City Map Compare/Houston vs Tehran
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5 km
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Houston

1,725 km²

Tehran

730 km²

Houston vs Tehran - City Size Comparison

Houston vs Tehran - City Size Comparison

Houston

United States

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

Iran

Area730 km²
Population9.13M
Density12,507 /km²
Elevation1,189 m
Metro Pop.16.0M
Founded1524
Climatehot-summer Mediterranean

Area Comparison

Houston is 2.4x larger than Tehran

Population Comparison

Houston has 4.0x fewer people than Tehran

Is Houston Bigger Than Tehran?

Houston is significantly larger, covering 2.4 times the area of Tehran. Houston spans 1,725 km² (666 mi²) while Tehran covers 730 km² (282 mi²) — a difference of 995 km². You could fit Tehran 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, Tehran at 730 km² is roughly the same size as New York City.

Picture Houston another way: its area is large enough to fit about 242,000 American football fields, 29 times the area of Manhattan, or 16 times the area of Paris. For Tehran, that's about 102,000 American football fields, 12 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 Tehran

Tehran is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is also the capital of Tehran province and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District. With a population of around 9 million in the city, and 16.8 million in the metropolitan area, Tehran is the most populous city in Iran and West Asia, the second-largest metropolitan area in the Middle East after Cairo, and the 24th-most-populous metropolitan area in the world.

Tehran has an area of 730 km² and is home to 9.1 million people. Its history stretches back to 1524. Visitors come for Azadi Tower, Milad Tower, Golestan Palace, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Tehran Metro.

Tehran's metropolitan area holds 16.8 million people, making it the second-largest metropolitan area in the Middle East after Cairo.

Population Density

Houston has a population density of 1,333 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Tehran, with 12,507 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Tehran is dramatically more crowded, with 9.4x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Tehran fits inside Houston ~2 times

Density Gap

Tehran is 9.4x more densely populated

History

Tehran is ~312 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 Tehran

Tehran covers 730 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Singapore (733 km²), Bangalore (741 km²), Hamburg (755 km²), Nairobi (696 km²), or New York (783 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is larger, Houston or Tehran?
Houston is 2.4 times larger than Tehran by area. Houston covers 1,725 km² while Tehran spans 730 km², a difference of 995 km².
How many times does Tehran fit inside Houston?
Tehran (730 km²) fits inside Houston (1,725 km²) approximately 2 times. That means Houston is 2.4x the area of Tehran.
What is the population difference between Houston and Tehran?
Tehran has approximately 9.1 million people, while Houston has about 2.3 million. Tehran has 6.8 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Houston or Tehran?
Tehran is more densely populated with 12,507 people per km², compared to 1,333 people per km².
Which city is older, Houston or Tehran?
Tehran is older, founded around 1524, while Houston was established around 1836 — a difference of about 312 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 Tehran

The straight-line distance from Houston to Tehran is 11,950 km (7,425 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~14h 34m.

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