Loading map...
Loading map...
USA
USA
Area Comparison
Los Angeles is 10.8x larger than San Francisco
Population Comparison
Los Angeles has 4.6x more people than San Francisco
Yes — Los Angeles is 10.8x larger than San Francisco by area. Los Angeles spans 1,302 km² (503 mi²) while San Francisco covers 121 km² (47 mi²) — a difference of 1,181 km². You could fit San Francisco inside Los Angeles approximately 10 times.
To put Los Angeles's size in perspective, its area of 1,302 km² is about 1.2x smaller than London. Meanwhile, San Francisco at 121 km² is about 1.2x the size of Paris (city proper).
The entertainment capital of the world. Known as "LA", Los Angeles covers 1,302 km² with a population of 4.0 million. The city was established in 1781. Los Angeles is known for Hollywood, Venice Beach, Griffith Observatory, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the LA Metro.
LA's sprawling metro area is larger than some US states
A cultural and financial center in Northern California. Nicknamed "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
Looking beyond city limits, the Los Angeles metropolitan area covers 12,562 km², which is 1.8x larger than greater San Francisco at 6,984 km². The Los Angeles metro area is also more populous, with 13.2 million people compared to 4.7 million.
Los Angeles has a population density of 3,049 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 2.4 times more people per square kilometer.
Both Los Angeles and San Francisco are in USA, making this a domestic size comparison that reveals how differently cities can develop within the same nation.
Both cities share a Mediterranean climate, though local geography creates distinct microclimates in each.
Size Ratio
San Francisco fits inside Los Angeles ~10 times
Density Gap
San Francisco is 2.4x more densely populated
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide.