City Map Compare/Chennai vs Houston
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5 km
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Chennai

427 km²

Houston

1,725 km²

Chennai vs Houston - City Size Comparison

Chennai vs Houston - City Size Comparison

Chennai

India

Area427 km²
Population6.60M
Density15,457 /km²
Elevation6 m
Founded1639
Houston

United States

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

Area Comparison

Chennai is 4.0x smaller than Houston

Population Comparison

Chennai has 2.9x more people than Houston

Is Chennai Bigger Than Houston?

Yes — Houston is 4.0x larger than Chennai by area. Houston spans 1,725 km² (666 mi²) while Chennai covers 427 km² (165 mi²) — a difference of 1,298 km². You could fit Chennai inside Houston approximately 4 times.

To put Chennai's size in perspective, its area of 427 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Seoul. Meanwhile, Houston at 1,725 km² is roughly the same size as London.

In more relatable units, Chennai's 427 km² is about 60,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Central Park, or 7 times the area of Manhattan. For Houston, that's about 242,000 American football fields, 29 times the area of Manhattan, or 16 times the area of Paris.

About Chennai

Chennai, also known as Madras, is the capital and largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. As per the 2011 Indian census, Chennai is the sixth-most-populous city in India and forms the fourth-most-populous urban agglomeration. The city is coterminous with Chennai district, which together with the adjoining suburbs constitutes the Chennai Metropolitan Area, one of the largest metropolitan areas of India.

Known as "Madras", Chennai covers 427 km² with a population of 6.6 million. The city was established in 1639. Chennai is known for Marina Beach, Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Fort St. George, among other attractions.

Chennai, formerly Madras, is the capital of Tamil Nadu and the sixth-most-populous city in India.

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.

Nicknamed "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

Chennai has a population density of 15,457 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Houston, with 1,333 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Chennai is dramatically more crowded, with 11.6x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Chennai fits inside Houston ~4 times

Density Gap

Chennai is 11.6x more densely populated

History

Chennai is ~197 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Chennai

Chennai covers 427 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Vienna (415 km²), Oslo (454 km²), Denver (401 km²), Portland (376 km²), or Philadelphia (370 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

Which is larger, Chennai or Houston?
Houston is 4.0 times larger than Chennai by area. Houston covers 1,725 km² while Chennai spans 427 km², a difference of 1,298 km².
How many times does Chennai fit inside Houston?
Chennai (427 km²) fits inside Houston (1,725 km²) approximately 4 times. That means Houston is 4.0x the area of Chennai.
What is the population difference between Chennai and Houston?
Chennai has approximately 6.6 million people, while Houston has about 2.3 million. Chennai has 4.3 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Chennai or Houston?
Chennai is more densely populated with 15,457 people per km², compared to 1,333 people per km².
Which city is older, Chennai or Houston?
Chennai is older, founded around 1639, while Houston was established around 1836 — a difference of about 197 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 Chennai and Houston

The straight-line distance from Chennai to Houston is 15,229 km (9,463 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~18h 25m.

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