Chicago
606 km²
San Diego
964 km²
USA
United States
Area Comparison
Chicago is 1.6x smaller than San Diego
Population Comparison
Chicago has 1.9x more people than San Diego
Yes — San Diego is 1.6x larger than Chicago by area. San Diego spans 964 km² (372 mi²) while Chicago covers 606 km² (234 mi²) — a difference of 358 km².
To put Chicago's size in perspective, its area of 606 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, San Diego at 964 km² is roughly the same size as Berlin.
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. San Diego works out to about 135,000 American football fields, 16 times the area of Manhattan, or 9 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.
San Diego is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. It is the eighth-most populous city in the U.S. and second-most populous city in California with a population of over 1.4 million, while the San Diego metropolitan area with over 3.3 million residents is the 18th-largest metropolitan area in the country. San Diego is the county seat of San Diego County.
Also known as "America's Finest City", San Diego has an area of 964 km² and is home to 1.4 million people. Its history stretches back to 1769. Visitors come for San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park, Coronado Beach, and much more.
San Diego sits directly on the Mexico-United States border, making it California's southwesternmost major city.
Chicago has a population density of 4,455 people per km² — a moderately dense city. San Diego, with 1,442 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Chicago is dramatically more crowded, with 3.1x the population density.
Density Gap
Chicago is 3.1x more densely populated
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).
San Diego covers 964 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Abu Dhabi (972 km²), Dallas (997 km²), Berlin (892 km²), Santiago (838 km²), or Hong Kong (1,114 km²).
The straight-line distance from Chicago to San Diego is 2,787 km (1,732 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~3h 47m.
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