Los Angeles
1,302 km²
New York
783 km²
USA
USA
Area Comparison
Los Angeles is 1.7x larger than New York
Population Comparison
Los Angeles has 2.1x fewer people than New York
In terms of area, Los Angeles is 1.7x the size of New York. Los Angeles spans 1,302 km² (503 mi²) while New York covers 783 km² (302 mi²) — a difference of 519 km².
To put Los Angeles's size in perspective, its area of 1,302 km² is about 1.2x smaller than London. Meanwhile, New York at 783 km² is about 1.1x smaller than Berlin.
In more relatable units, Los Angeles's 1,302 km² is about 182,000 American football fields, 22 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 times the area of Paris. For New York, that's about 110,000 American football fields, 13 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 times the area of Paris.
Los Angeles (LA) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Southern California. With an estimated 3.88 million residents within the city limits as of 2024, it is the second-most populous city in the United States, behind New York City, and the largest city in the Western United States. The city has an ethnically and culturally diverse population, and is the principal city of a metropolitan area of 12.9 million people (2024).
Known as "The City of Angels", Los Angeles covers 1,302 km² with a population of 4.0 million. The city was established in 1781. Los Angeles is known for Hollywood Sign, Santa Monica Pier, Beverly Hills, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the LA Metro.
Los Angeles is the second-most populous city in the United States, home to 3.88 million residents within city limits as of 2024.
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.
Often called "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.
Looking beyond city limits, the New York metropolitan area covers 17,405 km², which is 1.4x larger than greater Los Angeles at 12,562 km². The New York metro area is also more populous, with 20.1 million people compared to 13.2 million.
Los Angeles has a population density of 3,049 people per km² — a moderately dense city. New York, with 10,651 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. New York is dramatically more crowded, with 3.5x the population density.
Both Los Angeles and New York are in USA, making this a domestic size comparison that reveals how differently cities can develop within the same nation.
Los Angeles has a Mediterranean climate while New York experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in New York, it's 9:00 AM in Los Angeles — a 3-hour time difference.
Density Gap
New York is 3.5x more densely populated
Time Difference
3 hours apart
History
New York is ~157 years older
Los Angeles covers 1,302 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Rome (1,285 km²), Phoenix (1,341 km²), Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²), San Antonio (1,209 km²), or Lagos (1,172 km²).
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).
The straight-line distance from Los Angeles to New York is 3,936 km (2,446 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~5h 8m.
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