A Texas and Alaska comparison is always going to be a tricky one. Why? Both states have a lot in common, including tons of differences.
Firstly, years ago, both states were claimed by similar groups and countries, such as France, Russia, Mexico, and Spain. And the hospitality shown by residents in both states is on another level.
Residents in Texas and Alaska enjoy a robust outdoor life. And both states are the biggest by land area in the United States of America.
But the question many would be asking is how big Texas is compared to Alaska? Here’s a detailed comparison of both states.
Texas Vs. Alaska size: How Big Both States Are
To start with, Alaska is shockingly huge. It boasts the biggest landmass in the United States of America.
Texas boasts the second-largest landmass in the country, but it’s not as big as Alaska.
Alaska is more massive than Texas, Montana, and California put together. You could even fit Texas into Alaska twice.
Now, let’s delve into other details about Alaska and Texas.
How Big Is Alaska?
Everyone knows Alaska is the biggest US state. But the question is, “how big is the state by land area?”
Alaska’s land mass is 1,481,348 sq. km. Thus, it is 118 percent bigger than Texas. It is also 2.7 times bigger than France, and 4.2 times larger than Germany.
France’s landmass is approximately 551,500 sq. km, while Germany’s is about 357,022 sq. km.
So, you can see how huge Alaska is. It is bigger than France and Germany combined.
When comparing other states in the country, you’ll find that you can fit 19 states into Alaska. Some of them include New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Florida, and Oklahoma.
Furthermore, Alaska boasts the longest coastline among all the 50 states in the country
How Big Is Texas?
Regarding size, Texas is nowhere near Alaska. Alaska’s land mass is 2.5 times bigger than Texas.
Alaska is also 1.9 times higher (from north to south) and 3.1 times broader (east to west) than Texas.
Nevertheless, being the second-biggest state in the US means Texas’ size is worth discussing.
But let’s face it: Texas, the Lone Star State, is large too. Its landmass is 695,662 sq km. And compared to other countries, Texas is bigger than Germany and France.
Another known fact is Texas is larger than all the European countries, except Russia. And you can fit the whole of Britain in Texas.
The state is reportedly 2.8 times, in land area, larger than the United Kingdom. And if it were to be a separate country, it would be the 39th largest out of 197 countries globally.
A Handy Tip: Texas is 1.6 times bigger than California, but the former has a higher population size.
Alaska Vs. Texas Population Size
Alaska’s size would easily tempt anyone to believe it has the highest population size, ahead of other states. But that’s not the case.
Alaska may have a large landmass, but the state is sparsely populated. It’s the most sparsely populated state in the US.
Rhode Island is the smallest state by land area in the US, measuring 3,144 sq. km. You can even fit the state 425 times into Alaska.
Shockingly, the state has more population than Alaska. In 2020, Rhode Island’s population was 1.1 million people, while Alaska’s was 733,391.
Nevertheless, Alaska has massive hope regarding its population growth. It boasts tons of undeveloped lands, which would eventually be occupied by people one day. It’s just a matter of time.
Alaska’s population size is far below Texas’s. The 2020 census result shows that Texas’ population is 29.14 million, while Alaska only had 733,391.
So, if you do the math carefully, you’ll discover that there are approximately 28.4 million fewer people living in Alaska. And with more Americans moving West and South since the 2010 census, it’s only a matter of time before the gap between both states’ population sizes widens the more.
However, Texas’ strong economy is also touted as the reason for the state’s massive population growth, making them the second most populated state in the US.
Shockingly, Alaska is only the third least populated state in the US.
Texas Versus Alaska State Capital Size Comparison
Austin and Juneau are the state capital of Texas and Alaska, respectively. And there are plenty of things to like about both cities.
However, Austin is ranked the 11th biggest city in the US, while Juneau is the largest state capital city by area and the second-largest city in the US.
Sitka, Alaska, remains the largest city-borough in the US, with a land area measuring 2,870.3 square miles (consolidated land area), while Juneau is 2,701.90 square miles.
Austin, Texas’s land area is 297.90 square miles, and it’s nowhere near Alaska’s capital city’s size.
Population-wise, Austin is bigger than Sitka and Juneau, two of Alaska’s biggest cities, combined.
In the 2020 population census report, Austin’s population was 961,855, while Sitka’s had 8,371 and Juneau, 32,255.
Alaska Vs. Texas Coastline And Water
Alaska boasts more inland water than Texas. The Inland water includes rivers, reservoirs, and lakes. It has 99 times more inland water than Texas.
Alaska boasts the most lakes of any state in the US. It has 3,197 natural lakes (officially named), while 3 million natural lakes are still unnamed.
Minnesota boasts the highest named lakes in the country, with approximately 15,291 natural lakes, though 11,824 of them are bigger than 10 acres.
So, Minnesota has approximately 2.6 acres of lakes.
On the other hand, Texas has over 6000 lakes, with streams and rivers twice as much. But the state only boasts one natural lake, compared to Alaska’s 3,197 named natural lakes and millions of unnamed lakes.
A Handy Tip: The naturally occurring lake implies the lake is not the one created by spillways or man-made dams. The only natural lake, which Texas is sharing with Louisiana, is the famous Caddo Lake.
Does Alaska have the longest coastline in the United States? Yes, it does. And according to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), the US coastline is only 153652.12km or 95,471 miles long. Thus, the US boasts the eighth longest coastline across the globe.
Alaska’s coastline alone is 54,563 km long and larger than all the states’ coastlines put together. Texas boasts only 367 miles or 591 km of coastline.
Texas And Alaska High Point Size Comparison
Both states have tons of high mountains, with Texas boasting 2,164 named mountains, hills, and peaks. Guadalupe Peak is the state’s highest point, while Emory Peak happens to be the most popular name.
On the other hand, Alaska has 3,174 named mountains (1010 mountains more than Texas). Also called Mount McKinley, Denali is the state’s highest mountain and the third most popular globally.
Alaska’s tallest mountain, Denali, is 20,310 feet or 6,190 meters in height, while Texas’s tallest mountain, the Guadalupe Peak, is only 8,757 feet or 2,669 meters high.
A Handy Tip: Denali (Mount McKinley) has the highest elevation in the whole of North America.
Alaska Vs. Texas Economy Size
Texas’ economy has enjoyed massive growth over the years, attracting admiration from people within and outside the US. If Texas were a country, her GDP would have been the 10th largest globally.
Impressively, Texas’ GDP is the second-largest in the US, only behind California. In 2020, its gross state product was $1.776 trillion. The state also has an ever-growing list of top companies on the Fortune 500 list.
In 2020, Alaska’s gross state product was approximately $52 billion, far below Texas’s.
Conclusion
Texas vs. Alaska size comparison will always be an interesting topic, given the similarities and differences both countries share. By land area, Alaska is bigger than Texas.
Alaska also boasts the biggest landmass in the US, which is sparsely populated. Texas’s population is higher than Alaska’s, even though the latter has a bigger land area.
We also compared both states’ capital cities, with Juneau, Alaska’s capacity being bigger than Austin, Texas, by far. But Austin’s population is higher than Juneau’s.
You can check the economy ranking of both states, with data showing how massive Texas’ economy is. The state has a robust economy, considered one of the biggest in the world and the second-largest in the US.
