How Big Is Maine? See Its Size in Miles, Acres, and How It Compares to Other States

Maine is the northeastern most state in the United States. It offers 3,478 miles of rock coastline, including all the inlets and bays. Fishermen venture into the Atlantic Ocean to catch the fish of the day or even put their life on the line for lobster. This state is also known for its heavily forested lands, with 89% of the state (an estimated 17,518,847 acres) containing wild forest, including the endpoint of the Appalachian Trail at Mt. Katahdin.

The long Atlantic coastline is dotted with candy-striped lighthouses, lobster shacks, and even sandy beaches. Maine is a natural beauty! It is the 12th-smallest state by area in the U.S., even though it is the largest state by total area in New England. Just how big is Maine and how does it rank against other states in terms of size? Take a look and see how this state compares.

Quick Glance At the Size of Maine

How many acres is Maine?

In terms of its size, Maine is the country’s 39th-largest state, encompassing almost 22.646 million acres. Visually, a football field is pretty close to an acre in size. Though Maine doesn’t have any professional football fields to visualize, you get the picture. Of those acres, 436,064 of them belong to state and national parks, including the 92-mile Allagash Wilderness Waterway in Northern Maine.

Appropriately nicknamed The Pine Tree State, Maine has over 17 million acres of forestland. Another item that takes up some of the state’s acreage is potatoes. The vegetable ranks third in acreage and fourth in production nationally. Maine’s largest lake, Moosehead Lake, is over 75,000 acres!

How many square miles (and kilometers) is Maine?

The Pine Tree State is 35,385 square miles and 91,646 kilometers squared. This makes Maine the 39th largest state in the United States. It sits behind Indiana at 36,419 square miles and 94,326 kilometers squared. And it sits above South Carolina at 32,020.49 square miles and 82,933 square kilometers. Maine is smaller than most states with a small population of 1.36 million. You can compare this to a similar state in size’s population like Indiana which has a population of 6.7 million people. The state is the 9th smallest state by population.

10 Smallest States By Population

How Big Is Maine Compared to Other States?

Maine is the largest state by total area in New England. The states consist of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, and their total area is 71,988 square miles. This means 17 states are larger than all the New England states combined.

Comparison of New England States’ Sizes

Maine is also the 13th-least densely populated state and the most rural state in the U.S. It is also the northernmost state east of the Great Lakes. Even though Maine is mainly rural, it is the state’s shoreline and love for fishing that put it at the top. Its lobster yield is 40 million pounds annually. This is nearly 90% of the nation’s lobster supply. Lobster fishing is an important part of the state’s economy. With 4,500 active lobstermen, you would be hard-pressed to find a restaurant in Maine that doesn’t serve lobster!

The Pine Tree State can support this fishing demand due to its long and wild coastline. With 228 miles, excluding the inlets and bay, it is the ninth state with the largest coastline. By comparison, the top-ranking state is Alaska with 6,640 miles of general coastline. If you compare Maine’s tide coastline, it becomes 3,478 miles. This adds in all the state’s inlets and bays.

States Similar in Size

Maine is the 39^th largest state in the country, so most of the states in the country are larger. However, a few states are about the same size as the Pine Tree State. Take a look at how this state compares to several other states, including the largest and smallest found in the nation.

Maine is far smaller than the largest states in the United States. In fact, you can fit Maine into Alaska 19 times! This is no surprise since Alaska is bigger than Texas, California, and Montana combined! The biggest state in the U.S. is 12.1 times wider (east to west) and 4.4. times taller (north to south) than Maine. The Lonestar State is about eight times bigger than Maine as well.

The Largest States Compared to Maine

Maine is larger than the smallest states when it comes to size, however, the state doesn’t boast that many more people. In fact, the smallest state, Rhode Island has a population of 1.09 million people and Maine’s is only 1.36, and there are 39 states in between when it comes to size!

How Big Is Maine Compared to The Smallest States?

About Maine

The largest city in Maine is Portland with a population of 68,313 making it the 553rd largest city in the United States. The port city supports the marine industry and plays an important role in the city’s economy. Its active waterfront supports fishing and commercial shipping, and the Port of Portland is the second-largest tonnage seaport in New England.

Augusta is the capital of Maine. The national Main Street designated downtown is a perfectly eclectic mix of old and new. The capital sits on the Kennebec River and is home to the oldest wooden fort in the United States, the National Historic Landmark named Fort Western. It was a former British colonial outpost on the river. Also, before Augusta took the title of capital, Portland wore the crown for a short period of time.

Maine is also known for the lighthouses that line its miles of coastline. In fact, 65 lighthouses were built in the state over the past two centuries. Some of the most notable lighthouses are Nubble Island, Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, Burnt Island Lighthouse, Curtis Island Lighthouse, and Doubling Point Lighthouse. Most of the lighthouses are still working as beacons of safety for voyagers today. In September, visitors get to witness the prestigious Maine Open Lighthouse Day!

Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park is a 47,000-acre Atlantic Coast recreation area. Its landscape is marked by woodland, rocky beaches, and glacier-scoured granite peaks such as Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the East Coast. Among the wildlife are moose, bears, whales, and seabirds. The park is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts, and it offers plenty of natural attractions including Cadillac Mountain, Thunder Hole, and Schoodic Peninsula. If you see a moose in the park, you have seen the state animal of Maine! The state has the highest moose population at 75,000, but despite the high numbers, it is still rare to spot the hulking mammal.

Conclusion

The Pine Tree State is a wild wonder covered in lush forest. But how big is Maine? Big enough to keep the whole family busy? We think so! Its rocky shores, untouched isolation, and green space are big enough to satisfy any nature lover’s itch to hike and bike. Whether you desire water or mountains, you’ll find it in Maine. Do as the Mainers do and immerse yourself in the landscape!