City Map Compare/New York vs San Diego
vs
5 km
|

New York

783 km²

San Diego

964 km²

New York vs San Diego - City Size Comparison

New York vs San Diego - City Size Comparison

New York

USA

Area783 km²
Population8.34M
Density10,651 /km²
Elevation10 m
Metro Pop.20.1M
Founded1624
Climatehumid subtropical
San Diego

United States

Area964 km²
Population1.39M
Density1,442 /km²
Elevation422 m
Founded1769

Area Comparison

New York is 1.2x smaller than San Diego

Population Comparison

New York has 6.0x more people than San Diego

Is New York Bigger Than San Diego?

Yes — San Diego is 1.2x larger than New York by area. San Diego spans 964 km² (372 mi²) while New York covers 783 km² (302 mi²) — a difference of 181 km².

To put New York's size in perspective, its area of 783 km² is about 1.1x smaller than Berlin. Meanwhile, San Diego at 964 km² is roughly the same size as Berlin.

New York's footprint is roughly about 110,000 American football fields, 13 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. For San Diego, that's about 135,000 American football fields, 16 times the area of Manhattan, or 9 times the area of Paris.

About New York

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.

Known as "New York City", New York covers 783 km² with a population of 8.3 million. The city was established in 1624. New York is known for Times Square, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is 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.

About San Diego

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. It was established in 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.

Population Density

New York has a population density of 10,651 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. San Diego, with 1,442 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. New York is dramatically more crowded, with 7.4x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Density Gap

New York is 7.4x more densely populated

History

New York is ~145 years older

Cities Similar in Size to New York

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).

Cities Similar in Size to San Diego

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).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is larger, New York or San Diego?
San Diego is 1.2 times larger than New York by area. San Diego covers 964 km² while New York spans 783 km², a difference of 181 km².
How many times does New York fit inside San Diego?
New York (783 km²) fits inside San Diego (964 km²) approximately 1 times. That means San Diego is 1.2x the area of New York.
What is the population difference between New York and San Diego?
New York has approximately 8.3 million people, while San Diego has about 1.4 million. New York has 7.0 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, New York or San Diego?
New York is more densely populated with 10,651 people per km², compared to 1,442 people per km².
Which city is older, New York or San Diego?
New York is older, founded around 1624, while San Diego was established around 1769 — a difference of about 145 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 New York and San Diego

The straight-line distance from New York to San Diego is 3,907 km (2,428 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~5h 6m.

Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.