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Texas vs California: size comparison

California fits into Texas 1.64 times: 163,694 sq mi (423,965 km²) versus 268,599 sq mi (695,668 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 California on top of Texas at true size

1.64× California fits into Texas 1.64 times

  • Texas 268,599 sq mi below, in its real place
  • California 163,694 sq mi on top, centered on Texas
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 Texas: it preserves areas, so both appear in their true proportion. California has been rotated across the globe, without changing its shape or size, until its center sits on the center of Texas.

The figures

Figure Texas California
Area 268,599 sq mi 695,668 km² · US Census Bureau 163,694 sq mi 423,965 km² · US Census Bureau
Population 31.7 million Census, 2025 39.4 million Census, 2025
Density 118 per sq mi 46 per km² 240 per sq mi 93 per km²
End to end about 810 mi (1,300 km) about 830 mi (1,340 km)
Size rank 2nd of 50 states 3rd of 50 states
Mercator enlarges it ×1.4 centered at 31° N ×1.6 centered at 37° N

Which is bigger, Texas or California?

Texas and California are the two largest of the 48 contiguous states and the two most populous states in the US. Texas wins on area; California on population.

The difference is 104,905 sq mi (271,703 km²), roughly the size of Colorado (104,095 sq mi).

Texas is the 2nd-largest US state, and California is the 3rd-largest.

The Census Bureau’s area for California includes water: 7,834 sq mi (20,289 km²) of lakes, rivers and coastal water. Land alone is 155,861 sq mi (403,677 km²).

Population and density

Texas has a population of 31.7 million and California 39.4 million (US Census Bureau, July 1, 2025 estimate).

That’s 118 per sq mi (46 per km²) in Texas and 240 per sq mi (93 per km²) in California: California has 2.04 times as many people per square mile as Texas.

Although it’s smaller, California has more people: 24% more than Texas.

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. Texas, centered at 31° N, comes out 1.4 times bigger than it really is overall; California, at 37° N, 1.6 times.

That’s why on those maps the gap looks smaller than it is: on paper Texas takes up 1.43 times the space of California, but in reality it’s 1.64 times.

That doesn’t happen on the map on this page: it uses an equal-area projection centered on Texas. 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 Texas is about 810 mi (1,300 km), running northwest to southeast; for California it’s about 830 mi (1,340 km), northwest to southeast.

End to end, they measure almost the same.

Frequently asked questions

Is Texas bigger than California?

Yes. Texas covers 268,599 sq mi (695,668 km²) and California 163,694 sq mi (423,965 km²): Texas is 1.64 times as big.

How many times does California fit into Texas?

1.64 times: 268,599 sq mi (695,668 km²) divided by 163,694 sq mi (423,965 km²). These are the same areas as in the True size map (US Census Bureau).

Which has more people, Texas or California?

California: 39.4 million people versus 31.7 million (24% more). Per square mile, 118 per sq mi (46 per km²) in Texas and 240 per sq mi (93 per km²) in California.

Which country is about the size of Texas?

Myanmar (261,228 sq mi) and Africa (about 11,700,000 sq mi) are the countries closest in area to Texas, which covers 268,599 sq mi (695,668 km²).

More comparisons

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Sources