City Map Compare/Dallas vs San Diego
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Dallas

997 km²

San Diego

964 km²

Dallas vs San Diego - City Size Comparison

Dallas vs San Diego - City Size Comparison

Dallas

United States

Area997 km²
Population1.30M
Density1,304 /km²
Elevation131 m
Founded1841
San Diego

United States

Area964 km²
Population1.39M
Density1,442 /km²
Elevation422 m
Founded1769

Area Comparison

Dallas is 1.0x larger than San Diego

Population Comparison

Dallas has 1.1x fewer people than San Diego

Is Dallas Bigger Than San Diego?

In terms of area, Dallas is 1.0x the size of San Diego. Dallas spans 997 km² (385 mi²) while San Diego covers 964 km² (372 mi²) — a difference of 33 km².

To put Dallas's size in perspective, its area of 997 km² is about 1.1x the size of Berlin. Meanwhile, San Diego at 964 km² is roughly the same size as Berlin.

Dallas's footprint is roughly about 140,000 American football fields, 17 times the area of Manhattan, or 9 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. For San Diego, that's about 135,000 American football fields, 16 times the area of Manhattan, or 9 times the area of Paris.

About Dallas

Dallas is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. Located in the state's northern region, it is the ninth-most populous city in the United States and third-most populous city in Texas, with a population of 1.3 million at the 2020 census. Along with the city of Fort Worth, Dallas anchors the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-most populous metropolitan area in the U.S. and the most populous metropolitan area in Texas, at 8.5 million people.

Known as "Big D", Dallas covers 997 km² with a population of 1.3 million. The city was established in 1841. Dallas is known for Dealey Plaza, Reunion Tower, Dallas Cowboys, among other attractions.

Dallas is the ninth-most populous U.S. city and the third-largest in Texas with 1.3 million residents.

About San Diego

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. It was established in 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.

Population Density

Dallas has a population density of 1,304 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. San Diego, with 1,442 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Both cities have comparable density, though San Diego is slightly more compact.

Cities Similar in Size to Dallas

Dallas covers 997 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Abu Dhabi (972 km²), San Diego (964 km²), Hong Kong (1,114 km²), Berlin (892 km²), or Lagos (1,172 km²).

Cities Similar in Size to San Diego

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).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dallas actually bigger than San Diego?
Dallas is 1.0 times larger than San Diego by area. Dallas covers 997 km² while San Diego spans 964 km², a difference of 33 km².
How many times does San Diego fit inside Dallas?
San Diego (964 km²) fits inside Dallas (997 km²) approximately 1 times. That means Dallas is 1.0x the area of San Diego.
What is the population difference between Dallas and San Diego?
San Diego has approximately 1.4 million people, while Dallas has about 1.3 million. San Diego has 0.1 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Dallas or San Diego?
San Diego is more densely populated with 1,442 people per km², compared to 1,304 people per km².
Which city is older, Dallas or San Diego?
San Diego is older, founded around 1769, while Dallas was established around 1841 — a difference of about 72 years.
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 Dallas and San Diego

The straight-line distance from Dallas to San Diego is 1,901 km (1,181 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~2h 44m.

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