Houston
1,725 km²
Seoul
605 km²
United States
South Korea
Area Comparison
Houston is 2.9x larger than Seoul
Population Comparison
Houston has 4.2x fewer people than Seoul
Yes — Houston is 2.9x larger than Seoul by area. Houston spans 1,725 km² (666 mi²) while Seoul covers 605 km² (234 mi²) — a difference of 1,120 km². You could fit Seoul 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, Seoul at 605 km² is about 1.3x smaller than New York City.
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. Seoul works out to about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan.
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.
Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital and largest city of South Korea, and the largest city in the whole of Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's sixth largest metropolitan economy in 2022, behind New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Paris, and London, and hosts more than half of South Korea's population.
Seoul has an area of 605 km² and is home to 9.8 million people. It was founded around 18 BC. Visitors come for Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gangnam district, Myeongdong shopping, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Seoul Metro.
Seoul Metropolitan Area emerged as the world's sixth largest metropolitan economy in 2022, behind only NYC, Tokyo, LA, Paris, and London.
Houston has a population density of 1,333 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Seoul, with 16,149 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Seoul is dramatically more crowded, with 12.1x the population density.
Size Ratio
Seoul fits inside Houston ~2 times
Density Gap
Seoul is 12.1x more densely populated
History
Seoul is ~1,854 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).
Seoul covers 605 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Chicago (606 km²), Madrid (604 km²), Mumbai (603 km²), Toronto (630 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).
The straight-line distance from Houston to Seoul is 11,330 km (7,040 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~13h 50m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.