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Random State Generator

Pick a random US state from all 50, with its capital, largest city, nickname, statehood date, 2020 population, area, neighbors and a famous landmark. Filter by region, coastline, population or the era it joined the Union, test yourself with the states and capitals quiz, or let it plan a random road trip.

Also try the Random Country Generator, Random City Generator, and Fake Address Generator.

Last updated: October 3, 2026 · Published: 2026-03-27 · Updated: 2026-10-03

For students, teachers, trivia fans and road-trippers. Browse all Randomizer tools.

How many states? (1–50)

Census region

Division

Coastline

Population (2020 Census)

Joined the Union

Washington, D.C.

Show

50 of 50 states match.

Pick a region, coastline, population or statehood era, then generate. Every one of the 50 states comes with its capital, largest city, nickname, 2020 population, area and neighbors.

What is a random state generator?

A random state generator picks one or more of the 50 US states at random. People use one for geography lessons, memorizing states and capitals, choosing a travel destination, fair giveaways and territories, trivia games, and realistic test data.

Muxgen's generator covers all 50 states, 9 in the Northeast, 12 in the Midwest, 16 in the South, and 13 in the West as grouped by the US Census Bureau, plus Washington, D.C. as an option. Each state comes with its capital, largest city, nickname, census division, statehood date and order, 2020 Census population, total area, coastline, bordering states and a well-known landmark.

The States quiz tests capitals, USPS abbreviations, nicknames, landmarks and neighbors, and Road trip strings bordering states into a random route. Everything runs in your browser, with no sign-up.

How to use the random state generator

Three steps from a click to a state, a score or a route.

Pick a mode

Random state draws 1–51 states with facts. States quiz is a 10-question test. Road trip builds a route through bordering states.

Set your filters

Narrow by census region and division, coastline, 2020 population, the era a state joined the Union, and whether to include Washington, D.C.

Read, swap and copy

Every card shows the capital, largest city, nickname, statehood, population, area, neighbors and a landmark. Swap any pick, or copy names, abbreviations or full facts.

Every control explained

How many states?

From one state up to every state that matches, with no repeats. New batches show states you have not just seen first.

Census region

The four US Census Bureau regions: Northeast, Midwest, South and West.

Division

The nine census divisions, such as New England or Pacific. The list narrows to fit the chosen region.

Coastline

Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific, Arctic or Great Lakes shoreline, or states with no ocean coast.

Population

2020 Census bands: under 2 million, 2–5 million, 5–10 million, or over 10 million people.

Joined the Union

The original 13, 1791–1850, 1851–1900, or 1901–1959.

Washington, D.C.

Off by default because D.C. is a federal district, not a state. Turn it on to draw from 51 places.

Show

Full fact cards, or just names and abbreviations for quick lists and games.

The four US regions and nine divisions

How the US Census Bureau groups the 50 states, with each region's combined 2020 population.

Region	Division	States
Northeast9 states · 57.6 million	New England	Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
Northeast9 states · 57.6 million	Middle Atlantic	New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania
Midwest12 states · 69.0 million	East North Central	Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin
Midwest12 states · 69.0 million	West North Central	Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota
South16 states · 125.6 million	South Atlantic	Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia (plus D.C.)
	East South Central	Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee
	West South Central	Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas
West13 states · 78.6 million	Mountain	Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming
West13 states · 78.6 million	Pacific	Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington

Population and area rankings

From the 2020 Census and Census Bureau total area. Alaska alone is larger than Texas, California, and Montana combined.

Most populous states

1	California	39.5 million
2	Texas	29.1 million
3	Florida	21.5 million
4	New York	20.2 million
5	Pennsylvania	13.0 million
6	Illinois	12.8 million
7	Ohio	11.8 million
8	Georgia	10.7 million
9	North Carolina	10.4 million
10	Michigan	10.1 million

Least populous states

50	Wyoming	577,000
49	Vermont	643,000
48	Alaska	733,000
47	North Dakota	779,000
46	South Dakota	887,000
45	Delaware	990,000
44	Montana	1.08 million
43	Rhode Island	1.10 million
42	Maine	1.36 million
41	New Hampshire	1.38 million

Largest states by area

1	Alaska	665,384 sq mi
2	Texas	268,596 sq mi
3	California	163,695 sq mi
4	Montana	147,040 sq mi
5	New Mexico	121,590 sq mi
6	Arizona	113,990 sq mi
7	Nevada	110,572 sq mi
8	Colorado	104,094 sq mi
9	Oregon	98,379 sq mi
10	Wyoming	97,813 sq mi

Smallest states by area

50	Rhode Island	1,545 sq mi
49	Delaware	2,489 sq mi
48	Connecticut	5,543 sq mi
47	New Jersey	8,723 sq mi
46	New Hampshire	9,349 sq mi
45	Vermont	9,616 sq mi
44	Massachusetts	10,554 sq mi
43	Hawaii	10,932 sq mi
42	Maryland	12,406 sq mi
41	West Virginia	24,230 sq mi

States in order of statehood

From Delaware in 1787 to Hawaii in 1959. Statehood is the date each state ratified the Constitution or was admitted to the Union.

The original 13 (1787–1790) · 13 states

Ratified the US Constitution in this order.

1.Delaware December 7, 1787
2.Pennsylvania December 12, 1787
3.New Jersey December 18, 1787
4.Georgia January 2, 1788
5.Connecticut January 9, 1788
6.Massachusetts February 6, 1788
7.Maryland April 28, 1788
8.South Carolina May 23, 1788
9.New Hampshire June 21, 1788
10.Virginia June 25, 1788
11.New York July 26, 1788
12.North Carolina November 21, 1789
13.Rhode Island May 29, 1790

Early republic (1791–1850) · 18 states

From Vermont to California and the Gold Rush.

14.Vermont March 4, 1791
15.Kentucky June 1, 1792
16.Tennessee June 1, 1796
17.Ohio March 1, 1803
18.Louisiana April 30, 1812
19.Indiana December 11, 1816
20.Mississippi December 10, 1817
21.Illinois December 3, 1818
22.Alabama December 14, 1819
23.Maine March 15, 1820
24.Missouri August 10, 1821
25.Arkansas June 15, 1836
26.Michigan January 26, 1837
27.Florida March 3, 1845
28.Texas December 29, 1845
29.Iowa December 28, 1846
30.Wisconsin May 29, 1848
31.California September 9, 1850

Westward expansion (1851–1900) · 14 states

Six states joined in 1889 and 1890 alone.

32.Minnesota May 11, 1858
33.Oregon February 14, 1859
34.Kansas January 29, 1861
35.West Virginia June 20, 1863
36.Nevada October 31, 1864
37.Nebraska March 1, 1867
38.Colorado August 1, 1876
39.North Dakota November 2, 1889
40.South Dakota November 2, 1889
41.Montana November 8, 1889
42.Washington November 11, 1889
43.Idaho July 3, 1890
44.Wyoming July 10, 1890
45.Utah January 4, 1896

Modern era (1901–1959) · 5 states

Completing the lower 48 in 1912, then Alaska and Hawaii in 1959.

46.Oklahoma November 16, 1907
47.New Mexico January 6, 1912
48.Arizona February 14, 1912
49.Alaska January 3, 1959
50.Hawaii August 21, 1959

Capitals that are not the largest city

In 33 of the 50 states the capital is not the biggest city, which is why capitals quizzes trip people up. In the other 17, such as Arizona, Georgia, Massachusetts, and Tennessee, the capital is also the largest city.

State	Capital	Largest city
Alabama	Montgomery	Huntsville
Alaska	Juneau	Anchorage
California	Sacramento	Los Angeles
Connecticut	Hartford	Bridgeport
Delaware	Dover	Wilmington
Florida	Tallahassee	Jacksonville
Illinois	Springfield	Chicago
Kansas	Topeka	Wichita
Kentucky	Frankfort	Louisville
Louisiana	Baton Rouge	New Orleans
Maine	Augusta	Portland
Maryland	Annapolis	Baltimore
Michigan	Lansing	Detroit
Minnesota	Saint Paul	Minneapolis
Missouri	Jefferson City	Kansas City
Montana	Helena	Billings
Nebraska	Lincoln	Omaha
Nevada	Carson City	Las Vegas
New Hampshire	Concord	Manchester
New Jersey	Trenton	Newark
New Mexico	Santa Fe	Albuquerque
New York	Albany	New York City
North Carolina	Raleigh	Charlotte
North Dakota	Bismarck	Fargo
Oregon	Salem	Portland
Pennsylvania	Harrisburg	Philadelphia
South Carolina	Columbia	Charleston
South Dakota	Pierre	Sioux Falls
Texas	Austin	Houston
Vermont	Montpelier	Burlington
Virginia	Richmond	Virginia Beach
Washington	Olympia	Seattle
Wisconsin	Madison	Milwaukee

Borders and coastlines

Missouri and Tennessee border the most states (8 each). Maine borders just one, and Alaska and Hawaii border none. 23 states have an ocean coast and 27 do not.

State abbreviations: the ones people mix up

Two-letter USPS codes, written in capitals with no periods. These groups share a first letter and cause most mistakes.

Group	Codes	Tip
A	AL Alabama, AK Alaska, AZ Arizona, AR Arkansas	Alaska is AK and Arizona is AZ. AL is Alabama and AR is Arkansas.
I	ID Idaho, IL Illinois, IN Indiana, IA Iowa	Iowa is IA, not IO. Idaho is ID.
M	ME Maine, MD Maryland, MA Massachusetts, MI Michigan, MN Minnesota, MS Mississippi, MO Missouri, MT Montana	The trickiest group. MA is Massachusetts, MI Michigan, MS Mississippi, MO Missouri, and MT Montana.
N	NE Nebraska, NV Nevada, NH New Hampshire, NJ New Jersey, NM New Mexico, NY New York, NC North Carolina, ND North Dakota	Nebraska is NE and Nevada is NV. The two-word states use both initials.
Others	CT Connecticut, GA Georgia, HI Hawaii, KS Kansas, KY Kentucky, PA Pennsylvania, TN Tennessee, TX Texas, VT Vermont, VA Virginia	Connecticut is CT, Kentucky KY, Kansas KS, Tennessee TN, and Texas TX.

How to memorize the 50 states and capitals

Six steps that work for students and adults alike.

1
Learn one region at a time
Start with the 9 Northeast states, then the 12 Midwest, 13 West and 16 South. Small groups are easier to remember than 50 at once.
2
Flag the tricky capitals
33 capitals are not the state's largest city. Pay special attention to these, such as Albany (not New York City), Sacramento (not Los Angeles) and Springfield (not Chicago).
3
Quiz yourself
Use the States quiz on capitals or abbreviations, limited to one region. Review the missed answers at the end of each round.
4
Learn the neighbors
Run a few road trips and say each state's neighbors out loud. Knowing what borders what helps you picture the map.
5
Space it out
Ten minutes a day over a week beats an hour in one sitting. Come back to the states you missed first.
6
Finish with a mixed quiz
When each region is solid, switch to Mixed and All states to test capitals, abbreviations, nicknames, landmarks and neighbors together.

All 50 states and capitals, with facts

Every state in alphabetical order, plus Washington, D.C. Population is from the 2020 Census (US total 331,449,281); area is total area including water.

State	Capital	Largest city	Nickname	Region	Statehood	Population	Area
Alabama AL	Montgomery	Huntsville	Yellowhammer State	East South Central	22nd · 1819	5,024,279	52,420 sq mi135,767 km²
Alaska AK	Juneau	Anchorage	The Last Frontier	Pacific	49th · 1959	733,391	665,384 sq mi1,723,338 km²
Arizona AZ	Phoenix	Phoenix	Grand Canyon State	Mountain	48th · 1912	7,151,502	113,990 sq mi295,233 km²
Arkansas AR	Little Rock	Little Rock	The Natural State	West South Central	25th · 1836	3,011,524	53,179 sq mi137,733 km²
California CA	Sacramento	Los Angeles	Golden State	Pacific	31st · 1850	39,538,223	163,695 sq mi423,968 km²
Colorado CO	Denver	Denver	Centennial State	Mountain	38th · 1876	5,773,714	104,094 sq mi269,602 km²
Connecticut CT	Hartford	Bridgeport	Constitution State	New England	5th · 1788	3,605,944	5,543 sq mi14,356 km²
Delaware DE	Dover	Wilmington	First State	South Atlantic	1st · 1787	989,948	2,489 sq mi6,446 km²
Florida FL	Tallahassee	Jacksonville	Sunshine State	South Atlantic	27th · 1845	21,538,187	65,758 sq mi170,313 km²
Georgia GA	Atlanta	Atlanta	Peach State	South Atlantic	4th · 1788	10,711,908	59,425 sq mi153,910 km²
Hawaii HI	Honolulu	Honolulu	Aloha State	Pacific	50th · 1959	1,455,271	10,932 sq mi28,314 km²
Idaho ID	Boise	Boise	Gem State	Mountain	43rd · 1890	1,839,106	83,569 sq mi216,443 km²
Illinois IL	Springfield	Chicago	Prairie State	East North Central	21st · 1818	12,812,508	57,914 sq mi149,997 km²
Indiana IN	Indianapolis	Indianapolis	Hoosier State	East North Central	19th · 1816	6,785,528	36,420 sq mi94,327 km²
Iowa IA	Des Moines	Des Moines	Hawkeye State	West North Central	29th · 1846	3,190,369	56,273 sq mi145,747 km²
Kansas KS	Topeka	Wichita	Sunflower State	West North Central	34th · 1861	2,937,880	82,278 sq mi213,099 km²
Kentucky KY	Frankfort	Louisville	Bluegrass State	East South Central	15th · 1792	4,505,836	40,408 sq mi104,656 km²
Louisiana LA	Baton Rouge	New Orleans	Pelican State	West South Central	18th · 1812	4,657,757	52,378 sq mi135,658 km²
Maine ME	Augusta	Portland	Pine Tree State	New England	23rd · 1820	1,362,359	35,380 sq mi91,634 km²
Maryland MD	Annapolis	Baltimore	Old Line State	South Atlantic	7th · 1788	6,177,224	12,406 sq mi32,131 km²
Massachusetts MA	Boston	Boston	Bay State	New England	6th · 1788	7,029,917	10,554 sq mi27,335 km²
Michigan MI	Lansing	Detroit	Great Lakes State	East North Central	26th · 1837	10,077,331	96,714 sq mi250,488 km²
Minnesota MN	Saint Paul	Minneapolis	North Star State	West North Central	32nd · 1858	5,706,494	86,936 sq mi225,163 km²
Mississippi MS	Jackson	Jackson	Magnolia State	East South Central	20th · 1817	2,961,279	48,432 sq mi125,438 km²
Missouri MO	Jefferson City	Kansas City	Show-Me State	West North Central	24th · 1821	6,154,913	69,707 sq mi180,540 km²
Montana MT	Helena	Billings	Treasure State	Mountain	41st · 1889	1,084,225	147,040 sq mi380,832 km²
Nebraska NE	Lincoln	Omaha	Cornhusker State	West North Central	37th · 1867	1,961,504	77,348 sq mi200,331 km²
Nevada NV	Carson City	Las Vegas	Silver State	Mountain	36th · 1864	3,104,614	110,572 sq mi286,380 km²
New Hampshire NH	Concord	Manchester	Granite State	New England	9th · 1788	1,377,529	9,349 sq mi24,214 km²
New Jersey NJ	Trenton	Newark	Garden State	Middle Atlantic	3rd · 1787	9,288,994	8,723 sq mi22,592 km²
New Mexico NM	Santa Fe	Albuquerque	Land of Enchantment	Mountain	47th · 1912	2,117,522	121,590 sq mi314,917 km²
New York NY	Albany	New York City	Empire State	Middle Atlantic	11th · 1788	20,201,249	54,555 sq mi141,297 km²
North Carolina NC	Raleigh	Charlotte	Tar Heel State	South Atlantic	12th · 1789	10,439,388	53,819 sq mi139,391 km²
North Dakota ND	Bismarck	Fargo	Peace Garden State	West North Central	39th · 1889	779,094	70,698 sq mi183,107 km²
Ohio OH	Columbus	Columbus	Buckeye State	East North Central	17th · 1803	11,799,448	44,826 sq mi116,099 km²
Oklahoma OK	Oklahoma City	Oklahoma City	Sooner State	West South Central	46th · 1907	3,959,353	69,899 sq mi181,038 km²
Oregon OR	Salem	Portland	Beaver State	Pacific	33rd · 1859	4,237,256	98,379 sq mi254,801 km²
Pennsylvania PA	Harrisburg	Philadelphia	Keystone State	Middle Atlantic	2nd · 1787	13,002,700	46,054 sq mi119,279 km²
Rhode Island RI	Providence	Providence	Ocean State	New England	13th · 1790	1,097,379	1,545 sq mi4,002 km²
South Carolina SC	Columbia	Charleston	Palmetto State	South Atlantic	8th · 1788	5,118,425	32,020 sq mi82,931 km²
South Dakota SD	Pierre	Sioux Falls	Mount Rushmore State	West North Central	40th · 1889	886,667	77,116 sq mi199,730 km²
Tennessee TN	Nashville	Nashville	Volunteer State	East South Central	16th · 1796	6,910,840	42,144 sq mi109,153 km²
Texas TX	Austin	Houston	Lone Star State	West South Central	28th · 1845	29,145,505	268,596 sq mi695,661 km²
Utah UT	Salt Lake City	Salt Lake City	Beehive State	Mountain	45th · 1896	3,271,616	84,897 sq mi219,882 km²
Vermont VT	Montpelier	Burlington	Green Mountain State	New England	14th · 1791	643,077	9,616 sq mi24,905 km²
Virginia VA	Richmond	Virginia Beach	Old Dominion	South Atlantic	10th · 1788	8,631,393	42,775 sq mi110,787 km²
Washington WA	Olympia	Seattle	Evergreen State	Pacific	42nd · 1889	7,705,281	71,298 sq mi184,661 km²
West Virginia WV	Charleston	Charleston	Mountain State	South Atlantic	35th · 1863	1,793,716	24,230 sq mi62,755 km²
Wisconsin WI	Madison	Milwaukee	Badger State	East North Central	30th · 1848	5,893,718	65,496 sq mi169,634 km²
Wyoming WY	Cheyenne	Cheyenne	Equality State	Mountain	44th · 1890	576,851	97,813 sq mi253,335 km²
District of Columbia DC	Washington	Washington	The Nation's Capital	South Atlantic	Federal district	689,545	68 sq mi176 km²

Features

Built for learning, not just picking a name.

All 50 states + D.C.

Capital, largest city, nickname, region, division, statehood date and order, population, area, coastline, neighbors and a landmark for each.

Six filters

Census region, division, coastline, population, statehood era and D.C. on or off, combined however you like.

States quiz

Capitals, USPS abbreviations, nicknames, landmarks or neighbors, with a review of missed answers.

Road trip mode

Random routes of 3–8 bordering states with capitals and landmarks, plus a Google Maps link.

Official sources

2020 Census populations and Census Bureau areas, regions and divisions.

Rankings built in

Every card shows the state's population and area rank out of 50.

Copy in three formats

Plain names, two-letter abbreviations, or one-line fact summaries.

Private and free

Runs in your browser with no sign-up and nothing uploaded.

Common use cases

Who uses a random state generator, and how.

Geography class

Give each student a random state to research, or run the capitals quiz as a warm-up.

Memorizing states and capitals

Drill one region at a time, then test yourself with a mixed quiz.

Road trip planning

Generate a connected route through neighboring states and open the capitals in Google Maps.

Fair random choices

Pick a state for a giveaway, a sales territory, a sample, or a team name without bias.

Travel bucket lists

Draw a state you have never visited and plan a trip around its landmark.

Test data

Copy realistic state names and USPS codes for forms, spreadsheets and demo databases.

Writers and game designers

Set a story or a game level in a random state with real facts to build on.

Trivia and party games

Read out a nickname or landmark and have teams guess the state.

Settling debates

Let the generator decide where the next family reunion or vacation goes.

How this compares

When to use this tool, and when something else fits better.

vs. Random Country Generator

The country generator covers every nation in the world. This tool goes deeper on the 50 US states, with census regions, statehood and borders.

vs. Random City Generator

The city generator picks individual cities. This tool picks whole states and lists each one's capital and largest city.

vs. Fake Address Generator

The address generator builds full fake addresses for testing. Use this tool when you only need states and codes.

vs. a printed map

A map shows where states are. This tool adds random selection, facts and a quiz, which makes practice more active.

vs. spinning a wheel

A wheel needs you to type in 50 names. This tool already has them, with filters and no repeats.

vs. AI chatbots

Chatbots can mix up capitals, largest cities or statehood order. These facts are fixed and checked against Census data.

Integrity notes

Where the facts come from and how they were defined.

Population: 2020 Census

Resident population from the 2020 Census, taken April 1, 2020. The 50 states and D.C. total 331,449,281. Later yearly estimates differ slightly.

Area: total area

Total area in square miles, land plus water, from the Census Bureau. Rankings by land area alone differ a little, for example for Michigan.

Largest city: city proper

Largest city by population within city limits in the 2020 Census, not metro area. Huntsville passed Birmingham in Alabama, and Charleston passed Columbia in South Carolina.

Statehood dates

For the original 13, the date each ratified the Constitution. For the rest, the date of admission to the Union. North Dakota and South Dakota joined the same day and are traditionally numbered 39th and 40th.

Borders: shared land boundaries

Neighbors are states that share a land border. Water-only boundaries and the single point at the Four Corners are not counted.

Coastlines

Ocean coasts are Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific and Arctic. Great Lakes shoreline is listed separately, so a state like Ohio counts as having no ocean coast.

US states glossary

Terms used on this page and in the filters.

State

One of the 50 constituent political units of the United States, each with its own constitution, government and capital.

Federal district

Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is governed under the authority of Congress and is not part of any state.

US territory

Land under US sovereignty that is not a state. The five inhabited territories are Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Commonwealth

A title used in the official names of Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Legally they are states like any other.

Census region

One of four groups of states used by the US Census Bureau: Northeast, Midwest, South and West.

Census division

One of nine smaller groups inside the census regions, such as New England or East North Central.

Admission to the Union

The date Congress admitted a territory as a new state, usually after a statehood act and a state constitution.

Original 13

The 13 colonies that declared independence in 1776 and became the first states by ratifying the Constitution.

State capital

The city where a state's government sits. It is often not the state's largest city.

USPS abbreviation

The two-letter code used by the US Postal Service, such as CA or NY. It is written in capitals with no periods.

Contiguous United States

The lower 48: every state except Alaska and Hawaii, plus D.C.

Four Corners

The point where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet, the only place in the US where four states touch.

Frequently asked questions

How does the random state generator work?+

It picks random US states from all 50, with Washington, D.C. as an option. Filter by census region, division, coastline, 2020 population and the era each state joined the Union, then read each state's capital, largest city, nickname, statehood date, population, area, neighbors and a famous landmark. A States quiz and a Road trip mode turn the same data into a game and a route planner.

How many states are in the United States?+

There are 50 states. Washington, D.C. is a federal district, not a state. The US also has five inhabited territories: Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands. The generator covers the 50 states and, optionally, D.C.

What are the 50 states and their capitals?+

In alphabetical order: Alabama: Montgomery; Alaska: Juneau; Arizona: Phoenix; Arkansas: Little Rock; California: Sacramento; Colorado: Denver; Connecticut: Hartford; Delaware: Dover; Florida: Tallahassee; Georgia: Atlanta; Hawaii: Honolulu; Idaho: Boise; Illinois: Springfield; Indiana: Indianapolis; Iowa: Des Moines; Kansas: Topeka; Kentucky: Frankfort; Louisiana: Baton Rouge; Maine: Augusta; Maryland: Annapolis; Massachusetts: Boston; Michigan: Lansing; Minnesota: Saint Paul; Mississippi: Jackson; Missouri: Jefferson City; Montana: Helena; Nebraska: Lincoln; Nevada: Carson City; New Hampshire: Concord; New Jersey: Trenton; New Mexico: Santa Fe; New York: Albany; North Carolina: Raleigh; North Dakota: Bismarck; Ohio: Columbus; Oklahoma: Oklahoma City; Oregon: Salem; Pennsylvania: Harrisburg; Rhode Island: Providence; South Carolina: Columbia; South Dakota: Pierre; Tennessee: Nashville; Texas: Austin; Utah: Salt Lake City; Vermont: Montpelier; Virginia: Richmond; Washington: Olympia; West Virginia: Charleston; Wisconsin: Madison; Wyoming: Cheyenne. The full table below also lists each state's largest city, region, statehood date, population and area.

Which state capitals are not the largest city?+

In 33 states the capital is not the largest city. Well-known examples: Albany vs. New York City, Sacramento vs. Los Angeles, Austin vs. Houston, Tallahassee vs. Jacksonville, Springfield vs. Chicago, and Harrisburg vs. Philadelphia. In the other 17 the capital is also the largest city: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

What is the largest and smallest US state?+

Alaska is the largest at 665,384 sq mi of total area, bigger than Texas, California, and Montana combined (579,331 sq mi). Rhode Island is the smallest at 1,545 sq mi, followed by Delaware and Connecticut.

What are the most and least populous states?+

In the 2020 Census, California was the most populous state with 39.5 million people, followed by Texas (29.1 million) and Florida (21.5 million). Wyoming was the least populous with about 577,000, then Vermont and Alaska. The ten largest states hold about 54% of all Americans.

What were the first and last states?+

Delaware was the first state, ratifying the Constitution on December 7, 1787, which is why it is called the First State. Hawaii was the 50th and last, admitted on August 21, 1959, a few months after Alaska became the 49th on January 3, 1959. Arizona, admitted in 1912, was the last of the lower 48.

What were the original 13 states?+

In order of ratifying the Constitution: Delaware (1787), Pennsylvania (1787), New Jersey (1787), Georgia (1788), Connecticut (1788), Massachusetts (1788), Maryland (1788), South Carolina (1788), New Hampshire (1788), Virginia (1788), New York (1788), North Carolina (1789), Rhode Island (1790). Vermont became the 14th state in 1791.

Which state borders the most other states?+

Missouri and Tennessee each border 8 states. Maine borders only one, New Hampshire. Alaska and Hawaii border no other state. Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet at the Four Corners, the only point where four states touch.

What are the four regions of the United States?+

The US Census Bureau groups the states into four regions: 9 in the Northeast, 12 in the Midwest, 16 in the South, and 13 in the West. These split into nine divisions: New England, Middle Atlantic, East North Central, West North Central, South Atlantic, East South Central, West South Central, Mountain, Pacific. Washington, D.C. is counted in the South Atlantic division.

How many states are landlocked?+

27 states have no ocean coastline, and 23 touch the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific or Arctic. Eight states border the Great Lakes, including landlocked ones such as Ohio, Michigan and Minnesota. Alaska is the only state with an Arctic coast, and Florida has both Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

What are the two-letter state abbreviations?+

They are US Postal Service codes, written in capitals with no periods, such as CA for California and NY for New York. The most commonly confused are AK (Alaska) vs. AR (Arkansas), AZ (Arizona) vs. AL (Alabama), MI (Michigan) vs. MS (Mississippi) vs. MO (Missouri), MA (Massachusetts) vs. ME (Maine) vs. MD (Maryland), IA (Iowa), and NE (Nebraska) vs. NV (Nevada). See the abbreviation guide on this page.

Is Washington, D.C. a state?+

No. The District of Columbia is a federal district created under the Constitution to be the seat of government and governed under the authority of Congress. It has about 690,000 residents, gets three electoral votes under the 23rd Amendment, and elects a non-voting delegate to the House. Turn on Include DC to add it to the draw.

Which states are called commonwealths?+

Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia use Commonwealth in their official names. It is a historical title only. Legally they are states with the same powers as every other state.

What is the fastest way to memorize the 50 states and capitals?+

Learn one region at a time, focus on the 33 capitals that are not the largest city, and quiz yourself in short daily sessions. The States quiz here can be limited to one region and lists the questions you missed at the end of each round.

How does the road trip mode work?+

Choose 3 to 8 states and a starting state, or let it pick one. It builds a random route across the lower 48 where each state shares a land border with the one before, with no state visited twice. Every stop lists the capital and a landmark, and you can open the capitals as a Google Maps route.

Is the random state generator free and private?+

Yes. It is free with no sign-up, and everything runs in your browser. Your picks, quiz answers and routes are not uploaded or stored.

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Random State Generator

Also try the Random Country Generator, Random City Generator, and Fake Address Generator.

Last updated: October 3, 2026 · Published: 2026-03-27 · Updated: 2026-10-03

For students, teachers, trivia fans and road-trippers. Browse all Randomizer tools.

How many states? (1–50)

Census region

Division

Coastline

Population (2020 Census)

Joined the Union

Washington, D.C.

Show

50 of 50 states match.

Pick a region, coastline, population or statehood era, then generate. Every one of the 50 states comes with its capital, largest city, nickname, 2020 population, area and neighbors.

What is a random state generator?

The States quiz tests capitals, USPS abbreviations, nicknames, landmarks and neighbors, and Road trip strings bordering states into a random route. Everything runs in your browser, with no sign-up.

How to use the random state generator

Three steps from a click to a state, a score or a route.

Pick a mode

Random state draws 1–51 states with facts. States quiz is a 10-question test. Road trip builds a route through bordering states.

Set your filters

Narrow by census region and division, coastline, 2020 population, the era a state joined the Union, and whether to include Washington, D.C.

Read, swap and copy

Every card shows the capital, largest city, nickname, statehood, population, area, neighbors and a landmark. Swap any pick, or copy names, abbreviations or full facts.

Every control explained

How many states?

From one state up to every state that matches, with no repeats. New batches show states you have not just seen first.

Census region

The four US Census Bureau regions: Northeast, Midwest, South and West.

Division

The nine census divisions, such as New England or Pacific. The list narrows to fit the chosen region.

Coastline

Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific, Arctic or Great Lakes shoreline, or states with no ocean coast.

Population

2020 Census bands: under 2 million, 2–5 million, 5–10 million, or over 10 million people.

Joined the Union

The original 13, 1791–1850, 1851–1900, or 1901–1959.

Washington, D.C.

Off by default because D.C. is a federal district, not a state. Turn it on to draw from 51 places.

Show

Full fact cards, or just names and abbreviations for quick lists and games.

The four US regions and nine divisions

How the US Census Bureau groups the 50 states, with each region's combined 2020 population.

Region	Division	States
Northeast9 states · 57.6 million	New England	Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
Northeast9 states · 57.6 million	Middle Atlantic	New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania
Midwest12 states · 69.0 million	East North Central	Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin
Midwest12 states · 69.0 million	West North Central	Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota
South16 states · 125.6 million	South Atlantic	Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia (plus D.C.)
	East South Central	Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee
	West South Central	Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas
West13 states · 78.6 million	Mountain	Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming
West13 states · 78.6 million	Pacific	Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington

Population and area rankings

From the 2020 Census and Census Bureau total area. Alaska alone is larger than Texas, California, and Montana combined.

Most populous states

1	California	39.5 million
2	Texas	29.1 million
3	Florida	21.5 million
4	New York	20.2 million
5	Pennsylvania	13.0 million
6	Illinois	12.8 million
7	Ohio	11.8 million
8	Georgia	10.7 million
9	North Carolina	10.4 million
10	Michigan	10.1 million

Least populous states

50	Wyoming	577,000
49	Vermont	643,000
48	Alaska	733,000
47	North Dakota	779,000
46	South Dakota	887,000
45	Delaware	990,000
44	Montana	1.08 million
43	Rhode Island	1.10 million
42	Maine	1.36 million
41	New Hampshire	1.38 million

Largest states by area

1	Alaska	665,384 sq mi
2	Texas	268,596 sq mi
3	California	163,695 sq mi
4	Montana	147,040 sq mi
5	New Mexico	121,590 sq mi
6	Arizona	113,990 sq mi
7	Nevada	110,572 sq mi
8	Colorado	104,094 sq mi
9	Oregon	98,379 sq mi
10	Wyoming	97,813 sq mi

Smallest states by area

50	Rhode Island	1,545 sq mi
49	Delaware	2,489 sq mi
48	Connecticut	5,543 sq mi
47	New Jersey	8,723 sq mi
46	New Hampshire	9,349 sq mi
45	Vermont	9,616 sq mi
44	Massachusetts	10,554 sq mi
43	Hawaii	10,932 sq mi
42	Maryland	12,406 sq mi
41	West Virginia	24,230 sq mi

States in order of statehood

From Delaware in 1787 to Hawaii in 1959. Statehood is the date each state ratified the Constitution or was admitted to the Union.

The original 13 (1787–1790) · 13 states

Ratified the US Constitution in this order.

1.Delaware December 7, 1787
2.Pennsylvania December 12, 1787
3.New Jersey December 18, 1787
4.Georgia January 2, 1788
5.Connecticut January 9, 1788
6.Massachusetts February 6, 1788
7.Maryland April 28, 1788
8.South Carolina May 23, 1788
9.New Hampshire June 21, 1788
10.Virginia June 25, 1788
11.New York July 26, 1788
12.North Carolina November 21, 1789
13.Rhode Island May 29, 1790

Early republic (1791–1850) · 18 states

From Vermont to California and the Gold Rush.

14.Vermont March 4, 1791
15.Kentucky June 1, 1792
16.Tennessee June 1, 1796
17.Ohio March 1, 1803
18.Louisiana April 30, 1812
19.Indiana December 11, 1816
20.Mississippi December 10, 1817
21.Illinois December 3, 1818
22.Alabama December 14, 1819
23.Maine March 15, 1820
24.Missouri August 10, 1821
25.Arkansas June 15, 1836
26.Michigan January 26, 1837
27.Florida March 3, 1845
28.Texas December 29, 1845
29.Iowa December 28, 1846
30.Wisconsin May 29, 1848
31.California September 9, 1850

Westward expansion (1851–1900) · 14 states

Six states joined in 1889 and 1890 alone.

32.Minnesota May 11, 1858
33.Oregon February 14, 1859
34.Kansas January 29, 1861
35.West Virginia June 20, 1863
36.Nevada October 31, 1864
37.Nebraska March 1, 1867
38.Colorado August 1, 1876
39.North Dakota November 2, 1889
40.South Dakota November 2, 1889
41.Montana November 8, 1889
42.Washington November 11, 1889
43.Idaho July 3, 1890
44.Wyoming July 10, 1890
45.Utah January 4, 1896

Modern era (1901–1959) · 5 states

Completing the lower 48 in 1912, then Alaska and Hawaii in 1959.

46.Oklahoma November 16, 1907
47.New Mexico January 6, 1912
48.Arizona February 14, 1912
49.Alaska January 3, 1959
50.Hawaii August 21, 1959

Capitals that are not the largest city

State	Capital	Largest city
Alabama	Montgomery	Huntsville
Alaska	Juneau	Anchorage
California	Sacramento	Los Angeles
Connecticut	Hartford	Bridgeport
Delaware	Dover	Wilmington
Florida	Tallahassee	Jacksonville
Illinois	Springfield	Chicago
Kansas	Topeka	Wichita
Kentucky	Frankfort	Louisville
Louisiana	Baton Rouge	New Orleans
Maine	Augusta	Portland
Maryland	Annapolis	Baltimore
Michigan	Lansing	Detroit
Minnesota	Saint Paul	Minneapolis
Missouri	Jefferson City	Kansas City
Montana	Helena	Billings
Nebraska	Lincoln	Omaha
Nevada	Carson City	Las Vegas
New Hampshire	Concord	Manchester
New Jersey	Trenton	Newark
New Mexico	Santa Fe	Albuquerque
New York	Albany	New York City
North Carolina	Raleigh	Charlotte
North Dakota	Bismarck	Fargo
Oregon	Salem	Portland
Pennsylvania	Harrisburg	Philadelphia
South Carolina	Columbia	Charleston
South Dakota	Pierre	Sioux Falls
Texas	Austin	Houston
Vermont	Montpelier	Burlington
Virginia	Richmond	Virginia Beach
Washington	Olympia	Seattle
Wisconsin	Madison	Milwaukee

Borders and coastlines

Missouri and Tennessee border the most states (8 each). Maine borders just one, and Alaska and Hawaii border none. 23 states have an ocean coast and 27 do not.

Atlantic coast · 14

Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia

Gulf of Mexico coast · 5

Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas

Pacific coast · 5

Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington

Arctic coast · 1

Alaska

Great Lakes coast · 8

Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin

No ocean coast · 27

State abbreviations: the ones people mix up

Two-letter USPS codes, written in capitals with no periods. These groups share a first letter and cause most mistakes.

Group	Codes	Tip
A	AL Alabama, AK Alaska, AZ Arizona, AR Arkansas	Alaska is AK and Arizona is AZ. AL is Alabama and AR is Arkansas.
I	ID Idaho, IL Illinois, IN Indiana, IA Iowa	Iowa is IA, not IO. Idaho is ID.
M	ME Maine, MD Maryland, MA Massachusetts, MI Michigan, MN Minnesota, MS Mississippi, MO Missouri, MT Montana	The trickiest group. MA is Massachusetts, MI Michigan, MS Mississippi, MO Missouri, and MT Montana.
N	NE Nebraska, NV Nevada, NH New Hampshire, NJ New Jersey, NM New Mexico, NY New York, NC North Carolina, ND North Dakota	Nebraska is NE and Nevada is NV. The two-word states use both initials.
Others	CT Connecticut, GA Georgia, HI Hawaii, KS Kansas, KY Kentucky, PA Pennsylvania, TN Tennessee, TX Texas, VT Vermont, VA Virginia	Connecticut is CT, Kentucky KY, Kansas KS, Tennessee TN, and Texas TX.

How to memorize the 50 states and capitals

Six steps that work for students and adults alike.

1
Learn one region at a time
Start with the 9 Northeast states, then the 12 Midwest, 13 West and 16 South. Small groups are easier to remember than 50 at once.
2
Flag the tricky capitals
33 capitals are not the state's largest city. Pay special attention to these, such as Albany (not New York City), Sacramento (not Los Angeles) and Springfield (not Chicago).
3
Quiz yourself
Use the States quiz on capitals or abbreviations, limited to one region. Review the missed answers at the end of each round.
4
Learn the neighbors
Run a few road trips and say each state's neighbors out loud. Knowing what borders what helps you picture the map.
5
Space it out
Ten minutes a day over a week beats an hour in one sitting. Come back to the states you missed first.
6
Finish with a mixed quiz
When each region is solid, switch to Mixed and All states to test capitals, abbreviations, nicknames, landmarks and neighbors together.

All 50 states and capitals, with facts

Every state in alphabetical order, plus Washington, D.C. Population is from the 2020 Census (US total 331,449,281); area is total area including water.

State	Capital	Largest city	Nickname	Region	Statehood	Population	Area
Alabama AL	Montgomery	Huntsville	Yellowhammer State	East South Central	22nd · 1819	5,024,279	52,420 sq mi135,767 km²
Alaska AK	Juneau	Anchorage	The Last Frontier	Pacific	49th · 1959	733,391	665,384 sq mi1,723,338 km²
Arizona AZ	Phoenix	Phoenix	Grand Canyon State	Mountain	48th · 1912	7,151,502	113,990 sq mi295,233 km²
Arkansas AR	Little Rock	Little Rock	The Natural State	West South Central	25th · 1836	3,011,524	53,179 sq mi137,733 km²
California CA	Sacramento	Los Angeles	Golden State	Pacific	31st · 1850	39,538,223	163,695 sq mi423,968 km²
Colorado CO	Denver	Denver	Centennial State	Mountain	38th · 1876	5,773,714	104,094 sq mi269,602 km²
Connecticut CT	Hartford	Bridgeport	Constitution State	New England	5th · 1788	3,605,944	5,543 sq mi14,356 km²
Delaware DE	Dover	Wilmington	First State	South Atlantic	1st · 1787	989,948	2,489 sq mi6,446 km²
Florida FL	Tallahassee	Jacksonville	Sunshine State	South Atlantic	27th · 1845	21,538,187	65,758 sq mi170,313 km²
Georgia GA	Atlanta	Atlanta	Peach State	South Atlantic	4th · 1788	10,711,908	59,425 sq mi153,910 km²
Hawaii HI	Honolulu	Honolulu	Aloha State	Pacific	50th · 1959	1,455,271	10,932 sq mi28,314 km²
Idaho ID	Boise	Boise	Gem State	Mountain	43rd · 1890	1,839,106	83,569 sq mi216,443 km²
Illinois IL	Springfield	Chicago	Prairie State	East North Central	21st · 1818	12,812,508	57,914 sq mi149,997 km²
Indiana IN	Indianapolis	Indianapolis	Hoosier State	East North Central	19th · 1816	6,785,528	36,420 sq mi94,327 km²
Iowa IA	Des Moines	Des Moines	Hawkeye State	West North Central	29th · 1846	3,190,369	56,273 sq mi145,747 km²
Kansas KS	Topeka	Wichita	Sunflower State	West North Central	34th · 1861	2,937,880	82,278 sq mi213,099 km²
Kentucky KY	Frankfort	Louisville	Bluegrass State	East South Central	15th · 1792	4,505,836	40,408 sq mi104,656 km²
Louisiana LA	Baton Rouge	New Orleans	Pelican State	West South Central	18th · 1812	4,657,757	52,378 sq mi135,658 km²
Maine ME	Augusta	Portland	Pine Tree State	New England	23rd · 1820	1,362,359	35,380 sq mi91,634 km²
Maryland MD	Annapolis	Baltimore	Old Line State	South Atlantic	7th · 1788	6,177,224	12,406 sq mi32,131 km²
Massachusetts MA	Boston	Boston	Bay State	New England	6th · 1788	7,029,917	10,554 sq mi27,335 km²
Michigan MI	Lansing	Detroit	Great Lakes State	East North Central	26th · 1837	10,077,331	96,714 sq mi250,488 km²
Minnesota MN	Saint Paul	Minneapolis	North Star State	West North Central	32nd · 1858	5,706,494	86,936 sq mi225,163 km²
Mississippi MS	Jackson	Jackson	Magnolia State	East South Central	20th · 1817	2,961,279	48,432 sq mi125,438 km²
Missouri MO	Jefferson City	Kansas City	Show-Me State	West North Central	24th · 1821	6,154,913	69,707 sq mi180,540 km²
Montana MT	Helena	Billings	Treasure State	Mountain	41st · 1889	1,084,225	147,040 sq mi380,832 km²
Nebraska NE	Lincoln	Omaha	Cornhusker State	West North Central	37th · 1867	1,961,504	77,348 sq mi200,331 km²
Nevada NV	Carson City	Las Vegas	Silver State	Mountain	36th · 1864	3,104,614	110,572 sq mi286,380 km²
New Hampshire NH	Concord	Manchester	Granite State	New England	9th · 1788	1,377,529	9,349 sq mi24,214 km²
New Jersey NJ	Trenton	Newark	Garden State	Middle Atlantic	3rd · 1787	9,288,994	8,723 sq mi22,592 km²
New Mexico NM	Santa Fe	Albuquerque	Land of Enchantment	Mountain	47th · 1912	2,117,522	121,590 sq mi314,917 km²
New York NY	Albany	New York City	Empire State	Middle Atlantic	11th · 1788	20,201,249	54,555 sq mi141,297 km²
North Carolina NC	Raleigh	Charlotte	Tar Heel State	South Atlantic	12th · 1789	10,439,388	53,819 sq mi139,391 km²
North Dakota ND	Bismarck	Fargo	Peace Garden State	West North Central	39th · 1889	779,094	70,698 sq mi183,107 km²
Ohio OH	Columbus	Columbus	Buckeye State	East North Central	17th · 1803	11,799,448	44,826 sq mi116,099 km²
Oklahoma OK	Oklahoma City	Oklahoma City	Sooner State	West South Central	46th · 1907	3,959,353	69,899 sq mi181,038 km²
Oregon OR	Salem	Portland	Beaver State	Pacific	33rd · 1859	4,237,256	98,379 sq mi254,801 km²
Pennsylvania PA	Harrisburg	Philadelphia	Keystone State	Middle Atlantic	2nd · 1787	13,002,700	46,054 sq mi119,279 km²
Rhode Island RI	Providence	Providence	Ocean State	New England	13th · 1790	1,097,379	1,545 sq mi4,002 km²
South Carolina SC	Columbia	Charleston	Palmetto State	South Atlantic	8th · 1788	5,118,425	32,020 sq mi82,931 km²
South Dakota SD	Pierre	Sioux Falls	Mount Rushmore State	West North Central	40th · 1889	886,667	77,116 sq mi199,730 km²
Tennessee TN	Nashville	Nashville	Volunteer State	East South Central	16th · 1796	6,910,840	42,144 sq mi109,153 km²
Texas TX	Austin	Houston	Lone Star State	West South Central	28th · 1845	29,145,505	268,596 sq mi695,661 km²
Utah UT	Salt Lake City	Salt Lake City	Beehive State	Mountain	45th · 1896	3,271,616	84,897 sq mi219,882 km²
Vermont VT	Montpelier	Burlington	Green Mountain State	New England	14th · 1791	643,077	9,616 sq mi24,905 km²
Virginia VA	Richmond	Virginia Beach	Old Dominion	South Atlantic	10th · 1788	8,631,393	42,775 sq mi110,787 km²
Washington WA	Olympia	Seattle	Evergreen State	Pacific	42nd · 1889	7,705,281	71,298 sq mi184,661 km²
West Virginia WV	Charleston	Charleston	Mountain State	South Atlantic	35th · 1863	1,793,716	24,230 sq mi62,755 km²
Wisconsin WI	Madison	Milwaukee	Badger State	East North Central	30th · 1848	5,893,718	65,496 sq mi169,634 km²
Wyoming WY	Cheyenne	Cheyenne	Equality State	Mountain	44th · 1890	576,851	97,813 sq mi253,335 km²
District of Columbia DC	Washington	Washington	The Nation's Capital	South Atlantic	Federal district	689,545	68 sq mi176 km²

Features

Built for learning, not just picking a name.

All 50 states + D.C.

Capital, largest city, nickname, region, division, statehood date and order, population, area, coastline, neighbors and a landmark for each.

Six filters

Census region, division, coastline, population, statehood era and D.C. on or off, combined however you like.

States quiz

Capitals, USPS abbreviations, nicknames, landmarks or neighbors, with a review of missed answers.

Road trip mode

Random routes of 3–8 bordering states with capitals and landmarks, plus a Google Maps link.

Official sources

2020 Census populations and Census Bureau areas, regions and divisions.

Rankings built in

Every card shows the state's population and area rank out of 50.

Copy in three formats

Plain names, two-letter abbreviations, or one-line fact summaries.

Private and free

Runs in your browser with no sign-up and nothing uploaded.

Common use cases

Who uses a random state generator, and how.

Geography class

Give each student a random state to research, or run the capitals quiz as a warm-up.

Memorizing states and capitals

Drill one region at a time, then test yourself with a mixed quiz.

Road trip planning

Generate a connected route through neighboring states and open the capitals in Google Maps.

Fair random choices

Pick a state for a giveaway, a sales territory, a sample, or a team name without bias.

Travel bucket lists

Draw a state you have never visited and plan a trip around its landmark.

Test data

Copy realistic state names and USPS codes for forms, spreadsheets and demo databases.

Writers and game designers

Set a story or a game level in a random state with real facts to build on.

Trivia and party games

Read out a nickname or landmark and have teams guess the state.

Settling debates

Let the generator decide where the next family reunion or vacation goes.

How this compares

When to use this tool, and when something else fits better.

vs. Random Country Generator

The country generator covers every nation in the world. This tool goes deeper on the 50 US states, with census regions, statehood and borders.

vs. Random City Generator

The city generator picks individual cities. This tool picks whole states and lists each one's capital and largest city.

vs. Fake Address Generator

The address generator builds full fake addresses for testing. Use this tool when you only need states and codes.

vs. a printed map

A map shows where states are. This tool adds random selection, facts and a quiz, which makes practice more active.

vs. spinning a wheel

A wheel needs you to type in 50 names. This tool already has them, with filters and no repeats.

vs. AI chatbots

Chatbots can mix up capitals, largest cities or statehood order. These facts are fixed and checked against Census data.

Integrity notes

Where the facts come from and how they were defined.

Population: 2020 Census

Resident population from the 2020 Census, taken April 1, 2020. The 50 states and D.C. total 331,449,281. Later yearly estimates differ slightly.

Area: total area

Total area in square miles, land plus water, from the Census Bureau. Rankings by land area alone differ a little, for example for Michigan.

Largest city: city proper

Largest city by population within city limits in the 2020 Census, not metro area. Huntsville passed Birmingham in Alabama, and Charleston passed Columbia in South Carolina.

Statehood dates

Borders: shared land boundaries

Neighbors are states that share a land border. Water-only boundaries and the single point at the Four Corners are not counted.

Coastlines

Ocean coasts are Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific and Arctic. Great Lakes shoreline is listed separately, so a state like Ohio counts as having no ocean coast.

US states glossary

Terms used on this page and in the filters.

State

One of the 50 constituent political units of the United States, each with its own constitution, government and capital.

Federal district

Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is governed under the authority of Congress and is not part of any state.

US territory

Land under US sovereignty that is not a state. The five inhabited territories are Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Commonwealth

A title used in the official names of Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Legally they are states like any other.

Census region

One of four groups of states used by the US Census Bureau: Northeast, Midwest, South and West.

Census division

One of nine smaller groups inside the census regions, such as New England or East North Central.

Admission to the Union

The date Congress admitted a territory as a new state, usually after a statehood act and a state constitution.

Original 13

The 13 colonies that declared independence in 1776 and became the first states by ratifying the Constitution.

State capital

The city where a state's government sits. It is often not the state's largest city.

USPS abbreviation

The two-letter code used by the US Postal Service, such as CA or NY. It is written in capitals with no periods.

Contiguous United States

The lower 48: every state except Alaska and Hawaii, plus D.C.

Four Corners

The point where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet, the only place in the US where four states touch.

Frequently asked questions

How does the random state generator work?+

How many states are in the United States?+

What are the 50 states and their capitals?+

Which state capitals are not the largest city?+

What is the largest and smallest US state?+

What are the most and least populous states?+

What were the first and last states?+

What were the original 13 states?+

Which state borders the most other states?+

What are the four regions of the United States?+

How many states are landlocked?+

What are the two-letter state abbreviations?+

Is Washington, D.C. a state?+

Which states are called commonwealths?+

Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia use Commonwealth in their official names. It is a historical title only. Legally they are states with the same powers as every other state.

What is the fastest way to memorize the 50 states and capitals?+

How does the road trip mode work?+

Is the random state generator free and private?+

Yes. It is free with no sign-up, and everything runs in your browser. Your picks, quiz answers and routes are not uploaded or stored.

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Random State Generator

What is a random state generator?

How to use the random state generator

Pick a mode

Set your filters

Read, swap and copy

Every control explained

How many states?

Census region

Division

Coastline

Population

Joined the Union

Washington, D.C.

Show

The four US regions and nine divisions

Population and area rankings

Most populous states

Least populous states

Largest states by area

Smallest states by area

States in order of statehood

The original 13 (1787–1790) · 13 states

Early republic (1791–1850) · 18 states

Westward expansion (1851–1900) · 14 states

Modern era (1901–1959) · 5 states

Capitals that are not the largest city

Borders and coastlines

Atlantic coast · 14

Gulf of Mexico coast · 5

Pacific coast · 5

Arctic coast · 1

Great Lakes coast · 8

No ocean coast · 27

State abbreviations: the ones people mix up

How to memorize the 50 states and capitals

Learn one region at a time

Flag the tricky capitals

Quiz yourself

Learn the neighbors

Space it out

Finish with a mixed quiz

All 50 states and capitals, with facts

Features

All 50 states + D.C.

Six filters

States quiz

Road trip mode

Official sources

Rankings built in

Copy in three formats

Private and free

Common use cases

Geography class

Memorizing states and capitals

Road trip planning

Fair random choices

Travel bucket lists

Test data

Writers and game designers

Trivia and party games

Settling debates

How this compares

vs. Random Country Generator

vs. Random City Generator

vs. Fake Address Generator

vs. a printed map

vs. spinning a wheel

vs. AI chatbots

Integrity notes

Population: 2020 Census

Area: total area

Largest city: city proper

Statehood dates

Borders: shared land boundaries

Coastlines

US states glossary

State

Federal district

US territory