The true size of Chicago vs London

London is roughly 2.59× the area of Chicago — a difference of about 965.9 km² (373 sq mi).

USA
Chicago
606.1 km² (234 sq mi)
~2.7M people

Chicago covers 606.1 km² (234 sq mi) along the southwest shore of Lake Michigan.

United Kingdom
London
1,572 km² (607 sq mi)
~8.9M people

Greater London spans 1,572 km² (607 sq mi) along the River Thames in southeast England.

Why raw area is misleading on a world map

Standard web maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches shapes further from the equator. That's why Chicago and London can look similar on a map even when one is many times larger. To really feel the difference, you have to overlay one city's outline directly on top of the other at true scale.

Compare Chicago and London on the map →

Quick facts

  • Chicago: 606.1 km² · 234 sq mi
  • London: 1,572 km² · 607 sq mi
  • Ratio: London is 2.59× Chicago
  • Absolute difference: 965.9 km²

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