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USA
USA
Area Comparison
San Francisco is 1.5x smaller than Washington D.C.
Population Comparison
San Francisco has 1.3x more people than Washington D.C.
Yes — Washington D.C. is 1.5x larger than San Francisco by area. Washington D.C. spans 177 km² (68 mi²) while San Francisco covers 121 km² (47 mi²) — a difference of 56 km².
To put San Francisco's size in perspective, its area of 121 km² is about 1.2x the size of Paris (city proper). Meanwhile, Washington D.C. at 177 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C..
A cultural and financial center in Northern California. Known as "SF", San Francisco covers 121 km² with a population of 0.9 million. The city was established in 1776. San Francisco is known for Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, Cable cars, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the BART & Muni.
San Francisco's 121 km² makes it one of the smallest major US cities by area
Capital 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. Its history stretches back to 1790. Visitors come for The White House, Lincoln Memorial, Smithsonian museums, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Washington Metro.
D.C. has more free museums than any other city in the US — all 19 Smithsonian museums charge no admission
Looking beyond city limits, the Washington D.C. metropolitan area covers 14,412 km², which is 2.1x larger than greater San Francisco at 6,984 km². The Washington D.C. metro area is also more populous, with 6.3 million people compared to 4.7 million.
San Francisco has a population density of 7,190 people per km² — a densely populated city. Washington D.C., with 3,898 people per km², is a moderately dense city. San Francisco is noticeably denser, packing 1.8 times more people per square kilometer.
Both San Francisco and Washington D.C. are in USA, making this a domestic size comparison that reveals how differently cities can develop within the same nation.
San Francisco has a Mediterranean climate while Washington D.C. experiences humid subtropical conditions. Summers are notably different: Washington D.C. averages 26°C compared to 17°C in San Francisco. When it's noon in Washington D.C., it's 9:00 AM in San Francisco — a 3-hour time difference.
Density Gap
San Francisco is 1.8x more densely populated
Time Difference
3 hours apart
The straight-line distance from San Francisco to Washington D.C. is 3,919 km (2,435 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~5h 7m. See full distance details, including timezone difference and city facts.
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