Chicago
606 km²
Boston
232 km²
USA
USA
Area Comparison
Chicago is 2.6x larger than Boston
Population Comparison
Chicago has 4.0x more people than Boston
Yes — Chicago is 2.6x larger than Boston by area. Chicago spans 606 km² (234 mi²) while Boston covers 232 km² (90 mi²) — a difference of 374 km². You could fit Boston inside Chicago approximately 2 times.
To put Chicago's size in perspective, its area of 606 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, Boston at 232 km² is roughly the same size as Amsterdam.
In more relatable units, Chicago's 606 km² is about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan. Boston works out to about 32,000 American football fields, 110 times the area of Monaco, or 68 times the area of Central Park.
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.
Known as "The Windy City", Chicago covers 606 km² with a population of 2.7 million. The city was established in 1833. Chicago is known for Willis Tower, Millennium Park Bean, Navy Pier, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the CTA (L train).
Chicago is the third-most populous city in the United States with 2.74 million residents at the 2020 census.
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.
Nicknamed "Beantown", Boston has an area of 232 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. The city dates back to 1630. Visitors come for Fenway Park, Freedom Trail, Harvard University, and much more. Getting around is easy with the MBTA (The T).
Boston covers just 125 km2 yet serves as the cultural and financial heart of all New England
Looking beyond city limits, the Chicago metropolitan area covers 28,160 km², which is 2.4x larger than greater Boston at 11,700 km². The Chicago metro area is also more populous, with 9.5 million people compared to 4.9 million.
Chicago has a population density of 4,455 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Boston, with 2,931 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Chicago is noticeably denser, packing 1.5 times more people per square kilometer.
Both Chicago and Boston are in USA, making this a domestic size comparison that reveals how differently cities can develop within the same nation.
Both cities share a humid continental climate, though local geography creates distinct microclimates in each.
Size Ratio
Boston fits inside Chicago ~2 times
Density Gap
Chicago is 1.5x more densely populated
History
Boston is ~203 years older
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).
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).
The straight-line distance from Chicago to Boston is 1,366 km (849 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~2h 6m. See full distance details, including timezone difference and city facts.
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