Illinois Size Rank Among U.S. States

24th Largest by Land Area

Illinois covers 57,914 square miles (149,998 km²), making it the 24th largest state.

Comparative Context

• Slightly smaller than Ohio (44,825 mi²? Wait—Ohio is 44,825 sq mi, so Illinois is actually larger. Correction: Illinois 57,914 > Ohio 44,825. The original said "slightly smaller than Ohio"—that's incorrect. Let's use accurate comparisons.)
• Larger than Iowa (56,273 mi²) and Wisconsin (54,158 mi²).
• Smaller than Georgia (59,425 mi²) and Florida (65,758 mi²).

Ranking Neighbors

1. ... 22: Georgia (59,425)
2. 23: Wisconsin (65,496? Wait—Wisconsin is 65,496 sq mi? Actually Wisconsin is 65,496 sq mi total area, but land area is 54,158. Let's use land area consistently. Illinois land: 55,519 sq mi? Different sources vary. The original said 57,914 sq mi. I'll stick with that as total area.)

Better to state: Illinois ranks 24th in total area (land + water). In land area only, it's 25th (after Wisconsin).

Key Takeaway

Illinois is a mid-sized state—larger than half the states, smaller than half. Its geographic position (Midwest, Great Lakes) gives it outsized economic and transportation importance relative to its size rank.