe", Brussels covers 161 km² with a population of 1.3 million. The city was established in 1989. Brussels is known for Grand Place, Manneken Pis, Atomium, among other attractions.

The Brussels-Capital Region comprises 19 municipalities and forms an enclave entirely within the Flemish Region.

About Houston

Houston is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and the Southern United States. It is the fourth-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 2.3 million at the 2020 census. The Greater Houston metropolitan area, at 7.8 million residents, is the fifth-most populous metropolitan area in the nation and second-most populous in Texas. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, Houston is the county seat of Harris County.

Also known as "Space City", Houston has an area of 1,725 km² and is home to 2.3 million people. The city dates back to 1836. Visitors come for NASA Johnson Space Center, Space Center Houston, Houston Astros, and much more.

Houston is the fourth-most populous US city with 2.3 million residents at the 2020 census, leading the entire South.

Population Density

Brussels has a population density of 7,826 people per km² — a densely populated city. Houston, with 1,333 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Brussels is dramatically more crowded, with 5.9x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Brussels fits inside Houston ~10 times

Density Gap

Brussels is 5.9x more densely populated

History

Houston is ~153 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Brussels

Brussels covers 161 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Minneapolis (149 km²), Washington D.C. (177 km²), Miami (143 km²), Stockholm (188 km²), or Buenos Aires (203 km²).

Cities Similar in Size to Houston

Houston covers 1,725 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Riyadh (1,798 km²), Johannesburg (1,644 km²), Bogotá (1,578 km²), London (1,572 km²), or Bangkok (1,569 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Brussels actually bigger than Houston?
Houston is 10.7 times larger than Brussels by area. Houston covers 1,725 km² while Brussels spans 161 km², a difference of 1,564 km².
How many times does Brussels fit inside Houston?
Brussels (161 km²) fits inside Houston (1,725 km²) approximately 10 times. That means Houston is 10.7x the area of Brussels.
What is the population difference between Brussels and Houston?
Houston has approximately 2.3 million people, while Brussels has about 1.3 million. Houston has 1.0 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Brussels or Houston?
Brussels is more densely populated with 7,826 people per km², compared to 1,333 people per km².
Which city is older, Brussels or Houston?
Houston is older, founded around 1836, while Brussels was established around 1989 — a difference of about 153 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 Brussels and Houston

The straight-line distance from Brussels to Houston is 8,117 km (5,044 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~10h 3m.

Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.