How Big Is New York?

United States · North America

Area

783 km²

302 mi²

Population

8.3M

Metro: 20.1M

Density

10,651/km²

Founded

1624

Those figures stop at the official city limits. Measured by continuous built-up land, New York's urban area covers 3,031 km² and has 14.2 million people (2025), the 22nd largest in the world. Source: GHSL Urban Centre Database R2024A, European Commission JRC (CC BY 4.0).

New York Size Overview

New York covers an area of 783 km² (302 mi²) in United States, North America. Most populous city in the United States. The city is often called "New York City". To put this in perspective, New York is about 1.1x smaller than Berlin. In more relatable units, that's about 110,000 American football fields, 13 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 times the area of Paris.

New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States. It is located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive with its respective county. It is the geographical and demographic center of both the Northeast megalopolis and the New York metropolitan area, the largest metropolitan area in the United States by both population and urban area.

With a population of 8.3 million (20.1 million in the metropolitan area), New York has a population density of 10,651 people per km². The greater New York metropolitan area extends to 17,405 km².

New York has a history stretching back to 1624. The city is renowned for Times Square, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, and Central Park.

New York has a humid subtropical climate, with summer temperatures averaging 25°C and winters around 1°C. The city's main public transit system is the NYC Subway.

Did You Know?

  • New York City sits on one of the world's largest natural harbors, which shaped its rise as America's commercial gateway.
  • The city is divided into five boroughs, each one coextensive with its own county — a unique civic structure.
  • NYC anchors the largest metropolitan area in the United States by both population and urban area.

Compare New York with Other Cities

Compare New York with any city using our interactive map tool.

Cities Similar in Size to New York

New York covers 783 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Hamburg (755 km²), Bangalore (741 km²), Kyoto (828 km²), Singapore (733 km²), or Santiago (838 km²).

Frequently Asked Questions about New York

How big is New York in square miles?
New York covers 783 km², which is approximately 302 square miles. The metropolitan area extends to 17,405 km² (6,720 mi²).
What is the population of New York?
New York has a population of approximately 8.3 million people. The greater metropolitan area is home to 20.1 million.
What is the population density of New York?
New York has a population density of 10,651 people per km² (27,586 per mi²).
How does New York compare to Tokyo?
New York covers 783 km² while Tokyo covers 2,194 km². Tokyo is 2.8x larger. Use our interactive map tool to compare them side by side.
Can I compare New York with other cities on a map?
Yes! City Map Compare lets you compare New York with any of 96 other cities side by side on synchronized maps. Both maps maintain the same zoom level so you can see the real difference in size.