Chicago
606 km²
Edinburgh
259 km²
USA
United Kingdom
Area Comparison
Chicago is 2.3x larger than Edinburgh
Population Comparison
Chicago has 5.5x more people than Edinburgh
Yes — Chicago is 2.3x larger than Edinburgh by area. Chicago spans 606 km² (234 mi²) while Edinburgh covers 259 km² (100 mi²) — a difference of 347 km². You could fit Edinburgh 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, Edinburgh at 259 km² is about 1.2x the size of Amsterdam.
Picture Chicago another way: its area is large enough to fit about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan. For Edinburgh, that's about 36,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Monaco, or 76 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.
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. It is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh had a population of 506,520 in 2020, making it the second-most-populous city in Scotland and the seventh-most-populous in the United Kingdom. The wider metropolitan area had a population of 912,490 in the same year.
Nicknamed "Auld Reekie", Edinburgh has an area of 259 km² and is home to 0.5 million people. Its history stretches back to 601. Visitors come for Edinburgh Castle, Royal Mile, Arthur's Seat, and much more.
Edinburgh is bounded by the Firth of Forth to the north and the Pentland Hills to the south.
Chicago has a population density of 4,455 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Edinburgh, with 1,892 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Chicago is noticeably denser, packing 2.4 times more people per square kilometer.
Size Ratio
Edinburgh fits inside Chicago ~2 times
Density Gap
Chicago is 2.4x more densely populated
History
Edinburgh is ~1,232 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).
Edinburgh covers 259 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Taipei (272 km²), Kuala Lumpur (243 km²), Boston (232 km²), Osaka (225 km²), or Amsterdam (219 km²).
The straight-line distance from Chicago to Edinburgh is 5,959 km (3,703 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~7h 31m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.