Chicago
606 km²
Washington D.C.
177 km²
USA
USA
Area Comparison
Chicago is 3.4x larger than Washington D.C.
Population Comparison
Chicago has 3.9x more people than Washington D.C.
Chicago is significantly larger, covering 3.4 times the area of Washington D.C.. Chicago spans 606 km² (234 mi²) while Washington D.C. covers 177 km² (68 mi²) — a difference of 429 km². You could fit Washington D.C. inside Chicago approximately 3 times.
To put Chicago's size in perspective, its area of 606 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, Washington D.C. at 177 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C..
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. For Washington D.C., that's about 25,000 American football fields, 88 times the area of Monaco, or 52 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.
Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia and commonly known as simply Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River across from Virginia and shares land borders with Maryland to its north and east. It was named after George Washington, a Founding Father and the first president of the United States.
Nicknamed "D.C.", Washington D.C. has an area of 177 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. The city dates back to 1790. Visitors come for White House, U.S. Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Washington Metro.
Washington D.C. sits on the Potomac River across from Virginia and is bordered by Maryland to its north and east
Looking beyond city limits, the Chicago metropolitan area covers 28,160 km², which is 2.0x larger than greater Washington D.C. at 14,412 km². The Chicago metro area is also more populous, with 9.5 million people compared to 6.3 million.
Chicago has a population density of 4,455 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Washington D.C., with 3,898 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Chicago is slightly more compact.
Both Chicago and Washington D.C. 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 Washington D.C. experiences humid subtropical conditions.
Size Ratio
Washington D.C. fits inside Chicago ~3 times
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).
Washington D.C. covers 177 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Stockholm (188 km²), Brussels (161 km²), Buenos Aires (203 km²), Minneapolis (149 km²), or Helsinki (214 km²).
The straight-line distance from Chicago to Washington D.C. is 955 km (594 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~1h 37m.
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