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Alaska vs Texas: size comparison

Texas fits into Alaska 2.18 times: 268,599 sq mi (695,668 km²) versus about 586,000 sq mi (1,520,000 km²). Here you can see both overlaid at their true size, with their population, density and end-to-end distance.

By the Mapsfera Team

Map of Texas on top of Alaska at true size

2.18× Texas fits into Alaska 2.18 times

  • Alaska about 586,000 sq mi below, in its real place
  • Texas 268,599 sq mi on top, centered on Alaska
Move them in “True size map”

Drag both across a Mercator map and watch how they change with latitude.

Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection centered on Alaska: it preserves areas, so both appear in their true proportion. Texas has been rotated across the globe, without changing its shape or size, until its center sits on the center of Alaska.

The figures

Figure Alaska Texas
Area about 586,000 sq mi 1,520,000 km² · measured on the outline 268,599 sq mi 695,668 km² · US Census Bureau
Population 737,270 Census, 2025 31.7 million Census, 2025
Density 1.3 per sq mi 0.49 per km² 118 per sq mi 46 per km²
End to end about 2,270 mi (3,650 km) about 810 mi (1,300 km)
Size rank 1st of 50 states 2nd of 50 states
Mercator enlarges it ×5.4 centered at 64° N ×1.4 centered at 31° N

Which is bigger, Alaska or Texas?

Alaska is by far the largest US state, but many maps of the country shrink it into a small box next to Hawaii, which is why its real size surprises people. Population is the other way around: Texas has vastly more people.

The difference is about 318,000 sq mi (823,000 km²), roughly the size of Namibia (318,261 sq mi).

Texas is the 2nd-largest US state.

Population and density

Alaska has a population of 737,270 and Texas 31.7 million (US Census Bureau, July 1, 2025 estimate).

That’s 1.3 per sq mi (0.49 per km²) in Alaska and 118 per sq mi (46 per km²) in Texas: Texas has 93.9 times as many people per square mile as Alaska.

Although it’s smaller, Texas has more people: 43.0 times as many as Alaska.

Why they look different on a regular world map

On the Mercator projection, used by Google Maps and many world maps, everything gets bigger the farther it is from the equator. Alaska, centered at 64° N, comes out 5.4 times bigger than it really is overall; Texas, at 31° N, 1.4 times.

That’s why on those maps the gap looks bigger than it is: on paper Alaska takes up 8.58 times the space of Texas, but in reality it’s 2.18 times.

That doesn’t happen on the map on this page: it uses an equal-area projection centered on Alaska. To move them across a Mercator map yourself, open them in the True size map.

From end to end

The longest straight line between two points of Alaska is about 2,270 mi (3,650 km), running southwest to northeast; for Texas it’s about 810 mi (1,300 km), northwest to southeast.

End to end, Alaska is 2.81 times as long as Texas.

Frequently asked questions

Is Alaska bigger than Texas?

Yes. Alaska covers about 586,000 sq mi (1,520,000 km²) and Texas 268,599 sq mi (695,668 km²): Alaska is 2.18 times as big.

How many times does Texas fit into Alaska?

2.18 times: about 586,000 sq mi (1,520,000 km²) divided by 268,599 sq mi (695,668 km²). These are the same areas as in the True size map (measured on the outline and US Census Bureau).

Which has more people, Alaska or Texas?

Texas: 31.7 million people versus 737,270 (43.0 times as many). Per square mile, 1.3 per sq mi (0.49 per km²) in Alaska and 118 per sq mi (46 per km²) in Texas.

Why does Alaska look bigger on maps?

Because of the Mercator projection: Alaska is farther from the equator (centered at 64° N), and that map enlarges its area 5.4 times, versus 1.4 times for Texas. On an equal-area projection, like the map on this page, they appear in their true proportion.

Which country is about the size of Alaska?

Mongolia (603,909 sq mi) and Iran (673,806 sq mi) are the countries closest in area to Alaska, which covers about 586,000 sq mi (1,520,000 km²).

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