The stories behind the numbers
Alaska, Texas and California area: the 2010 Census comparison
In the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2010 measurements, Alaska’s total area was about 1,723,000 km², Texas’s 696,000 km² and California’s 424,000 km². Each figure combines land and water. Using the same source, date and area column makes this a consistent comparison of the three states.
In the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2010 measurements, approximately what was the total area (land and water) of the U.S. state of Alaska, in km²?
Answer and explanation: 1.723M km²
About 1,723,000 km². The table’s total of 1,723,337 km² is rounded to the nearest 1,000 km². This combines land and water, including territorial sea waters attributed to the state by the Census Bureau.
U.S. Census Bureau · 2010 State Area MeasurementsCompare the sourced figures
In the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2010 measurements, approximately what was the total area (land and water) of the U.S. state of Alaska, in km²?
1.723M km²
Data reference year: 2010
U.S. Census Bureau · 2010 State Area MeasurementsIn the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2010 measurements, approximately what was the total area (land and water) of the U.S. state of Texas, in km²?
696K km²
Data reference year: 2010
U.S. Census Bureau · 2010 State Area MeasurementsIn the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2010 measurements, approximately what was the total area (land and water) of the U.S. state of California, in km²?
424K km²
Data reference year: 2010
U.S. Census Bureau · 2010 State Area MeasurementsTry one question
In the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2010 measurements, approximately what was the total area (land and water) of the U.S. state of Alaska, in km²?
Reveal the answer
Answer and explanation
1.723M km²
About 1,723,000 km². The table’s total of 1,723,337 km² is rounded to the nearest 1,000 km². This combines land and water, including territorial sea waters attributed to the state by the Census Bureau.
Why the quiz rounds the numbers
The source table lists 1,723,337 km² for Alaska, 695,662 km² for Texas and 423,967 km² for California. The quiz rounds these to the nearest 1,000 km² to make their scale easier to remember. Rounding Texas upward and Alaska downward follows the same rule; it is not a change in the underlying measurements.
What total area includes
Total area is not just dry land. These Census totals include water, including territorial sea waters attributed to each state by the bureau. A land-only figure therefore cannot be substituted while keeping the same comparison label. Square kilometres measure area, so the numbers also do not tell you how far it is to travel across a state.
How to read the comparison
Among these three measurements, Alaska has the largest total, followed by Texas and California. Keep the 2010 reference attached: this page explains that published measurement set rather than presenting a new survey. When checking another table, first align land versus total area, units and date. For a density calculation, select the land or total-area denominator explicitly and match the population’s geography and period.
Picture the three different scales, then try the state-area questions. Remember both the rounded number and the land-plus-water definition.