Phoenix
1,341 km²
San Diego
964 km²
United States
United States
Area Comparison
Phoenix is 1.4x larger than San Diego
Population Comparison
Phoenix has 1.2x more people than San Diego
Phoenix is significantly larger, covering 1.4 times the area of San Diego. Phoenix spans 1,341 km² (518 mi²) while San Diego covers 964 km² (372 mi²) — a difference of 377 km².
To put Phoenix's size in perspective, its area of 1,341 km² is about 1.2x smaller than London. Meanwhile, San Diego at 964 km² is roughly the same size as Berlin.
Picture Phoenix another way: its area is large enough to fit about 188,000 American football fields, 23 times the area of Manhattan, or 13 times the area of Paris. San Diego, by comparison, equals about 135,000 American football fields, 16 times the area of Manhattan, or 9 times the area of Paris.
Phoenix is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, Phoenix is the fifth-most populous city in the United States and the most populous state capital. The Phoenix metropolitan area, with an estimated 5.19 million residents, is the tenth-most populous metropolitan area in the U.S. and the most populous in the Mountain states and Southwest.
Known as "Valley of the Sun", Phoenix covers 1,341 km² with a population of 1.6 million. The city was established in 1868. Phoenix is known for Camelback Mountain, Desert Botanical Garden, Heard Museum, among other attractions.
Phoenix is the most populous U.S. state capital and the fifth-largest city in the country with 1.6 million residents.
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.
Phoenix has a population density of 1,201 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. San Diego, with 1,442 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Both cities have comparable density, though San Diego is slightly more compact.
Phoenix covers 1,341 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Los Angeles (1,302 km²), Rome (1,285 km²), Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²), Delhi (1,484 km²), or Mexico City (1,485 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 Phoenix to San Diego is 481 km (299 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~1h 4m.
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