In terms of area, Texas is larger than California by more than 100,000 square miles. California, however, has a greater population and is the most populous state in the nation. Texas has the second-largest population.
Texas is also the second-largest state by area in the United States, with only Alaska having more square mileage. California is ranked third in area, with Montana and New Mexico rounding out the top five largest states. In terms of population, New York, Florida and Illinois follow California and Texas as the most populated states in the nation. While top-ranked Texas contains approximately 7 percent of the nation's land, California is home to about 12 percent of the country's population.
