Denver
401 km²
San Francisco
121 km²
United States
USA
Area Comparison
Denver is 3.3x larger than San Francisco
Population Comparison
Denver has 1.2x fewer people than San Francisco
In terms of area, Denver is 3.3x the size of San Francisco. Denver spans 401 km² (155 mi²) while San Francisco covers 121 km² (47 mi²) — a difference of 280 km². You could fit San Francisco inside Denver approximately 3 times.
To put Denver's size in perspective, its area of 401 km² is about 1.5x smaller than Seoul. Meanwhile, San Francisco at 121 km² is about 1.2x the size of Paris (city proper).
Picture Denver another way: its area is large enough to fit about 56,000 American football fields, 200 times the area of Monaco, or 120 times the area of Central Park. For San Francisco, that's about 17,000 American football fields, 60 times the area of Monaco, or 35 times the area of Central Park.
Denver is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Officially a consolidated city and county, it is located in the South Platte River valley on the western edge of the High Plains, and is just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains (Rockies). Denver is the 19th-most populous city in the United States and the fifth-most populous state capital, with a population of 715,522 at the 2020 census.
Known as "Mile High City", Denver covers 401 km² with a population of 0.7 million. The city was established in 1858. Denver is known for Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Denver Art Museum, Union Station, among other attractions.
Denver sits in the South Platte River valley just east of the Rocky Mountains' Front Range.
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the fourth-most populous city in California and the 17th-most populous in the United States, with a population of 826,079 in 2025. Among U.S. cities with a population of 300,000 or more, San Francisco is ranked first by per capita income, second by population density, and sixth by aggregate income as of 2023.
Nicknamed "The City by the Bay", San Francisco has an area of 121 km² and is home to 0.9 million people. Its history stretches back to 1776. Visitors come for Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, Cable cars, and much more. Getting around is easy with the BART & Muni.
San Francisco ranks first by per capita income among all US cities with 300,000+ residents as of 2023.
Denver has a population density of 1,796 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. San Francisco, with 7,190 people per km², is a densely populated city. San Francisco is dramatically more crowded, with 4.0x the population density.
Denver has a cold semi-arid climate climate while San Francisco experiences Mediterranean conditions.
Size Ratio
San Francisco fits inside Denver ~3 times
Density Gap
San Francisco is 4.0x more densely populated
Denver covers 401 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Vienna (415 km²), Portland (376 km²), Philadelphia (370 km²), Seattle (369 km²), or Dhaka (368 km²).
San Francisco covers 121 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Vancouver (115 km²), Paris (105 km²), Miami (143 km²), Barcelona (101 km²), or Lisbon (100 km²).
The straight-line distance from Denver to San Francisco is 1,525 km (947 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~2h 18m.
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