City Map Compare/San Diego vs Seattle
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San Diego

964 km²

Seattle

369 km²

San Diego vs Seattle - City Size Comparison

San Diego vs Seattle - City Size Comparison

San Diego

United States

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

United States

Area369 km²
Population0.74M
Density2,005 /km²
Elevation40 m
Founded1851

Area Comparison

San Diego is 2.6x larger than Seattle

Population Comparison

San Diego has 1.9x more people than Seattle

Is San Diego Bigger Than Seattle?

In terms of area, San Diego is 2.6x the size of Seattle. San Diego spans 964 km² (372 mi²) while Seattle covers 369 km² (142 mi²) — a difference of 595 km². You could fit Seattle inside San Diego approximately 2 times.

To put San Diego's size in perspective, its area of 964 km² is roughly the same size as Berlin. Meanwhile, Seattle at 369 km² is about 1.6x smaller than Seoul.

San Diego's footprint is roughly about 135,000 American football fields, 16 times the area of Manhattan, or 9 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Seattle works out to about 52,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Monaco, or 110 times the area of Central Park.

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.

Known as "America's Finest City", San Diego covers 964 km² with a population of 1.4 million. The city was established in 1769. San Diego is known for San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park, Coronado Beach, among other attractions.

San Diego sits directly on the Mexico-United States border, making it California's southwesternmost major city.

About Seattle

Seattle is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It is the 18th-most populous city in the United States with a population of 780,995 in 2024, while the Seattle metropolitan area at over 4.15 million residents is the 15th-most populous metropolitan area in the nation. The city is the county seat of King County, the most populous county in Washington.

Often called "The Emerald City", Seattle has an area of 369 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. The city dates back to 1851. Visitors come for Space Needle, Pike Place Market, Starbucks headquarters, and much more.

Seattle is Washington's most populous city with 780,995 residents in 2024, anchoring the Pacific Northwest.

Population Density

San Diego has a population density of 1,442 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Seattle, with 2,005 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Seattle is slightly more compact.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Seattle fits inside San Diego ~2 times

Density Gap

Seattle is 1.4x more densely populated

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).

Cities Similar in Size to Seattle

Seattle covers 369 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Philadelphia (370 km²), Dhaka (368 km²), Portland (376 km²), Atlanta (348 km²), or Denver (401 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is San Diego actually bigger than Seattle?
San Diego is 2.6 times larger than Seattle by area. San Diego covers 964 km² while Seattle spans 369 km², a difference of 595 km².
How many times does Seattle fit inside San Diego?
Seattle (369 km²) fits inside San Diego (964 km²) approximately 2 times. That means San Diego is 2.6x the area of Seattle.
What is the population difference between San Diego and Seattle?
San Diego has approximately 1.4 million people, while Seattle has about 0.7 million. San Diego has 0.6 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, San Diego or Seattle?
Seattle is more densely populated with 2,005 people per km², compared to 1,442 people per km².
Which city is older, San Diego or Seattle?
San Diego is older, founded around 1769, while Seattle was established around 1851 — a difference of about 82 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 San Diego and Seattle

The straight-line distance from San Diego to Seattle is 1,712 km (1,064 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~2h 31m.

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