New York
783 km²
Washington D.C.
177 km²
USA
USA
Area Comparison
New York is 4.4x larger than Washington D.C.
Population Comparison
New York has 12.1x more people than Washington D.C.
In terms of area, New York is 4.4x the size of Washington D.C.. New York spans 783 km² (302 mi²) while Washington D.C. covers 177 km² (68 mi²) — a difference of 606 km². You could fit Washington D.C. inside New York approximately 4 times.
To put New York's size in perspective, its area of 783 km² is about 1.1x smaller than Berlin. Meanwhile, Washington D.C. at 177 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C..
Picture New York another way: its area is large enough to fit about 110,000 American football fields, 13 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 times the area of Paris. Washington D.C., by comparison, equals about 25,000 American football fields, 88 times the area of Monaco, or 52 times the area of Central Park.
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.
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.
Often called "D.C.", Washington D.C. has an area of 177 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. The city dates back to 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 New York metropolitan area covers 17,405 km², which is 1.2x larger than greater Washington D.C. at 14,412 km². The New York metro area is also more populous, with 20.1 million people compared to 6.3 million.
New York has a population density of 10,651 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Washington D.C., with 3,898 people per km², is a moderately dense city. New York is noticeably denser, packing 2.7 times more people per square kilometer.
Both New York and Washington D.C. are in USA, making this a domestic size comparison that reveals how differently cities can develop within the same nation.
Both cities share a humid subtropical climate, though local geography creates distinct microclimates in each.
Size Ratio
Washington D.C. fits inside New York ~4 times
Density Gap
New York is 2.7x more densely populated
History
New York is ~166 years older
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).
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 New York to Washington D.C. is 328 km (204 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~53m. See full distance details, including timezone difference and city facts.
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