How Many States Are There in the United States?

The United States of America consists of 50 states and a Federal District which are Washington, D.C, which also serves as the capital of the USA. It has severally been said and believes by American people that the Flag of USA has 50 stars representing each state in the USA.

Besides the 50 States and Federal districts in the United State, the United States also has sovereignty over 14 territories. Five out of these 14 (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) have a permanent, nonmilitary population, while the remaining nine of them (the United States Minor Outlying Islands) do not.

Apart from Navassa Island, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, which are situated in the Caribbean, all other territories are situated in the Pacific Ocean.

Location

Based on the location, 48 neighboring States in United States and Washington DC are in the Central North between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is in the Northwestern part of North America (which also bordering Canada) and the state of Hawaii is in the mid-Pacific. There are other territories which are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

50 States Population

Rank	State	2019 Pop.	2019 Growth	% of US	Density (p/mi²)
1	California	39,747,267	0.48%	11.96%	255
2	Texas	29,087,070	1.34%	8.75%	111
3	Florida	21,646,155	1.63%	6.51%	404
4	New York	19,491,339	-0.26%	5.86%	414
5	Pennsylvania	12,813,969	0.05%	3.86%	286
6	Illinois	12,700,381	-0.32%	3.82%	229
7	Ohio	11,718,568	0.25%	3.53%	287
8	Georgia	10,627,767	1.03%	3.20%	185
9	North Carolina	10,497,741	1.10%	3.16%	216
10	Michigan	10,020,472	0.25%	3.01%	177
11	New Jersey	8,922,547	0.16%	2.68%	1,213
12	Virginia	8,571,946	0.64%	2.58%	217
13	Washington	7,666,343	1.74%	2.31%	115
14	Arizona	7,275,070	1.44%	2.19%	64
15	Massachusetts	6,939,373	0.54%	2.09%	890
16	Tennessee	6,833,793	0.94%	2.06%	166
17	Indiana	6,718,616	0.40%	2.02%	188
18	Missouri	6,147,861	0.35%	1.85%	89
19	Maryland	6,062,917	0.33%	1.82%	625
20	Wisconsin	5,832,661	0.33%	1.75%	108
21	Colorado	5,770,545	1.32%	1.74%	56
22	Minnesota	5,655,925	0.80%	1.70%	71
23	South Carolina	5,147,111	1.24%	1.55%	171
24	Alabama	4,898,246	0.21%	1.47%	97
25	Louisiana	4,652,581	-0.16%	1.40%	108
26	Kentucky	4,484,047	0.35%	1.35%	114
27	Oregon	4,245,901	1.32%	1.28%	44
28	Oklahoma	3,948,950	0.15%	1.19%	58
29	Connecticut	3,567,871	-0.13%	1.07%	737
30	Utah	3,221,610	1.91%	0.97%	39
31	Iowa	3,167,997	0.38%	0.95%	57
32	Nevada	3,087,025	1.73%	0.93%	28
33	Arkansas	3,026,412	0.42%	0.91%	58
34	Mississippi	2,987,895	0.05%	0.90%	64
35	Kansas	2,910,931	-0.02%	0.88%	36
36	New Mexico	2,096,034	0.03%	0.63%	17
37	Nebraska	1,940,919	0.60%	0.58%	25
38	West Virginia	1,791,951	-0.77%	0.54%	75
39	Idaho	1,790,182	2.05%	0.54%	22
40	Hawaii	1,416,589	-0.27%	0.43%	221
41	New Hampshire	1,363,852	0.55%	0.41%	152
42	Maine	1,342,097	0.28%	0.40%	44
43	Montana	1,074,532	1.15%	0.32%	7
44	Rhode Island	1,056,738	-0.05%	0.32%	1,022
45	Delaware	975,033	0.81%	0.29%	500
46	South Dakota	892,631	1.18%	0.27%	12
47	North Dakota	760,900	0.11%	0.23%	11
48	Alaska	735,720	-0.23%	0.22%	1
49	Vermont	627,180	0.14%	0.19%	68
50	Wyoming	572,381	-0.93%	0.17%	6

Source: 1

Size

Alaska is the largest state in United States by area, encompassing 665,384 square miles (1,723,337 square kilometers), while by far the smallest is Rhode Island which only has 1,545 square miles (4,002 square kilometers).

List of 50 States 

Listed below is the list of the states in the United States in alphabetical order, with their abbreviations and their capitals:

1. Alabama  

Capital: Montgomery

Largest City: Birmingham

Population: 4,872,725

Established: Dec 14, 1819

Total Area: 52,420 mi2 135,767 m2

Alabama is the 24th most populous city in the USA. Alabama is known as Heart of Dixie, Cotton State. 

2. Alaska 

Capital: Juneau

Largest City: Anchorage

Population: 746,079

Established: Jan 3, 1959

Total Area: 665,384 mi2 1,723,337 m2

Alaska is the coldest and largest state in the USA. Alaska’s motto is North to the Future. Alaska is 3rd least populous city in the USA.

3. Arizona

Capital: Phoenix

Largest City: Phoenix

Population: 7,044,577

Established: Jan 3, 1959

Total Area: 665,384 mi2 1,723,337 m2

Arizona is the sixth largest state and 14th most populous state. Arizona is known for its very very hot summers.

4. Arkansas

Capital: Little Rock

Largest City: Little Rock

Population: 2,998,643

Established: Jun 15, 1836

Total Area: 53,179 mi2 137,732 m2

Arkansas is the 33rd most populous state. The word of Arkansas meaning is meaning “land of downriver people”.

5. California

Capital: Sacramento

Largest City: Los Angeles

Population: 39,506,094

Established: Sep 9, 1850

Total Area: 163,695 mi2 423,967 m2

California is the most populous state in the USA. California’s  $2.75 trillion economies are the 5th largest economy in the world. All of the big companies like Apple, Google are in Silicon Valley in San Francisco.

6. Colorado

Capital: Denver

Largest City: Denver

Population: 5,632,271

Established: Aug 1, 1876

Total Area: 269,601 mi2 103,642 m2

Colorado is the 8th largest and 21st most populous U.S state.

7. Connecticut

Capital: Hartford

Largest City: Bridgeport

Population: 3,568,174

Established: Jan 9, 1788

Total Area: 5,543 mi2 14,357 m2

Connecticut is known as the Constitution State. Connecticut is the third smallest state by area.

8. Delaware

Capital: Dover

Largest City: Wilmington

Population:  960,054

Established: Dec 7, 1787

Total Area: 2,489 mi2 6,446 m2

Delaware’s name comes from Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr who an English nobleman and Virginia’s first colonial governor. Delaware is the second smallest 45th most populous U.S state.

9. Florida

Capital: Tallahassee

Largest City: Jacksonville

Population: 20,979,964

Established: Mar 3, 1845

Total Area: 65,758 mi2 170,312 m2

Florida is the third most populous U.S State. Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León named Florida La Florida means “land of flower”.

10. Georgia 

Capital: Atlanta

Largest City: Atlanta

Population: 10,421,344

Established: Jan 2, 1788

Total Area: 59,425 mi2 153,910 m2

Georgia is the 24th largest and the 8th most populous state. Georgia is known as the Peach State and the Empire State of the South.

11. Hawaii 

Capital: Honolulu

Largest City: Honolulu

Population: 1,431,957

Established: Aug 21, 1959

Total Area: 10,932 mi2 28,313 m2

12. Idaho 

Capital: Boise

Largest City: Boise

Population: 1,713,452

Established: Jul 3, 1890

Total Area: 83,569 mi2 216,443 m2

Idaho is famous for potato crops. Idaho is the 12th least populous, the 14th state.

13. Illinois 

Capital: Springfield

Largest City: Chicago

Population: 12,764,031

Established: Dec 3, 1818

Total Area: 57,914 mi2 149,995 m2

Illinois is the 6th most populous and 25th largest state.

14. Indiana 

Capital: Indianapolis

Largest City: Indianapolis

Population: 6,653,338

Established: Dec 11, 1816

Total Area: 36,420 mi2 94,326 m2

Indiana is known as a Hoosier. Spanish is the second most spoken language in India, first is English of course. Indiana 17th most populous state.

15. Iowa 

Capital: Des Moines

Largest City: Des Moines

Population: 3,147,389

Established: Dec 28, 1846

Total Area: 56,273 mi2 145,746 m2

Iowa is the 30th most populous U.S state. Iowa’s nickname is Hawkeye State.

16. Kansas 

Capital: Topeka

Largest City: Wichita

Population: 2,907,857

Established: Jan 29, 1861

Total Area: 82,278 mi2 213,100 m2

Kansas is the 15th largest state by area and is the 34th most-populous state.

17. Kentucky 

Capital: Frankfort

Largest City: Louisville

Population: 4,449,337

Established: Jun 1, 1792

Total Area: 40,408 mi2 104,656 m2

Kentucky is the 26th most populous state. Kentucky famous for horse racing.

18. Louisiana

Capital: Baton Rouge

Largest City: New Orleans

Population: 4,694,372

Established: Apr 30, 1812

Total Area: 52,378 mi2 135,659 m2

Louisiana 25th most populous and the  31st in size of the 50 United States. Louisiana hasn’t got official language. Its motto is Union, Justice, Confidence.

19. Maine

Capital: Augusta

Largest City: Portland

Population: 1,333,505

Established: Mar 15, 1820

Total Area: 35,380 mi2 91,633 m2

Maine is the 42nd most populous state.

20. Maryland

Capital: Annapolis

Largest City: Baltimore

Population: 6,037,911

Established: Apr 28, 1788

Total Area: 12,406 mi2 32,131 m2

Maryland is the 9th and most densely populated state.

21. Massachusetts

Capital: Boston

Largest City: Boston

Population: 6,839,318

Established: Feb 6, 1788

Total Area: 10,554 mi2 27,336 m2

Massachusetts is known from very successful universities like Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Massachusetts is leader in biotechnology, engineering, higher education, finance. Basketball and Volleyball were invented in this beautiful state. Massachusetts has very successful NBA team Boston Celtics.

22. Michigan

Capital: Lansing

Largest City: Detroit

Population: 9,938,885

Established: Jan 26, 1837

Total Area: 96,714 mi2 250,487 m2

Michigan’s name “mishigamaa” meaning is large lake. Michigan is the 10th most populous and 11th most extensive area of the 50 United States. Most populous city Detroit is center of automotive industry.

23. Minnesota

Capital: St. Paul

Largest City: Minneapolis

Population: 5,557,469

Established: May 11, 1858

Total Area: 86,936 mi2 225,163 m2

Minnesota has large of lakes. It is known as land of lakes. Minnesota is the 12th largest in area and the 22nd most populous state.

24. Mississippi

Capital: Jackson

Largest City: Jackson

Population: 2,988,062

Established: Dec 10, 1817

Total Area: 48,432 mi2 125,438 m2

Mississippi has the highest percentage of African Americans (%37). Mississippi is the 34th most populous state.

25. Missouri

Capital: Jefferson City

Largest City: Kansas City

Population: 6,109,796

Established: Aug 10, 1821

Total Area: 69,707 mi2 180,540 m2

Missouri is the 18th most populous U.S state. Missouri have some of big companies as Cerner, Express Scripts, Monsanto, Emerson Electric, Edward Jones, H&R Block, Wells Fargo.

26. Montana

Capital: Helena

Largest City: Billings

Population: 1,052,967

Established: Nov 8, 1889

Total Area: 147,040 mi2 380,831 m2

Montana is the 4th largest in area, the 8th least populous state.

27. Nebraska

Capital: Lincoln

Largest City: Omaha

Population: 1,920,467

Established: Mar 1, 1867

Total Area: 77,348 mi2 200,330 m2

Nebraska’s motto is “Equality before the law”. Nebraska is the 37th most populous state.

28. Nevada

Capital: Carson City

Largest City: Las Vegas

Population: 2,996,358

Established: Oct 31, 1864

Total Area: 110,572 mi2 286,380 m2

Nevada is the 34th most populous, the 7th most extensive of the 50 United States. Nevada is known as “Battle Born State“.

29. New Hampshire

Capital: Concord

Largest City: Manchester

Population: 1,339,479

Established: Jun 21, 1788

Total Area: 9,349 mi2 24,214 m2

New Hampshire is the 5th smallest by land area and the 10th least populous state. New Hampshire is known from author Dan Brown, actor Adam Sandler, inventor Dean Kamen, comedians Sarah Silverman and Seth Meyers.

30. New Jersey

Capital: Trenton

Largest City: Newark

Population: 8,953,517

Established: Dec 18, 1787

Total Area: 8,723 mi2 22,591 m2

New Jersey is the most densely populated and the 11th-most populous state. New Jersey is the forth smallest state by area. New Jersey is the neighbor of New York.

31. New Mexico

Capital: Santa Fe

Largest City: Albuquerque

Population: 2,081,702

Established: Jan 6, 1912

Total Area: 121,590 mi2 314,917 m2

New Mexico is the fifth largest and the 36th most populous state. AMC hit series “Breaking Bad” was filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

32. New York

Capital: Albany

Largest City: New York City

Population: 19,743,395

Established: Jul 26, 1788

Total Area: 54,555 mi2 141,297 m2

New York is the fourth most populous state. It is also called New York State. Everyone heard New York once in his life. Times Square, Central Park and Grand Central Terminal are most-visited tourist attractions.

33. North Carolina

Capital: Raleigh

Largest City: Charlotte

Population: 10,258,390

Established: Nov 21, 1789

Total Area: 53,819 mi2 139,391 m2

North Carolina is the 9th most populous state.

34. North Dakota

Capital: Bismarck

Largest City: Fargo

Population: 759,069

Established: Nov 2, 1889

Total Area: 70,698 mi2 183,108 m2

North Dakota is the 9th largest in area and fourth smallest by population of the 50 states. North Dakota’s larges city Fargo is well-known from a movie is called “Fargo”.

35. Ohio

Capital: Columbus

Largest City: Columbus

Population: 11,623,656

Established: Mar 1, 1803

Total Area: 44,826 mi2 116,098 m2

Ohio is known as “Buckeye State”. Ohio is the 7th most populous state.

36. Oklahoma

Capital: Oklahoma City

Largest City: Oklahoma City

Population: 3,930,864

Established: Nov 16, 1907

Total Area: 69,899 mi2 181,037 m2

Oklahoma is major natural gas oil producer. Oklahoma is the 28th most populous state.

37. Oregon

Capital: Salem

Largest City: Portland

Population: 4,162,296

Established: Feb 14, 1859

Total Area: 98,379 mi2 254,799 m2

38. Pennsylvania

Capital: Harrisburg

Largest City: Philadelphia

Population: 12,776,550

Established: Dec 12, 1787

Total Area: 46,054 mi2 119,280 m2

Pennsylvania is the 5th-most populous, and the 9th-most densely populated state.

39. Rhode Island

Capital: Providence

Largest City: Providence

Population: 1,057,245

Established: May 29, 1790

Total Area: 1,545 mi2 4,001m2

Here is the smallest state in area is Rhode Island. Rhode Island is the eighth least populous, and the second most densely populated state. Its motto is “Hope”.

40. South Carolina

Capital: Columbia

Largest City: Charleston

Population: 5,027,404

Established: May 23, 1788

Total Area: 32,020 mi2 82,933 m2

South Carolina is the 23rd most populous state. South Carolina known for its beautiful nature, African and European cultures.

41. South Dakota

Capital: Pierre

Largest City: Sioux Falls

Population: 872,989

Established: Nov 2, 1889

Total Area: 77,116 mi2 199,729 m2

South Dakota is the fifth least populous state.

42. Tennessee

Capital: Nashville

Largest City: Nashville

Population: 6,707,332

Established: Jun 1, 1796

Total Area: 42,144 mi2 109,153 m2

Tennessee is the 16th most populous state. This state established to house the Manhattan Project’s helping to build world first Atomic Bombs.

43. Texas

Capital: Austin

Largest City: Houston

Population: 28,295,553

Established: Dec 29, 1845

Total Area: 268,596 mi2 695,662 m2

Texas is the second most populous state. Texas is leading industries agriculture, petrochemicals, energy, computers and electronics, aerospace, and biomedical sciences. Texas is owner of high tech companies such as Dell, Inc., Texas Instruments, Perot Systems, Rackspace and AT&T.

44. Utah

Capital: Salt Lake City

Largest City: Salt Lake City

Population: 3,111,802

Established: Jan 4, 1896

Total Area: 84,897 mi2 219,882 m2

Utah is the 13th largest and 31st most populous state.

45. Vermont

Capital: Montpelier

Largest City: Burlington

Population: 623,100

Established: Mar 4, 1791

Total Area: 9,616 mi2 24,906 m2

Vermont is the second smallest state by population and six smallest state by area.

46. Virginia

Capital: Richmond

Largest City: Virginia Beach

Population: 8,456,029

Established: Jun 25, 1788

Total Area: 42,775 mi2 110,787 m2

Virginia is the 12th most populous state. Virginia is called by Mother of President because eight of U.S presidents were born there.

47. Washington

Capital: Olympia

Largest City: Seattle

Population: 7,415,710

Established: Nov 11, 1889

Total Area: 71,298 mi2 184,661 m2

Washington named after the First President of the United States George Washington. Washington is the 13th mos populous state.

48. West Virginia

Capital: Charleston

Largest City: Charleston

Population: 1,821,151

Established: Jun 20, 1863

Total Area: 24,230 mi2 62,756 m2

West Virginia is the 38th most populous state and the 10th smallest state by area.

49. Wisconsin

Capital: Madison

Largest City: Milwaukee

Population: 5,789,525

Established: May 29, 1848

Total Area: 65,496 mi2 184,661 m2

Wisconsin is the 20th most populous state and 10th largest state by area.

50. Wyoming

Capital: Cheyenne

Largest City: Cheyenne

Population: 584,447

Established: Jul 10, 1890

Total Area: 97,813 mi2 253,335 m2

Wyoming is the least populous and the second least densely populated state.