Boston vs San Francisco - City Size Comparison

Is Boston Bigger Than San Francisco?

In terms of area, Boston is 1.9x the size of San Francisco. Boston spans 232 km² (90 mi²) while San Francisco covers 121 km² (47 mi²) — a difference of 111 km².

About Boston

A historic city and academic center in the northeastern US. Known as "Beantown", Boston covers 232 km² with a population of 0.7 million. The city was established in 1630. Boston is known for Harvard & MIT, Freedom Trail, Fenway Park, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the MBTA (The T).

Boston's subway system (the T) opened in 1897, making it the oldest subway in North America

About San Francisco

A cultural and financial center in Northern California. Also known as "SF", San Francisco has an area of 121 km² and is home to 0.9 million people. Its history stretches back to 1776. Visitors come for Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, Cable cars, and much more. Getting around is easy with the BART & Muni.

San Francisco's 121 km² makes it one of the smallest major US cities by area

Metropolitan Area Comparison

Looking beyond city limits, the Boston metropolitan area covers 11,700 km², which is 1.7x larger than greater San Francisco at 6,984 km². The Boston metro area is also more populous, with 4.9 million people compared to 4.7 million.

Population Density

Boston has a population density of 2,931 people per km² — a moderately dense city. San Francisco, with 7,190 people per km², is a densely populated city. San Francisco is noticeably denser, packing 2.5 times more people per square kilometer.

Climate & Time Zone

Boston has a humid continental climate while San Francisco experiences Mediterranean conditions. When it's noon in Boston, it's 9:00 AM in San Francisco — a 3-hour time difference.