New York vs. Virginia: Which State Is Bigger?

New York is larger than Virginia.

Area Comparison

• New York: 54,556 sq mi (141,297 km²) — 27th largest state
• Virginia: 42,769 sq mi (110,787 km²) — 35th largest state

New York is about 27.5% larger by total area.

Land vs. Water

• NY land: 47,126 sq mi | water: 7,430 sq mi (13.6%)
• VA land: 39,490 sq mi | water: 3,279 sq mi (7.7%)

New York's higher water percentage reflects the Great Lakes (Lake Erie, Lake Ontario), Long Island Sound, and Hudson River estuary.

Population (2023 est.)

• New York: ~19.6 million (4th)
• Virginia: ~8.7 million (12th)

NY has 2.25x Virginia's population.

Density

• NY: 421/sq mi
• VA: 206/sq mi

Shape Context

New York's odd shape (Long Island, Adirondacks, western panhandle) makes it seem smaller on some maps than its actual area.