Chicago
606 km²
Hanoi
3,359 km²
USA
Vietnam
Area Comparison
Chicago is 5.5x smaller than Hanoi
Population Comparison
Chicago has 3.0x fewer people than Hanoi
Yes — Hanoi is 5.5x larger than Chicago by area. Hanoi spans 3,359 km² (1,297 mi²) while Chicago covers 606 km² (234 mi²) — a difference of 2,753 km². You could fit Chicago inside Hanoi approximately 5 times.
To put Chicago's size in perspective, its area of 606 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, Hanoi at 3,359 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Rhode Island.
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. Hanoi, by comparison, equals about 470,000 American football fields, 57 times the area of Manhattan, or 32 times the area of Paris.
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.
Hanoi is the capital and second-most populous municipality of Vietnam. It encompasses an area of 3,358.6 km2 (1,296.8 mi2), and as of 2025 has a population of 8,807,523. Hanoi had the second-highest gross regional domestic product of all Vietnamese provinces and municipalities at US$48 billion in 2023, behind Ho Chi Minh City. It hosts 78 foreign embassies, the headquarters of the Vietnam People's Army (VPA), its Vietnam National University system, and other governmental organizations.
Nicknamed "City Between Rivers", Hanoi has an area of 3,359 km² and is home to 8.1 million people. It was established in 1010. Visitors come for Hoan Kiem Lake, Old Quarter, Temple of Literature, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Hanoi Metro.
Hanoi encompasses 3,358.6 square kilometers and had a population of nearly 8.8 million as of 2025.
Looking beyond city limits, the Chicago metropolitan area covers 28,160 km², which is 8.4x larger than greater Hanoi at 3,359 km². The Chicago metro area is also more populous, with 9.5 million people compared to 8.1 million.
Chicago has a population density of 4,455 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Hanoi, with 2,397 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Chicago is noticeably denser, packing 1.9 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Chicago in North America versus Hanoi in Asia. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Chicago has a humid continental climate while Hanoi experiences humid subtropical conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Hanoi stays around 17°C while Chicago drops to -3°C. When it's noon in Hanoi, it's midnight in Chicago — a 13-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Chicago fits inside Hanoi ~5 times
Density Gap
Chicago is 1.9x more densely populated
Time Difference
13 hours apart
History
Hanoi is ~823 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).
Hanoi covers 3,359 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Karachi (3,527 km²), Cairo (3,085 km²), Dubai (4,114 km²), Lima (2,672 km²), or Moscow (2,511 km²).
The straight-line distance from Chicago to Hanoi is 12,884 km (8,006 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~15h 39m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.