City Map Compare/Chicago vs Minneapolis
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5 km
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Chicago

606 km²

Minneapolis

149 km²

Chicago vs Minneapolis - City Size Comparison

Chicago vs Minneapolis - City Size Comparison

Chicago

USA

Area606 km²
Population2.70M
Density4,455 /km²
Elevation176 m
Metro Pop.9.5M
Founded1833
Climatehumid continental
Minneapolis

United States

Area149 km²
Population0.43M
Density2,886 /km²
Elevation264 m
Founded1850
Climatehot-summer humid continental climate

Area Comparison

Chicago is 4.1x larger than Minneapolis

Population Comparison

Chicago has 6.3x more people than Minneapolis

Is Chicago Bigger Than Minneapolis?

In terms of area, Chicago is 4.1x the size of Minneapolis. Chicago spans 606 km² (234 mi²) while Minneapolis covers 149 km² (58 mi²) — a difference of 457 km². You could fit Minneapolis inside Chicago approximately 4 times.

To put Chicago's size in perspective, its area of 606 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, Minneapolis at 149 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Washington D.C..

Chicago's footprint is roughly about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Minneapolis works out to about 21,000 American football fields, 74 times the area of Monaco, or 44 times the area of Central Park.

About Chicago

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.

About Minneapolis

Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 census, it is the state's most populous city. Located in the state's center near the eastern border, it occupies both banks of the Upper Mississippi River and adjoins Saint Paul, the state capital of Minnesota. Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and the surrounding area are collectively known as the Twin Cities, a metropolitan area with 3.69 million residents.

Nicknamed "Twin Cities", Minneapolis has an area of 149 km² and is home to 0.4 million people. It was established in 1850. Visitors come for Mall of America, Mississippi River, Minnehaha Falls, and much more.

Minneapolis straddles both banks of the Upper Mississippi River and adjoins Saint Paul, Minnesota's state capital.

Population Density

Chicago has a population density of 4,455 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Minneapolis, with 2,886 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Chicago is noticeably denser, packing 1.5 times more people per square kilometer.

Climate & Time Zone

Chicago has a humid continental climate while Minneapolis experiences hot-summer humid continental climate conditions.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Minneapolis fits inside Chicago ~4 times

Density Gap

Chicago is 1.5x more densely populated

Cities Similar in Size to Chicago

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).

Cities Similar in Size to Minneapolis

Minneapolis covers 149 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Miami (143 km²), Brussels (161 km²), Washington D.C. (177 km²), San Francisco (121 km²), or Stockholm (188 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is larger, Chicago or Minneapolis?
Chicago is 4.1 times larger than Minneapolis by area. Chicago covers 606 km² while Minneapolis spans 149 km², a difference of 457 km².
How many times does Minneapolis fit inside Chicago?
Minneapolis (149 km²) fits inside Chicago (606 km²) approximately 4 times. That means Chicago is 4.1x the area of Minneapolis.
What is the population difference between Chicago and Minneapolis?
Chicago has approximately 2.7 million people, while Minneapolis has about 0.4 million. Chicago has 2.3 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Chicago or Minneapolis?
Chicago is more densely populated with 4,455 people per km², compared to 2,886 people per km².
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 Chicago and Minneapolis

The straight-line distance from Chicago to Minneapolis is 571 km (355 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~1h 10m.

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