This page lists all 50 United States and their capitals in alphabetical order. Use it as a quick reference, a study aid, or a printable cheat sheet. Each state name links to a dedicated page with detailed facts, history, geography, and a map showing that state's location within the country.
Whether you're studying for a geography test, planning a road trip, or just curious about the 50 states and capitals, this is the most concise list available. The capitals of the 50 US states have been stable for over a century — California's has been Sacramento since 1854, New York's has been Albany since 1797, and so on. Memorising the 50 states and their capitals is a classic part of US education and an enduring quiz favourite.
Complete alphabetical list of the 50 US states and capitals
| # | State | Capital | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama (AL) | Montgomery | 1819 |
| 2 | Alaska (AK) | Juneau | 1959 |
| 3 | Arizona (AZ) | Phoenix | 1912 |
| 4 | Arkansas (AR) | Little Rock | 1836 |
| 5 | California (CA) | Sacramento | 1850 |
| 6 | Colorado (CO) | Denver | 1876 |
| 7 | Connecticut (CT) | Hartford | 1788 |
| 8 | Delaware (DE) | Dover | 1787 |
| 9 | Florida (FL) | Tallahassee | 1845 |
| 10 | Georgia (GA) | Atlanta | 1788 |
| 11 | Hawaii (HI) | Honolulu | 1959 |
| 12 | Idaho (ID) | Boise | 1890 |
| 13 | Illinois (IL) | Springfield | 1818 |
| 14 | Indiana (IN) | Indianapolis | 1816 |
| 15 | Iowa (IA) | Des Moines | 1846 |
| 16 | Kansas (KS) | Topeka | 1861 |
| 17 | Kentucky (KY) | Frankfort | 1792 |
| 18 | Louisiana (LA) | Baton Rouge | 1812 |
| 19 | Maine (ME) | Augusta | 1820 |
| 20 | Maryland (MD) | Annapolis | 1788 |
| 21 | Massachusetts (MA) | Boston | 1788 |
| 22 | Michigan (MI) | Lansing | 1837 |
| 23 | Minnesota (MN) | Saint Paul | 1858 |
| 24 | Mississippi (MS) | Jackson | 1817 |
| 25 | Missouri (MO) | Jefferson City | 1821 |
| 26 | Montana (MT) | Helena | 1889 |
| 27 | Nebraska (NE) | Lincoln | 1867 |
| 28 | Nevada (NV) | Carson City | 1864 |
| 29 | New Hampshire (NH) | Concord | 1788 |
| 30 | New Jersey (NJ) | Trenton | 1787 |
| 31 | New Mexico (NM) | Santa Fe | 1912 |
| 32 | New York (NY) | Albany | 1788 |
| 33 | North Carolina (NC) | Raleigh | 1789 |
| 34 | North Dakota (ND) | Bismarck | 1889 |
| 35 | Ohio (OH) | Columbus | 1803 |
| 36 | Oklahoma (OK) | Oklahoma City | 1907 |
| 37 | Oregon (OR) | Salem | 1859 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania (PA) | Harrisburg | 1787 |
| 39 | Rhode Island (RI) | Providence | 1790 |
| 40 | South Carolina (SC) | Columbia | 1788 |
| 41 | South Dakota (SD) | Pierre | 1889 |
| 42 | Tennessee (TN) | Nashville | 1796 |
| 43 | Texas (TX) | Austin | 1845 |
| 44 | Utah (UT) | Salt Lake City | 1896 |
| 45 | Vermont (VT) | Montpelier | 1791 |
| 46 | Virginia (VA) | Richmond | 1788 |
| 47 | Washington (WA) | Olympia | 1889 |
| 48 | West Virginia (WV) | Charleston | 1863 |
| 49 | Wisconsin (WI) | Madison | 1848 |
| 50 | Wyoming (WY) | Cheyenne | 1890 |
Capitals that surprise people
Most US state capitals are not the biggest city. This is by design — when states picked their capitals in the 18th and 19th centuries, founders often chose a smaller, more centrally located town to avoid concentrating power in commercial hubs. The result: a long list of capital-vs-largest-city mismatches that trip up almost every American adult quizzed on the spot.
The classic mismatches
- California: Sacramento (capital) vs Los Angeles (largest city)
- New York: Albany vs New York City
- Florida: Tallahassee vs Jacksonville
- Texas: Austin vs Houston
- Illinois: Springfield vs Chicago
- Nevada: Carson City vs Las Vegas
- Pennsylvania: Harrisburg vs Philadelphia
- Washington state: Olympia vs Seattle
- Louisiana: Baton Rouge vs New Orleans
- Kentucky: Frankfort vs Louisville
- Missouri: Jefferson City vs Kansas City
- Alaska: Juneau vs Anchorage (Juneau has no road access)
The capitals that are the biggest city
About 17 of 50: Phoenix (Arizona), Honolulu (Hawaii), Indianapolis (Indiana), Boston (Massachusetts), Atlanta (Georgia), Denver (Colorado), Salt Lake City (Utah), Oklahoma City (Oklahoma), Little Rock (Arkansas), Charleston (West Virginia — though Huntington competes), and a handful of smaller states where the capital is the largest by default (Cheyenne in Wyoming, Boise in Idaho, etc.).
Printable list of 50 states and capitals
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The header navigation, ads (none), and footer will be hidden automatically — only the list, table, and key sections will be printed. This page is a one-stop reference for memorising the 50 US states and capitals — perfect for students, teachers, parents homeschooling, geography quiz prep, or anyone who wants a clean printable copy.
50 states and capitals — quick memory tricks
- Group by region. Northeast (9), South (16), Midwest (12), West (13). Learn the region first, then fill in the states.
- Spot the capital traps. The 12 trickiest: Pierre (SD), Frankfort (KY), Annapolis (MD), Tallahassee (FL), Carson City (NV), Albany (NY), Olympia (WA), Boise (ID), Jefferson City (MO), Springfield (IL), Juneau (AK), Sacramento (CA).
- Use the state quarter (1999–2008). Each US state quarter shows a state-specific design and the abbreviation — handy memory anchor.
- Spaced repetition. Five minutes a day for two weeks beats one hour every Saturday. Try the daily puzzle below.
Memorize all 50 states and capitals in under a week
Use our region-by-region method, then drill with the daily puzzle. Five minutes a day, no flashcards needed.
Read the full capitals guide →