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50 states quiz

Ninety questions on the fifty states, in nine quizzes of ten. Start easy, then find out how well you really know the middle of the map.

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Questions and answers — printable list
  1. Which state has the largest total area of any US state, at 665,384 square miles?AlaskaAlaska covers 665,384 square miles of total area, far more than any other state, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
  2. Which state has the smallest total area in the United States, at just 1,545 square miles?Rhode IslandRhode Island is the smallest state at 1,545 square miles of total area, per the U.S. Census Bureau. Delaware is second smallest at 2,489 square miles.
  3. Which state is the second largest in the United States by total area, at 268,596 square miles?TexasTexas ranks second at 268,596 square miles, behind Alaska, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
  4. Which state is divided into 254 counties, more than any other state in the country?TexasTexas has 254 counties in the U.S. Census Bureau's 2020 county reference file, ahead of Georgia with 159.
  5. Which state is divided into just three counties, fewer than any other state?DelawareDelaware has only 3 counties, the fewest of any state, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2020 county reference file.
  6. In Louisiana, the local divisions that other states call counties go by what name instead?ParishesLouisiana's 64 county-equivalents are called parishes, per the U.S. Census Bureau. Alaska uses boroughs and census areas.
  7. Which state was the first to ratify the US Constitution, on December 7, 1787?DelawareDelaware ratified the Constitution on December 7, 1787, ahead of Pennsylvania on December 12, according to Britannica.
  8. Which state joined the Union on August 21, 1959, becoming the 50th state?HawaiiHawaii became the 50th state on August 21, 1959, according to the National Archives.
  9. Which state was admitted to the Union on January 3, 1959 as the 49th state?AlaskaAlaska was admitted as the 49th state on January 3, 1959, per Britannica, about seven months before Hawaii.
  10. In an 1867 treaty, the United States agreed to buy Alaska for $7.2 million from which country?RussiaThe treaty signed March 30, 1867 and negotiated by Secretary of State William Seward bought Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million, per the National Archives.
  11. The US flag has carried one star for each state since July 4, 1960. How many stars is that?50The 50-star flag became official on July 4, 1960, the first Fourth of July after Hawaii's admission, according to the Library of Congress.
  12. Maine is the only state that borders exactly one other US state. Which state does it border?New HampshireNew Hampshire runs along Maine's western edge and is Maine's only neighboring state. Maine's remaining land boundaries are international, with the Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick.
  13. At Four Corners, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona all meet which fourth state?UtahFour Corners is the only place in the United States where four states meet: Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah, per Britannica.
  14. Death Valley, the lowest point in the United States at 282 feet below sea level, lies mostly in which state?CaliforniaDeath Valley, California, is the lowest point in the country at 282 feet below sea level, according to the USGS.
  15. Which mountain, at 20,310 feet, is the highest point in the United States?DenaliDenali in Alaska is the nation's highest point; a 2015 GPS survey set its official elevation at 20,310 feet, per the USGS.
  16. The coldest temperature ever recorded in the United States, −80°F, was measured in which state?AlaskaProspect Creek Camp, Alaska, hit −80°F on January 23, 1971, the US record, according to NOAA NCEI.
  17. Mount Rushmore, with its 60-foot carved presidential faces, is located in which state?South DakotaMount Rushmore National Memorial sits in South Dakota's Black Hills, according to the National Park Service.
  18. The 630-foot Gateway Arch stands in St. Louis, in which US state?MissouriThe Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, stands 630 feet tall and measures 630 feet leg to leg, per the National Park Service.
  19. Grand Canyon National Park, which covers 1,218,375 acres, is located in which state?ArizonaGrand Canyon National Park in Arizona covers 1,218,375 acres and includes 278 miles of the Colorado River, according to the National Park Service.
  20. Which park, established on March 1, 1872, was the first national park in the United States?YellowstoneYellowstone, established March 1, 1872, was the first national park and spans parts of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, per the National Park Service.
  21. The Statue of Liberty, dedicated in 1886, stands on Liberty Island in the harbor of which US city?New YorkRising 305 feet 1 inch from ground level to the tip of the torch, the statue stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbor and was dedicated by President Grover Cleveland on October 28, 1886.
  22. The Mississippi River begins its 2,350-mile run at Lake Itasca, in which state?MinnesotaThe Mississippi runs 2,350 miles from Lake Itasca in Minnesota to the Gulf, according to the National Park Service.
  23. Which of the Great Lakes lies entirely within the United States?Lake MichiganLake Michigan, with a surface area of 22,300 square miles, is the only Great Lake located entirely within the United States, according to NOAA.
  24. Which is the largest and deepest of the Great Lakes, reaching 1,332 feet deep?Lake SuperiorLake Superior is the largest and deepest of the Great Lakes, reaching 1,332 feet at its deepest point and covering 31,700 square miles with about 2,900 cubic miles of water, per the U.S. EPA. Lake Michigan bottoms out at 925 feet, Lake Huron at 750 feet, and shallow Lake Erie at just 210 feet.
  25. Annapolis, sitting on Chesapeake Bay 27 miles southeast of Baltimore, is the capital of which state?MarylandAnnapolis is Maryland's capital, on the Severn River at its mouth on Chesapeake Bay, according to Britannica.
  26. Which river flows 1,450 miles from the Rocky Mountains through the Grand Canyon to the Gulf of California?Colorado RiverThe Colorado River runs 1,450 miles from its source in the Colorado Rockies to the Gulf of California, per the National Park Service.
  27. The state of Hawaii spans about 132 islands, reefs, and shoals, but how many major islands does it have?EightHawaii's roughly 132 islands, reefs, and shoals stretch more than 1,500 miles across the central Pacific, with eight major islands, according to the USGS.
  28. Phoenix, with 1,608,139 residents at the 2020 census, is both the capital and the largest city of which US state?ArizonaBritannica notes that Phoenix is Arizona's capital and its largest city, with a population of 1,608,139 at the 2020 census.
  29. As of July 1, 2025, which state was the most populous in the United States, with 39,355,309 residents?CaliforniaU.S. Census Bureau estimates put California first with 39,355,309 residents as of July 1, 2025, ahead of Texas at 31,709,821.
  30. Yellowstone National Park covers about 2.2 million acres across parts of Montana, Idaho, and which third state?WyomingThe National Park Service says Yellowstone, established March 1, 1872, spans parts of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho and covers about 2.2 million acres.
  31. Which state has a total area of 96,714 square miles but a land area of only 56,539 square miles, the difference being mostly Great Lakes water?MichiganU.S. Census Bureau figures put Michigan's total area at 96,714 square miles and its land area at 56,539 square miles, with the remainder water.
  32. As of July 1, 2025, which state ranked fourth in population, with 20,002,427 residents?New YorkThe U.S. Census Bureau put New York fourth at 20,002,427 residents as of July 1, 2025, behind California, Texas, and Florida.
  33. As of July 1, 2025, which state had the smallest population, with 588,753 residents?WyomingWyoming was the least populous state at 588,753 residents as of July 1, 2025, per the U.S. Census Bureau, with Vermont second at 644,663.
  34. As of July 1, 2025, which Census Bureau region held the most residents, at 133,833,983?SouthThe U.S. Census Bureau counted 133,833,983 residents in the South as of July 1, 2025, ahead of the West at 80,146,154.
  35. Which state calls its 64 county-equivalents parishes rather than counties?LouisianaLouisiana's 64 county-equivalents are parishes, as recorded in the U.S. Census Bureau's 2020 county reference file. Alaska uses boroughs and census areas instead.
  36. Which state joined the Union on March 4, 1791 as the 14th state, the first admitted after the original thirteen?VermontVermont became the 14th state on March 4, 1791, per Britannica; Kentucky followed in 1792 and Tennessee in 1796.
  37. Admitted on February 14, 1912, which state was the last of the 48 conterminous states to enter the Union?ArizonaArizona achieved statehood on February 14, 1912, about six weeks after New Mexico, according to Britannica.
  38. In an 1867 treaty negotiated by Secretary of State William Seward, the United States agreed to buy Alaska from Russia for how much?$7.2 millionThe treaty signed March 30, 1867 set the price at $7.2 million, and the Treasury issued the check on August 1, 1868, per the National Archives.
  39. Tennessee and which other state each border eight states, more than any others?MissouriBritannica lists eight neighbors for Missouri — Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Oklahoma — matching Tennessee's total.
  40. Which state shares a land border with exactly one other state?MaineMaine touches only New Hampshire, with Quebec and New Brunswick to the north and the Atlantic to the south and east, according to Britannica.
  41. Which four states meet at Four Corners, the only point in the United States where four states adjoin?Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and UtahColorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah adjoin at right angles on the Colorado Plateau near 37° N, 109° W, per Britannica.
  42. The northernmost point of the contiguous United States lies in an exclave whose only land route from the rest of its state passes through Canada. Which state?MinnesotaMinnesota's Northwest Angle results from a cartographic error in the 1783 Treaty of Paris, Britannica notes, and is reachable by land only via Canada.
  43. A 2015 GPS survey set the official elevation of Denali, the highest point in the United States, at what figure?20,310 feetThe USGS survey put Denali at 20,310 feet, ten feet below the 20,320-foot figure measured with 1950s technology.
  44. Mount Whitney and Death Valley, the highest and lowest points in the contiguous United States, both lie in which state?CaliforniaThe National Park Service puts Mount Whitney's summit at 14,505 feet and Badwater Basin in Death Valley at 282 feet below sea level. Both are in California and roughly 85 miles apart: Badwater sits in Inyo County, and Whitney's summit straddles the Inyo-Tulare county line.
  45. Britton Hill, at 345 feet, is the lowest state high point in the nation. Which state does it crown?FloridaBritton Hill sits in Walton County, Florida, at 345 feet, the lowest high point of any state per the USGS. Delaware's high point is 448 feet.
  46. Mount Mitchell, at 6,684 feet, is the highest summit east of the Mississippi River. In which state does it stand?North CarolinaMount Mitchell rises in Yancey County, North Carolina, and is that state's high point as well as the tallest peak east of the Mississippi, per the USGS.
  47. How long is the Mississippi River from its source at Lake Itasca in Minnesota to the Gulf?2,350 milesThe National Park Service puts the Mississippi at 2,350 miles, the second-longest river in North America; the Mississippi–Missouri system runs 3,710 miles.
  48. Yellowstone, established in 1872 as the first national park, spans parts of Wyoming, Montana, and which third state?IdahoThe National Park Service notes Yellowstone covers about 2.2 million acres across Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.
  49. How tall is the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri?630 feetThe National Park Service gives the Gateway Arch a height of 630 feet, the same as the distance between its legs at ground level.
  50. Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln are three of the presidents carved at Mount Rushmore. Who is the fourth?Theodore RooseveltThe National Park Service lists Theodore Roosevelt alongside Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln on the 60-foot faces in South Dakota's Black Hills.
  51. The highest air temperature ever recorded in the United States, 134°F at Greenland Ranch on July 10, 1913, was measured in which state?CaliforniaThe reading was taken in Death Valley, California, and is certified as the world record, according to NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information.
  52. Which state recorded both a 121°F high and a -60°F low during the single calendar year of 1936?North DakotaNorth Dakota hit 121°F at Steele on July 6, 1936 and -60°F at Parshall on February 15, 1936 — a 181-degree spread, per NOAA NCEI.
  53. Which U.S. state capital has no road linking it to the continental highway system, so the only ways in are by plane or by ferry?JuneauJuneau, the capital of Alaska, is hemmed in by the Coast Mountains, the Juneau Icefield and Gastineau Channel. It is the largest community on the North American continent with no link to the continental highway system, and travelers arrive by air or aboard Alaska Marine Highway ferries. Olympia, Salem and Helena all sit on the interstate network.
  54. Which of the Great Lakes is the shallowest, with an average depth of just 62 feet?Lake ErieLake Erie averages only 62 feet deep, and its water is replaced in about 2.6 years compared with roughly 191 years for Lake Superior, according to the U.S. EPA.
  55. Measured from its base on the ocean floor rather than from sea level, which US mountain stands nearly 33,500 feet tall, the tallest on Earth by that measure?Mauna Kea, HawaiiMauna Kea rises 13,796 feet above sea level but extends about 19,700 feet below it, for a total height of nearly 33,500 feet, according to the USGS.
  56. The geographic center of the conterminous 48 states sits near the town of Lebanon, in which state?KansasThe USGS places the center of the conterminous 48 states near Lebanon, in Smith County, Kansas, at 39°50′ N, 98°35′ W, though no federal agency has ever officially marked it.
  57. West Quoddy Head, Maine, and Point Arena, California, are the two farthest-apart points in the 48 states. How far apart are they?2,892 statute milesThe USGS gives 2,892 statute miles as the distance between those two points, the greatest separation within the conterminous United States.
  58. Counting outer coasts, islands, sounds, bays, rivers, and the Great Lakes, roughly how long is the total shoreline of the United States?About 95,000 milesNOAA measures the shoreline the long way, following every offshore island, sound, bay, river, and creek to the head of tidewater and adding the Great Lakes, which brings the national total to roughly 95,000 miles (about 154,000 kilometers). The 'general coastline' figure, which smooths over all of those indentations, is only a small fraction of that length.
  59. Which state entered the Union in 1896 as the 45th state?UtahUtah became the 45th state in 1896, according to Britannica; Oregon (1859), Kansas (1861), and Nevada (1864) had all been admitted decades earlier.
  60. Guadalupe Peak, rising to roughly 8,750 feet, is the highest point in which state?TexasGuadalupe Peak, in the Guadalupe Mountains of Culberson County, is the highest natural point in Texas, and the National Park Service puts its summit at 8,751 feet. The other three states top out far higher: Colorado at Mount Elbert (14,433 feet), Utah at Kings Peak (13,528 feet), and New Mexico at Wheeler Peak (13,161 feet).
  61. The combined total areas of Texas, California, and which other state come to 579,331 square miles — still less than Alaska's 665,384?MontanaTexas (268,596), California (163,695), and Montana (147,040) together cover 579,331 square miles, less than Alaska alone, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
  62. Ranked by total area, which state sits just ahead of Wyoming's 97,813 square miles, by fewer than 600 square miles?OregonOregon's 98,379 square miles rank 9th and Wyoming's 97,813 rank 10th, per U.S. Census Bureau state area figures.
  63. After Rhode Island and Delaware, which is the third-smallest state by total area, at 5,543 square miles?ConnecticutRhode Island (1,545), Delaware (2,489), and Connecticut (5,543) are the three smallest states by total area, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
  64. Which state's 96,714 square miles of total area shrink to just 56,539 square miles once only land is counted?MichiganMichigan's total area includes roughly 40,000 square miles of water, mostly Great Lakes, per U.S. Census Bureau state area figures.
  65. As of July 1, 2025, which of these four states had the largest population?IllinoisCensus Bureau estimates for July 1, 2025 put Illinois at 12,719,141, ahead of Ohio (11,900,510), Georgia (11,302,748), and North Carolina (11,197,968).
  66. As of July 1, 2025, the District of Columbia's 693,645 residents outnumbered the population of which state?VermontVermont had 644,663 residents as of July 1, 2025, fewer than the District of Columbia, while Alaska, North Dakota, and South Dakota all had more, per the U.S. Census Bureau.
  67. Which state closed out the ten most populous as of July 1, 2025, with 10,127,884 residents?MichiganMichigan ranked tenth with 10,127,884 residents in the Census Bureau's July 1, 2025 estimates.
  68. In the Census Bureau's 2020 county reference file, which state ranked second behind Texas, with 159 counties?GeorgiaTexas leads with 254 counties and Georgia follows with 159, ahead of Virginia (133), Kentucky (120), and Missouri (115), per the U.S. Census Bureau.
  69. Hawaii was admitted on August 21, 1959, but the 50-star American flag only became official on what date?July 4, 1960An 1818 law required a new star on the Fourth of July following a state's admission, so the 50-star flag took effect July 4, 1960, per the Library of Congress.
  70. The Alaska purchase treaty was signed on March 30, 1867, but when did the Treasury actually issue the $7.2 million check?August 1, 1868Congress did not appropriate the funds until the following summer, and the check was issued August 1, 1868, according to the National Archives.
  71. Missouri and Tennessee each border eight states. Which of these borders Missouri but not Tennessee?NebraskaNebraska is among Missouri's eight neighbors but not Tennessee's, while Arkansas and Kentucky border both, per Britannica.
  72. Maine borders just one other state, New Hampshire. Which two Canadian provinces does it also border?Quebec and New BrunswickMaine is bordered by Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast, with the Atlantic to the south and east, according to Britannica.
  73. Three sections of the Four Corners Monument sit on the Navajo reservation. The fourth sits on Ute Mountain Ute land — which state is it?ColoradoThe Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah portions lie on the Navajo reservation and the Colorado portion on the Ute Mountain Ute reservation, per Britannica.
  74. Minnesota's Northwest Angle, the northernmost point of the contiguous United States, exists because of a mapping error in which treaty?The 1783 Treaty of ParisThe error originated in the 1783 Treaty of Paris; the boundary was fixed in 1818 as a line running north–south from the northwesternmost point of Lake of the Woods, per Britannica.
  75. A 2015 GPS survey set Denali's official elevation at 20,310 feet. How much lower was that than the figure it replaced?10 feetThe new measurement came in 10 feet below the old 20,320-foot figure, which had been obtained with 1950s technology, according to the USGS.
  76. Mount Whitney is the highest point in the contiguous United States. As of 2026, what summit elevation does the National Geodetic Survey publish for it under the NAVD 88 datum?14,505 feetThe National Geodetic Survey's data sheet for station WHITNEY gives 4,421.1 meters — 14,505 feet — under NAVD 88, the same figure the National Park Service publishes for the summit. The 14,494-foot number belongs to the older NGVD 29 datum, while 14,433 and 14,411 feet are the long-published elevations of Mount Elbert in Colorado and Mount Rainier in Washington.
  77. Which state has the highest low point in the nation, its lowest elevation being the Arikaree River at 3,315 feet?ColoradoColorado's lowest point, the Arikaree River at 3,315 feet, is higher than any other state's low point, according to the USGS.
  78. Restored in 2024 as the name of the highest peak in the Smokies, the Cherokee word Kuwohi means what?mulberry placeThe U.S. Board on Geographic Names restored Kuwohi — "mulberry place" — to the 6,643-foot peak formerly called Clingmans Dome in September 2024, per the National Park Service.
  79. The Mississippi River watershed drains about 40% of the continental United States. All or part of how many states does it cover?31The watershed spans all or part of 31 states and two Canadian provinces, roughly 1.2 million square miles, according to the National Park Service.
  80. Which Great Lake replaces its water in roughly 2.6 years, compared with about 191 years for Lake Superior?Lake ErieLake Erie is the shallowest Great Lake, averaging just 62 feet deep, which gives it a retention time of about 2.6 years, per the U.S. EPA.
  81. The lowest temperature recorded in the contiguous United States, −70°F on January 20, 1954, was measured at Rogers Pass in which state?MontanaRogers Pass, Montana, holds the contiguous-U.S. record at −70°F, behind only Prospect Creek Camp, Alaska, at −80°F, per NOAA NCEI.
  82. The largest hailstone on record in the United States, 8 inches across, fell at Vivian in July 2010 in which state?South DakotaThe record hailstone fell at Vivian, South Dakota, on July 23, 2010, according to NOAA NCEI.
  83. The deepest snow ever measured in the United States, 451 inches at Tamarack in March 1911, was recorded in which state?CaliforniaTamarack, California, recorded 451 inches of snow depth on March 11, 1911, ahead of Washington's 367-inch record, per NOAA NCEI.
  84. The smallest National Park Service site, at 0.02 acres, is the Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial. Which state holds it?PennsylvaniaThe Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial in Pennsylvania is the smallest unit in the National Park System, per the National Park Service.
  85. Which site is the largest in the National Park System, covering 13.2 million acres?Wrangell–St. Elias, AlaskaWrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve in Alaska covers 13.2 million acres, far more than Death Valley's 3.4 million, according to the National Park Service.
  86. The geographic center of all 50 states lies just west of Castle Rock, in Butte County, in which state?South DakotaThe USGS places the center of all 50 states in Butte County, South Dakota, while the center of the conterminous 48 is near Lebanon, Kansas.
  87. Fourteen states are split across more than one time zone. Which of these is one of them?IdahoIdaho is among the fourteen multi-time-zone states, a list that also includes Kansas, Nebraska, Oregon, and Texas, according to Britannica.
  88. One state recorded both 121°F in July and −60°F in February of 1936, a 181-degree spread in a single calendar year. Which state was it?North DakotaNOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information lists North Dakota's all-time high of 121°F at Steele on July 6, 1936, and its all-time low of −60°F at Parshall on February 15, 1936.
  89. Oregon, Kansas, West Virginia, and Nevada all entered the Union within a six-year span. Which of the four was admitted last?NevadaNevada achieved statehood on October 31, 1864, after Oregon (February 14, 1859), Kansas (January 29, 1861), and West Virginia (June 20, 1863), according to Britannica.
  90. Which of these state high points rises highest above sea level?Mount Elbert, ColoradoMount Elbert reaches 14,433 feet, edging out Mount Rainier at 14,411 feet, Gannett Peak at 13,804 feet, and Kings Peak at 13,528 feet, per the USGS.

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About the 50 states quiz

Alaska's total area of 665,384 square miles exceeds the combined area of Texas, California, and Montana, yet the state ranked 48th in population as of July 1, 2025, with only 737,270 residents. Borders vary just as sharply: Tennessee and Missouri each touch eight neighboring states, while Maine touches exactly one, New Hampshire. A 50 states quiz has to hold both kinds of fact at once — how big a state is and who surrounds it — which is what trips up players who only memorized a map's outline.

The 9 quizzes on this page work through the same map from different angles: easy rounds stick to the states everyone can place, like the largest and smallest by area; medium rounds move into state capitals, admission dates, and border counts; hard rounds pull from elevation extremes, weather records, and county totals — the kind of detail that separates people who memorized shapes from people who know Point Barrow from Point Arena. Expect 90 questions per attempt, mixed so no two quizzes play the same.

Frequently asked questions

What were the first 50 states in order?

There's no single sourced list of all 50 states in admission order here, but the sequence's bookends are clear: Delaware ratified first, on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania (December 12, 1787) and New Jersey (December 18, 1787). At the other end, Alaska became the 49th state on January 3, 1959, and Hawaii the 50th on August 21, 1959.

Are there 50 or 52 states?

There are 50 states. The '52' some people cite usually comes from folding the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories into the count, even though neither is a state. D.C. isn't a rounding error either — it had 693,645 residents as of July 1, 2025, more than either Wyoming or Vermont — it is simply a federal district, not one of the 50 states.

Why do they say 52 states of America?

People sometimes arrive at "52" by counting the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories along with the 50 states, or simply by repeating a misstatement they've heard. There is no official 52-state count: the National Park Service, for instance, distinguishes among the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories as separate categories when describing where its sites are located.

What is US 50 state?

This usually refers to the 50 states that make up the United States, whose admission stretched from Delaware's ratification on December 7, 1787, to Hawaii's statehood on August 21, 1959. Together, the 50 states plus the District of Columbia cover 3,796,742 square miles of total area.

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