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USA
USA
Area Comparison
Chicago is 2.1x smaller than Los Angeles
Population Comparison
Chicago has 1.5x fewer people than Los Angeles
Los Angeles is significantly larger, covering 2.1 times the area of Chicago. Los Angeles spans 1,302 km² (503 mi²) while Chicago covers 606 km² (234 mi²) — a difference of 696 km². You could fit Chicago inside Los Angeles approximately 2 times.
To put Chicago's size in perspective, its area of 606 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, Los Angeles at 1,302 km² is about 1.2x smaller than London.
Third-largest city in the United States. 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 Deep-dish pizza, Willis Tower, Millennium Park & Cloud Gate, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the CTA (L train).
Chicago reversed the flow of the Chicago River in 1900, an engineering feat that still stands
The entertainment capital of the world. Often called "LA", Los Angeles has an area of 1,302 km² and is home to 4.0 million people. The city dates back to 1781. Visitors come for Hollywood, Venice Beach, Griffith Observatory, and much more. Getting around is easy with the LA Metro.
LA's sprawling metro area is larger than some US states
Looking beyond city limits, the Chicago metropolitan area covers 28,160 km², which is 2.2x larger than greater Los Angeles at 12,562 km². The Los Angeles metro area is also more populous, with 13.2 million people compared to 9.5 million.
Chicago has a population density of 4,455 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Los Angeles, with 3,049 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Chicago is slightly more compact.
Both Chicago and Los Angeles are in USA, making this a domestic size comparison that reveals how differently cities can develop within the same nation.
Chicago has a humid continental climate while Los Angeles experiences Mediterranean conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Los Angeles stays around 14°C while Chicago drops to -3°C. When it's noon in Chicago, it's 10:00 AM in Los Angeles — a 2-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Chicago fits inside Los Angeles ~2 times
Density Gap
Chicago is 1.5x more densely populated
The straight-line distance from Chicago to Los Angeles is 2,804 km (1,742 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~3h 48m. See full distance details, including timezone difference and city facts.
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