Houston
1,725 km²
Lagos
1,172 km²
United States
Nigeria
Area Comparison
Houston is 1.5x larger than Lagos
Population Comparison
Houston has 6.7x fewer people than Lagos
Yes — Houston is 1.5x larger than Lagos by area. Houston spans 1,725 km² (666 mi²) while Lagos covers 1,172 km² (453 mi²) — a difference of 553 km².
To put Houston's size in perspective, its area of 1,725 km² is roughly the same size as London. Meanwhile, Lagos at 1,172 km² is about 1.3x the size of Berlin.
In more relatable units, Houston's 1,725 km² is about 242,000 American football fields, 29 times the area of Manhattan, or 16 times the area of Paris. Lagos works out to about 164,000 American football fields, 20 times the area of Manhattan, or 11 times the area of Paris.
Houston is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and the Southern United States. It is the fourth-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 2.3 million at the 2020 census. The Greater Houston metropolitan area, at 7.8 million residents, is the fifth-most populous metropolitan area in the nation and second-most populous in Texas. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, Houston is the county seat of Harris County.
Known as "Space City", Houston covers 1,725 km² with a population of 2.3 million. The city was established in 1836. Houston is known for NASA Johnson Space Center, Space Center Houston, Houston Astros, among other attractions.
Houston is the fourth-most populous US city with 2.3 million residents at the 2020 census, leading the entire South.
Lagos, or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan port city in southwestern Nigeria. As of November 2025, the size of the city's population has been estimated to be between 17 and 21 million residents, making Lagos the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and one of the fastest-growing megacities in the world.
Often called "Lasgidi", Lagos has an area of 1,172 km² and is home to 15.4 million people. It was established in 1472. Visitors come for Victoria Island, Lekki Conservation Centre, Nike Art Gallery, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Lagos Rail (Blue & Red Lines).
Lagos is the most populous urban area on the African continent, with an estimated 17 to 21 million residents as of 2025.
Houston has a population density of 1,333 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Lagos, with 13,131 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Lagos is dramatically more crowded, with 9.9x the population density.
Density Gap
Lagos is 9.9x more densely populated
History
Lagos is ~364 years older
Houston covers 1,725 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Riyadh (1,798 km²), Johannesburg (1,644 km²), Bogotá (1,578 km²), London (1,572 km²), or Bangkok (1,569 km²).
Lagos covers 1,172 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include San Antonio (1,209 km²), Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²), Hong Kong (1,114 km²), Rome (1,285 km²), or Los Angeles (1,302 km²).
The straight-line distance from Houston to Lagos is 10,484 km (6,515 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~12h 50m.
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