Los Angeles
1,302 km²
San Diego
964 km²
USA
United States
Area Comparison
Los Angeles is 1.4x larger than San Diego
Population Comparison
Los Angeles has 2.9x more people than San Diego
Yes — Los Angeles is 1.4x larger than San Diego by area. Los Angeles spans 1,302 km² (503 mi²) while San Diego covers 964 km² (372 mi²) — a difference of 338 km².
To put Los Angeles's size in perspective, its area of 1,302 km² is about 1.2x smaller than London. Meanwhile, San Diego at 964 km² is roughly the same size as 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. San Diego works out to about 135,000 American football fields, 16 times the area of Manhattan, or 9 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.
San Diego is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. It is the eighth-most populous city in the U.S. and second-most populous city in California with a population of over 1.4 million, while the San Diego metropolitan area with over 3.3 million residents is the 18th-largest metropolitan area in the country. San Diego is the county seat of San Diego County.
Nicknamed "America's Finest City", San Diego has an area of 964 km² and is home to 1.4 million people. The city dates back to 1769. Visitors come for San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park, Coronado Beach, and much more.
San Diego sits directly on the Mexico-United States border, making it California's southwesternmost major city.
Los Angeles has a population density of 3,049 people per km² — a moderately dense city. San Diego, with 1,442 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Los Angeles is noticeably denser, packing 2.1 times more people per square kilometer.
Density Gap
Los Angeles is 2.1x more densely populated
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).
San Diego covers 964 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Abu Dhabi (972 km²), Dallas (997 km²), Berlin (892 km²), Santiago (838 km²), or Hong Kong (1,114 km²).
The straight-line distance from Los Angeles to San Diego is 179 km (111 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~43m.
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