City Map Compare/Houston vs New York
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5 km
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Houston

1,725 km²

New York

783 km²

Houston vs New York - City Size Comparison

Houston vs New York - City Size Comparison

Houston

United States

Area1,725 km²
Population2.30M
Density1,333 /km²
Elevation13 m
Founded1836
New York

USA

Area783 km²
Population8.34M
Density10,651 /km²
Elevation10 m
Metro Pop.20.1M
Founded1624
Climatehumid subtropical

Area Comparison

Houston is 2.2x larger than New York

Population Comparison

Houston has 3.6x fewer people than New York

Is Houston Bigger Than New York?

In terms of area, Houston is 2.2x the size of New York. Houston spans 1,725 km² (666 mi²) while New York covers 783 km² (302 mi²) — a difference of 942 km². You could fit New York inside Houston approximately 2 times.

To put Houston's size in perspective, its area of 1,725 km² is roughly the same size as London. Meanwhile, New York at 783 km² is about 1.1x smaller than Berlin.

Houston's footprint is roughly about 242,000 American football fields, 29 times the area of Manhattan, or 16 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. New York works out to about 110,000 American football fields, 13 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 times the area of Paris.

About Houston

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.

About New York

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.

Also known as "New York City", New York has an area of 783 km² and is home to 8.3 million people. The city dates back to 1624. Visitors come for Times Square, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, and much more. Getting around is easy with the NYC Subway.

New York City sits on one of the world's largest natural harbors, which shaped its rise as America's commercial gateway.

Population Density

Houston has a population density of 1,333 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. New York, with 10,651 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. New York is dramatically more crowded, with 8.0x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

New York fits inside Houston ~2 times

Density Gap

New York is 8.0x more densely populated

History

New York is ~212 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Houston

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).

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).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Houston actually bigger than New York?
Houston is 2.2 times larger than New York by area. Houston covers 1,725 km² while New York spans 783 km², a difference of 942 km².
How many times does New York fit inside Houston?
New York (783 km²) fits inside Houston (1,725 km²) approximately 2 times. That means Houston is 2.2x the area of New York.
What is the population difference between Houston and New York?
New York has approximately 8.3 million people, while Houston has about 2.3 million. New York has 6.0 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Houston or New York?
New York is more densely populated with 10,651 people per km², compared to 1,333 people per km².
Which city is older, Houston or New York?
New York is older, founded around 1624, while Houston was established around 1836 — a difference of about 212 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 Houston and New York

The straight-line distance from Houston to New York is 2,281 km (1,418 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~3h 11m.

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