List of States in America, Names Origins and Meaning

including nickname, capital, state flag, state bird, elevation.

Sort by population, governor, elevation, area, and more

Touch State Abbreviation to show image of state and flag. The Origin and Meaning of state names represent the prevailing consensus. Click on any underlined name or place for more information. Population is according to the 2023 estimated census and Gross Domestic Produce is from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. (See the map for renaming the states based upon contemporary naming practices.)

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Sorted by State Population

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#1 Wyoming WY •Population: 584,057. •Density: total=6 pop/sq.mi., land=6 pop/sq.mi., water=819 pop/sq.mi.

#2 Vermont VT •Population: 647,464. •Density: total=67 pop/sq.mi., land=70 pop/sq.mi., water=1,774 pop/sq.mi.

#3 District of Columbia DC •Population: 678,972. •Density: total=9,985 pop/sq.mi., land=11,131 pop/sq.mi., water=96,996 pop/sq.mi.

#4 Alaska AK •Population: 733,406. •Density: total=1 pop/sq.mi., land=1 pop/sq.mi., water=8 pop/sq.mi.

#5 North Dakota ND •Population: 783,926. •Density: total=11 pop/sq.mi., land=11 pop/sq.mi., water=455 pop/sq.mi.

#6 South Dakota SD •Population: 919,318. •Density: total=12 pop/sq.mi., land=12 pop/sq.mi., water=746 pop/sq.mi.

#7 Delaware DE •Population: 1,031,890. •Density: total=415 pop/sq.mi., land=528 pop/sq.mi., water=1,925 pop/sq.mi.

#8 Rhode Island RI •Population: 1,095,691. •Density: total=709 pop/sq.mi., land=1,049 pop/sq.mi., water=2,191 pop/sq.mi.

#9 Montana MT •Population: 1,132,812. •Density: total=8 pop/sq.mi., land=8 pop/sq.mi., water=760 pop/sq.mi.

#10 Maine ME •Population: 1,395,722. •Density: total=39 pop/sq.mi., land=45 pop/sq.mi., water=309 pop/sq.mi.

#11 New Hampshire NH •Population: 1,402,054. •Density: total=150 pop/sq.mi., land=156 pop/sq.mi., water=3,670 pop/sq.mi.

#12 Hawaii HI •Population: 1,435,138. •Density: total=131 pop/sq.mi., land=223 pop/sq.mi., water=318 pop/sq.mi.

#13 West Virginia WV •Population: 1,770,071. •Density: total=73 pop/sq.mi., land=74 pop/sq.mi., water=11,645 pop/sq.mi.

#14 Idaho ID •Population: 1,964,726. •Density: total=24 pop/sq.mi., land=24 pop/sq.mi., water=2,387 pop/sq.mi.

#15 Nebraska NE •Population: 1,978,379. •Density: total=26 pop/sq.mi., land=26 pop/sq.mi., water=4,113 pop/sq.mi.

#16 New Mexico NM •Population: 2,114,371. •Density: total=17 pop/sq.mi., land=17 pop/sq.mi., water=9,036 pop/sq.mi.

#17 Mississippi MS •Population: 2,939,690. •Density: total=61 pop/sq.mi., land=63 pop/sq.mi., water=1,930 pop/sq.mi.

Sorted by State Population

#18 Kansas KS •Population: 2,940,546. •Density: total=36 pop/sq.mi., land=36 pop/sq.mi., water=6,365 pop/sq.mi.

#19 Arkansas AR •Population: 3,067,732. •Density: total=58 pop/sq.mi., land=59 pop/sq.mi., water=2,761 pop/sq.mi.

#20 Nevada NV •Population: 3,194,176. •Density: total=29 pop/sq.mi., land=29 pop/sq.mi., water=4,346 pop/sq.mi.

#21 Iowa IA •Population: 3,207,004. •Density: total=57 pop/sq.mi., land=57 pop/sq.mi., water=7,978 pop/sq.mi.

#22 Utah UT •Population: 3,417,734. •Density: total=40 pop/sq.mi., land=42 pop/sq.mi., water=1,241 pop/sq.mi.

#23 Connecticut CT •Population: 3,617,176. •Density: total=653 pop/sq.mi., land=747 pop/sq.mi., water=5,182 pop/sq.mi.

#24 Oklahoma OK •Population: 4,053,824. •Density: total=58 pop/sq.mi., land=59 pop/sq.mi., water=3,293 pop/sq.mi.

#25 Oregon OR •Population: 4,233,358. •Density: total=43 pop/sq.mi., land=44 pop/sq.mi., water=1,776 pop/sq.mi.

#26 Kentucky KY •Population: 4,526,154. •Density: total=112 pop/sq.mi., land=114 pop/sq.mi., water=6,646 pop/sq.mi.

#27 Louisiana LA •Population: 4,573,749. •Density: total=88 pop/sq.mi., land=105 pop/sq.mi., water=553 pop/sq.mi.

#28 Alabama AL •Population: 5,108,468. •Density: total=97 pop/sq.mi., land=101 pop/sq.mi., water=3,050 pop/sq.mi.

#29 South Carolina SC •Population: 5,373,556. •Density: total=168 pop/sq.mi., land=178 pop/sq.mi., water=2,812 pop/sq.mi.

#30 Minnesota MN •Population: 5,373,915. •Density: total=62 pop/sq.mi., land=68 pop/sq.mi., water=733 pop/sq.mi.

#31 Colorado CO •Population: 5,877,610. •Density: total=56 pop/sq.mi., land=57 pop/sq.mi., water=15,632 pop/sq.mi.

#32 Wisconsin WI •Population: 5,910,955. •Density: total=90 pop/sq.mi., land=109 pop/sq.mi., water=528 pop/sq.mi.

#33 Maryland MD •Population: 6,180,253. •Density: total=498 pop/sq.mi., land=632 pop/sq.mi., water=2,347 pop/sq.mi.

#34 Missouri MO •Population: 6,196,156. •Density: total=89 pop/sq.mi., land=90 pop/sq.mi., water=7,575 pop/sq.mi.

#35 Indiana IN •Population: 6,862,199. •Density: total=188 pop/sq.mi., land=191 pop/sq.mi., water=12,454 pop/sq.mi.

Sorted by State Population

#36 Massachusetts MA •Population: 7,001,399. •Density: total=663 pop/sq.mi., land=893 pop/sq.mi., water=2,579 pop/sq.mi.

#37 Tennessee TN •Population: 7,126,489. •Density: total=169 pop/sq.mi., land=173 pop/sq.mi., water=7,696 pop/sq.mi.

#38 Arizona AZ •Population: 7,431,344. •Density: total=65 pop/sq.mi., land=65 pop/sq.mi., water=20,416 pop/sq.mi.

#39 Washington WA •Population: 7,812,880. •Density: total=110 pop/sq.mi., land=117 pop/sq.mi., water=1,643 pop/sq.mi.

#40 Virginia VA •Population: 8,715,698. •Density: total=204 pop/sq.mi., land=220 pop/sq.mi., water=2,741 pop/sq.mi.

#41 New Jersey NJ •Population: 9,290,841. •Density: total=1,065 pop/sq.mi., land=1,253 pop/sq.mi., water=7,125 pop/sq.mi.

#42 Michigan MI •Population: 10,037,261. •Density: total=104 pop/sq.mi., land=177 pop/sq.mi., water=251 pop/sq.mi.

#43 North Carolina NC •Population: 10,835,491. •Density: total=201 pop/sq.mi., land=222 pop/sq.mi., water=2,121 pop/sq.mi.

#44 Georgia GA •Population: 11,029,227. •Density: total=186 pop/sq.mi., land=190 pop/sq.mi., water=7,261 pop/sq.mi.

#45 Ohio OH •Population: 11,785,935. •Density: total=263 pop/sq.mi., land=288 pop/sq.mi., water=3,040 pop/sq.mi.

#46 Illinois IL •Population: 12,549,689. •Density: total=217 pop/sq.mi., land=226 pop/sq.mi., water=5,384 pop/sq.mi.

#47 Pennsylvania PA •Population: 12,961,683. •Density: total=281 pop/sq.mi., land=289 pop/sq.mi., water=10,461 pop/sq.mi.

#48 New York NY •Population: 19,571,216. •Density: total=359 pop/sq.mi., land=415 pop/sq.mi., water=2,666 pop/sq.mi.

#49 Florida FL •Population: 22,610,726. •Density: total=344 pop/sq.mi., land=419 pop/sq.mi., water=1,912 pop/sq.mi.

#50 Texas TX •Population: 30,503,301. •Density: total=114 pop/sq.mi., land=117 pop/sq.mi., water=4,496 pop/sq.mi.

#51 California CA •Population: 38,965,193. •Density: total=238 pop/sq.mi., land=250 pop/sq.mi., water=5,037 pop/sq.mi.

* Officially RI is State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.

List of populations
Rank	State	populations
1.	WY	584,057
2.	VT	647,464
3.	DC	678,972
4.	AK	733,406
5.	ND	783,926
6.	SD	919,318
7.	DE	1,031,890
8.	RI	1,095,691
9.	MT	1,132,812
10.	ME	1,395,722
11.	NH	1,402,054
12.	HI	1,435,138
13.	WV	1,770,071
14.	ID	1,964,726
15.	NE	1,978,379
16.	NM	2,114,371
17.	MS	2,939,690
18.	KS	2,940,546
19.	AR	3,067,732
20.	NV	3,194,176
21.	IA	3,207,004
22.	UT	3,417,734
23.	CT	3,617,176
24.	OK	4,053,824
25.	OR	4,233,358
26.	KY	4,526,154
27.	LA	4,573,749
28.	AL	5,108,468
29.	SC	5,373,556
30.	MN	5,373,915
31.	CO	5,877,610
32.	WI	5,910,955
33.	MD	6,180,253
34.	MO	6,196,156
35.	IN	6,862,199
36.	MA	7,001,399
37.	TN	7,126,489
38.	AZ	7,431,344
39.	WA	7,812,880
40.	VA	8,715,698
41.	NJ	9,290,841
42.	MI	10,037,261
43.	NC	10,835,491
44.	GA	11,029,227
45.	OH	11,785,935
46.	IL	12,549,689
47.	PA	12,961,683
48.	NY	19,571,216
49.	FL	22,610,726
50.	TX	30,503,301
51.	CA	38,965,193
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