Bordering states
Maryland vs West Virginia
Short answer
- MD
- 6,263,220
- WV
- 1,769,979
The two states, county by county
Both maps share one density scale, so the same shade means the same number of people per square mile on either side of the border. Darker counties are denser. Select a county to open its page.
Maryland
West Virginia
- < 28
- < 57
- < 116
- < 325
- ≥ 325
Residents, 2024
- 01Maryland6,263,220
- 02West Virginia1,769,979
Land, square miles
- 01Maryland9,711
- 02West Virginia24,041
People per square mile
- 01Maryland645.0
- 02West Virginia73.6
Median county household income
- 01Maryland$87,200
- 02West Virginia$53,187
Side by side
| Measure | Maryland | West Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Residents, 2024 | 6,263,220 | 1,769,979 |
| Rank by population | 18th | 39th |
| Land, sq mi | 9,711 | 24,041 |
| People per sq mi | 645.0 | 73.6 |
| County-equivalents | 24 | 55 |
| Median county residents | 111,399 | 21,285 |
| Median county income | $87,200 | $53,187 |
| Most populous county | Montgomery County | Kanawha County |
| Largest county by land | Frederick County | Randolph County |
| Capital | Annapolis | Charleston |
| Daylight at capital, June 21 | 14 h 54 min | 14 h 50 min |
| Census division | South Atlantic | South Atlantic |
Population and density
Maryland has 6,263,220 residents, 3.5 times West Virginia's 1,769,979. Maryland ranks 18th and West Virginia 39th of the 50 states and DC. Maryland is the more crowded, with 645.0 people per square mile against 73.6, 8.8 times.
Land area
West Virginia has 24,041 square miles of land, 2.5 times Maryland's 9,711. The largest county-equivalent in Maryland is Frederick County at 661 square miles; in West Virginia it is Randolph County at 1,040.
Counties
West Virginia is divided into 55 county-equivalents and Maryland into 24, so an average West Virginia county covers 437 square miles against 405. The typical county in Maryland has 111,399 residents, against 21,285 in West Virginia. The most populous are Montgomery County (1,082,273) and Kanawha County (173,906).
No county name appears in both states, so a county name alone is enough to tell which state a row belongs to.
Household income
The median county in Maryland has a household income of $87,200, 64% above West Virginia's $53,187. The highest county incomes are Howard County ($140,113) in Maryland and Jefferson County ($92,747) in West Virginia, from SAIPE 2023.
Capitals and daylight
Annapolis and Charleston are 280 miles apart in a straight line; from Annapolis the initial bearing is 262°, W. On June 21, 2026, Annapolis gets 14 h 54 min of daylight and Charleston 14 h 50 min; on December 21 the figures are 9 h 26 min and 9 h 30 min. Month by month tables are on the Annapolis and Charleston daylight pages.
Where they sit
Both are in the Census South Atlantic division of the South region. By county internal points, Maryland spans 2 UTM zones and West Virginia 2.
Questions people ask
Which is bigger, Maryland or West Virginia?
West Virginia, with 24,041 square miles of land against 9,711, 2.48 times as large.
Which has more people, Maryland or West Virginia?
Maryland has 6,263,220 residents, 3.5 times West Virginia's 1,769,979.
How far is Annapolis from Charleston?
280 miles in a straight line, heading W (262°) from Annapolis.
Do Maryland and West Virginia have counties with the same name?
No. None of their county-level units share a name.
Sources and data as of
Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.
- 01Census Vintage 2024 county population estimates
- 02Census 2024 Gazetteer, counties
- 03Census SAIPE 2023 state and county estimates
- 04Census Bureau regions and divisions of the United States (last verified 2026-09-30)
How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.