Los Angeles
1,302 km²
Washington D.C.
177 km²
USA
USA
Area Comparison
Los Angeles is 7.4x larger than Washington D.C.
Population Comparison
Los Angeles has 5.8x more people than Washington D.C.
Los Angeles is significantly larger, covering 7.4 times the area of Washington D.C.. Los Angeles spans 1,302 km² (503 mi²) while Washington D.C. covers 177 km² (68 mi²) — a difference of 1,125 km². You could fit Washington D.C. inside Los Angeles approximately 7 times.
To put Los Angeles's size in perspective, its area of 1,302 km² is about 1.2x smaller than London. Meanwhile, Washington D.C. at 177 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C..
Los Angeles's footprint is roughly about 182,000 American football fields, 22 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Washington D.C. works out to about 25,000 American football fields, 88 times the area of Monaco, or 52 times the area of Central Park.
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.
Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia and commonly known as simply Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River across from Virginia and shares land borders with Maryland to its north and east. It was named after George Washington, a Founding Father and the first president of the United States.
Also known as "D.C.", Washington D.C. has an area of 177 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. It was established in 1790. Visitors come for White House, U.S. Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Washington Metro.
Washington D.C. sits on the Potomac River across from Virginia and is bordered by Maryland to its north and east
Looking beyond city limits, the Washington D.C. metropolitan area covers 14,412 km², which is 1.1x larger than greater Los Angeles at 12,562 km². The Los Angeles metro area is also more populous, with 13.2 million people compared to 6.3 million.
Los Angeles has a population density of 3,049 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Washington D.C., with 3,898 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Washington D.C. is slightly more compact.
Both Los Angeles and Washington D.C. 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 Washington D.C. experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in Washington D.C., it's 9:00 AM in Los Angeles — a 3-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Washington D.C. fits inside Los Angeles ~7 times
Time Difference
3 hours apart
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).
Washington D.C. covers 177 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Stockholm (188 km²), Brussels (161 km²), Buenos Aires (203 km²), Minneapolis (149 km²), or Helsinki (214 km²).
The straight-line distance from Los Angeles to Washington D.C. is 3,692 km (2,294 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~4h 51m.
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