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State Capitals of the United States


United States Capitol in Washington D.C., USA
United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., USA. The Capitol is the seat of the United States Congress, the legislative branch of the U.S. federal government. The United States Capitol served as a template for many state capitols or state house buildings in the 50 US States.
Image: Martin Falbisoner

 
US State Capitals

The United States is a federation of 50 states. Each of the U.S. states and the five major territories of the United States has a capital city. Not every capital is the cultural and economic center or the most populous city of its state, but every capital is the seat of state government.


State Government
The government of a state consists of three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. In each state, the executive branch is headed by a governor who is directly elected by the people. In most states, other executive branch members are also directly elected, including the lieutenant governor, the attorney general and the secretary of state.

All state governments have a bicameral legislature (except Nebraska), made up of two chambers: a smaller upper house (Senate) and a larger lower house (the Assembly or the House of Representatives). These two chambers are responsible for state laws; they can make and change laws.

State Judiciary
The Constitution and laws of each state establish the state courts. A court of last resort, often referred to as the Supreme Court, is usually the highest state court. [1]


List of US state capitals
From Albany to Washington, on this page, you will find all capital cities of the US States with population figures of the city population (2019)

Capital Names
A reminder of America's colorful past is also found in the names of its state capitals.
Capitals are named after Native American place names (Cheyenne, Oklahoma City, Tallahassee, and Topeka), a German Chancellor (Bismarck), a Scottish King (Charleston), a British Queen (Annapolis), an apostle (St. Paul), a saint (Santa Fe), English towns (Boston, Dover, Hartford, and Richmond), American frontiersmen (Carson City, Frankfort, and Harrisburg), an Italian explorer (Columbia and Columbus), US presidents (Jackson, Jefferson City, Lincoln, Madison, and Washington, D.C.), a rock formation (Little Rock and Olympia), a river (Sacramento), a lake (Salt Lake City), American generals (Montgomery and Nashville), a mythical creature (Phoenix), the sponsor of the first English colony in America (Raleigh), and a slave trader (Trenton).

Nine capitals have French names or are of French origin (Baton Rouge, Boise, Des Moines, Juneau, Montgomery, Montpelier, Pierre, Richmond, and Saint Paul.

Click on a capital name and look at the cities from space; for each capital, there is a satellite view with a 45-degree view and a searchable map; additionally, you will find more information about the capital city and links to official sites.

State links lead to a page with more information and a state map.


Flag
Capital City
State
Capital since
Population
Flag of Albany, New York state
1797
  96,460
The capital of New York State is located in the eastern part of the state, on the western bank of the Hudson River, about 218 km (135 mi) north of New York City. Albany is known for its rich history, culture, architecture, higher education institutions and - the re-engineering of Santa Claus.

 
Annapolis Maryland Flag
1694
  39,200
The capital of Maryland is located on the western coast of Chesapeake Bay, about 50 km (30 mi) east of Washington, D.C. The city is also known as the Sailing Capital of the US and is home to the US Naval Academy (USNA). Annapolis was the temporary capital of the United States from November 1783 to August 1784. The city is home to the Maryland State House, the oldest American state capitol in continuous use.

 
Atlanta Georgia Flag
1868
507,000
The capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia is located in the northwestern part of the state. Atlanta played an important role in the American Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Atlanta is also the hometown of Coca-Cola.

 
Augusta Maine Flag
1827
1832
  18,700
The easternmost US state capital is located in the southwestern part of Maine, at the head of navigation on the Kennebec River, about 50 km (32 mi) inland from the Atlantic coast. The city is home to the oldest wooden fort in the United States, a former British colonial outpost on the Kennebec River.

 
Austin Texas Flag
1839
979,000
Austin, the southernmost state capital, is located about 235 km (145 mi) northwest of Housten. The town was known as Waterloo until 1839 when it was renamed to honor Stephen F. Austin, the founder of Texas. The city is home to the University of Texas, the "Keep Austin Weird" movement, and the South Austin Museum of Popular Culture.

 
Baton Rouge Louisiana Flag
1880
220,000
Louisiana's capital is located on the Mississippi River in the southeastern central part of the state, about 130 km (80 mi) northwest of New Orleans. Louisiana State University (LSU) is located in the city. LSU is Louisiana's flagship university.

 
Bismarck North Dakota Flag
1883
  73,600
The capital of North Dakota is located on the Missouri River, almost in the geographic center of the state. The city is famous for its tall, art deco State Capitol. Bismarck was named in honor of Germany's "Iron Chancellor," Otto von Bismarck. The town is home to the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum. Fun fact: The city of Bismarck holds the world record for the most snow angels made simultaneously.

 
Boise Idaho Flag
1865
229,000
Idaho's capital and its most populous city is located in the southwestern part of the state and is connected to the rest of the world by Interstate Highway 84. Boise is famous, among other things, for its old jail, the Old Idaho State Penitentiary; the prison was in operation for 101 years, from 1872 to 1973.

 
Boston Massachusetts Flag
1630
693,000 (City); 4,629,000 (Metro)
The capital of Massachusetts and the largest city in the New England Region is located on Massachusetts Bay, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean. Boston is famous for Baked Beans, Cheers, Red Sox, and Tea Parties.

 
Carson City Nevada Flag
1861
  56,000
The capital of Nevada is located 14 km (9 mi) east of Lake Tahoe. Carson City is famous for its rich and colorful frontier past. The town is named for Kit Carson, an American frontiersman, fur trapper, wilderness guide, Indian agent and U.S. Army officer.

 
Charleston, West Virginia Flag
1885
  46,500
West Virginia's capital is located in the Appalachian region at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha rivers, about 400 km (250 mi) west of Washington, DC. The city is famous for its gold-domed State Capitol, the Governor's Mansion, and the West Virginia State Museum.

 
Cheyenne Wyoming Flag
1869
  64,235
The capital of Wyoming is located in the southeastern corner of the state, about 160 km (100 mi) north of Denver, CO. The city goes to great lengths to keep the spirit of the Old West alive. Cheyenne is considered the nation's rodeo and railroad capital. It is the site of the Cheyenne Frontier Days, a 10-day festival of rip-roarin' excitement, and the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum. Wyoming's most populous city is home to the Wyoming State Capitol Building.

 
Columbia South Carolina Flag
1786
131,674
South Carolina's capital is located along the banks of the Broad River in the central part of the state. South Carolina's second-largest city is home to the South Carolina State House, the Columbia Museum of Art, and the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room & Military Museum, located in the South Carolina State Museum.

 
Columbus Ohio Flag
1816
898,500
The capital of Ohio is located on the Scioto River in the central part of the state. Columbus was founded in 1812; it was incorporated in 1816 and assumed capital functions in the same year. Ohio's largest city is home to the Ohio Statehouse, the Ohio State University and the Ohio State Fair.

 
Concord New Hampshire Flag
1808
  43,627
The capital of New Hampshire is located on the Merrimack River, in the southern part of the state, about 100 km (65 mi) northwest of Boston. Concord has been New Hampshire's capital since 1808. The State House was built between 1816 and 1819 and is among the nation's oldest active state capitols.

 
Denver Colorado Flag
1867
727,200
Colorado's capital is located on the banks of the South Platte River, near the geographic center of the state, with the Rocky Mountains in the background. Denver is connected to the rest of the nation via Interstates 70 and 25 and Denver International Airport (DEN). The Mile High City is home to the Colorado State Capitol and the Denver Art Museum.

 
Des Moines Iowa Flag
1857
214,200
The capital of Iowa is located on the Des Moines River in the south-central part of the state, about 1hr-flight west of Chicago. Iowa's largest city is home to the Iowa State Capitol, the seat of Iowa's General Assembly, the annual Iowa State Fair, and the Des Moines Art Center, an art museum established in 1948.

 
Dover Delaware Flag
1777
38,200
The capital of Delaware is located near the coast in the northeastern part of the Delmarva Peninsula. America's longest-serving state capital is famous for Dover International Speedway NASCAR races; other main sights are the 1791 Old State House and Biggs Museum of American Art.

 
Frankfort Kentucky Flag
1792
  27,755
Kentucky's capital is located on the Kentucky River in the central-northern part of the state, between Louisville and Lexington.
The city is home to Kentucky State University, a historically black university. The top sights are Frankfort's pair of state capitol buildings and the burial site of Daniel Boone, an American frontiersman and folk hero.

 
Harrisburg Pennsylvania Flag
1812
  49,300
The capital of Pennsylvania is located on the banks of the Susquehanna River in the southeastern central part of the state. The city played a notable role in American history during the Westward Migration, the American Civil War, and the Industrial Revolution. Harrisburg is known for the Pennsylvania Farm Show, the largest indoor agriculture exposition in the United States, and the Rockville Bridge, the longest stone masonry arch railroad viaduct in the world. The city is home to the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant, where a partial meltdown of the number 2 reactor occurred on 28 March 1979.

 
Hartford Connecticut Flag
1875
122,100
The capital of Connecticut is located on the Connecticut River in the center of the state. The city is known as the "Insurance Capital of the World," the region's major industry. Hartford is famous for the Wadsworth Atheneum, the oldest public art museum in the United States, and the Mark Twain House & Museum, the home of Samuel Langhorne Clemens (aka Mark Twain) and his family.

 
Helena, Montana Flag
1875
33,100
Montana's capital is located in the western-central part of the state. Helena was known as Last Chance Gulch, a gold camp during the Montana gold rush. The town's main attractions are the Montana State Capitol building, the Cathedral of Saint Helena, and the Helena Civic Center. Helena is popular for its hot springs and outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing.

 
Honolulu, Hawaii Flag
1845
974,560
The capital of Hawaii is located on the southeast coast of the island of Oahu and is the main gateway to the island chain. Honolulu is the westernmost US state capital. The city is most famous for Waikiki Beach and Pearl Harbor, a major US naval base, where a surprise attack on 7 December 1941 by the Japanese inflicted heavy damage and brought the US into World War II.

 
Indianapolis, Indiana Flag
1825
876,400 (city); 2,049,000 (metro)
Indiana's capital and largest city is located on the White River in the state's center. The city is known for the Indy 500 motor race; it is also home to two major league sports clubs, four university campuses, including Indiana University, and several museums, including the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, the world's largest children's museum.

 
Jackson, Mississippi Flag
1821
160,600
Jackson is the largest and most populous city in Mississippi. It was founded in 1821 in the west-central part of the state at the intersection of the Old Natchez Trace, an ancient trade route, and the Pearl River, a major waterway. Jackson was named after the seventh U.S. president, Andrew Jackson.

 
Jefferson City Flag
1826
  42,700
Missouri's capital is located on the banks of the Missouri River between Kansas City in the west and St. Louis in the east. Jefferson City became Missouri's seat of government in 1821. The present Missouri State Capitol was completed in 1917. Jefferson City is home to the Missouri State Museum and the old Missouri State Penitentiary.

 
Juneau Flag
1906
1959
  32,000
Alaska's capital is located at the Canada–United States border in the Alaskan panhandle. The seaport along the Gastineau Channel, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, became the capital of the District of Alaska in 1906. In 1959 it became the state capital when Alaska was admitted as the 49th state. Juneau's economy is based on state government spending, tourism, and fishing.

 
Lansing, Michigan Flag
1847
118,200
Michigan's capital is located on the Grand River in the central-southern part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, about 150 km (95 mi) northwest of Detroit. Michigan's state capital was relocated from Detroit to Lansing Township in 1847. The city is home to the Michigan State Capitol, the Impression 5 Science Center and was the headquarters of Oldsmobile.

 
Lincoln, Nebraska Flag
1867
289,100
Nebraska's capital is located in the state's southeastern corner, about 95 km (60 mi) southwest of Omaha, the state's largest city. Lincoln (formerly Lancaster) was made the state capital in 1867 and renamed in honor of Abraham Lincoln. Touristic highlights are the Art Deco-style Nebraska State Capitol with its 120 m (400-foot) tall tower, the historic Haymarket District, and the University of Nebraska State Museum.

 
Little Rock, Arkansas Flag
1821
197,300
The capital of Arkansas is located on the southern bank of the Arkansas River in the central part of the state, about 220 km (137 mi) west of Memphis (TN). In 1821 the town became the capital of the Arkansas Territory. In June 1836, Arkansas became a state and Little Rock its capital. Agriculture, transportation, healthcare, and aerospace are the top industries in the city.

 
Madison, Wisconsin Flag
1838
259,680
Wisconsin's capital is situated around four lakes in the central part of the state, about 130 km (80 mi) west of Milwaukee. The Wisconsin State Capitol sits on an isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona. Madison is home to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The city's economy is based on government spending, consumer services and high-tech industries.

 
Montgomery, Alabama Flag
1846
198,500
The capital of Alabama is located near the center of the southern half of the state, south of the Alabama River. The city is rich in the history of civil rights and civil unrest. The town served as the capital of the Confederate States of America from February until July 1861. Martin Luther King, Jr. was pastor at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church between 1954 and 1960. Montgomery is home to the Civil Rights Memorial, The Legacy Museum, and the Alabama State Capitol.

 
Montpelier, Vermont Flag
1805
    7,370
Vermont's capital is located on the Winooski River, in the center of the upper third of the state. The least populous state capital in the United States is home to about 7,400 people at night, but during the day, the population grows to over 20,000 due to the many (government) jobs in the town. Montpelier was chosen as the state capital in 1805; the city is home to the Vermont State House, the Vermont Historical Society Museum, and the Lost Nation Theater.

 
Nashville, Tennessee Flag
1826
1843
670,820
Tennessee's capital is located on the Cumberland River in the north-central part of the state, about 340 km (210 mi) northwest of Memphis, TN. Nashville became the permanent capital of Tennessee in 1843. The city is home to the Tennessee State Capitol, a replica of the Parthenon in Centennial Park, Vanderbilt University and the Country Music Hall of Fame.

 
Oklahoma City Flag
1910
655,000
The capital of Oklahoma is located on the North Canadian River in the Sandstone Hills region in the state's central part. Oklahoma City became the capital of Oklahoma in June 1910. OKC is home to the Oklahoma State Capitol and to more than 50 completed high-rises. The main attractions in the city are the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Myriad Botanical Gardens, and the Oklahoma City Museum of Art.

 
Olympia, Washington Flag
1853
  52,900
Washington's capital is located at the southern end of Puget Sound, about 95 km (60 mi) south of Seattle. Olympia became the capital city of Washington Territory in 1853. The major employers are Washington State and the local government. The city is home to the Washington State Capitol Building, many parks, a Japanese Garden, and the Washington State Governor's Mansion.

 
Phoenix, Arizona Flag
1889
1,680,000
The capital of Arizona is located at the confluence of the Gila and Salt Rivers, about 240 km (150 mi) northwest of Tucson, AZ. Phoenix became the permanent capital of Arizona Territory in 1889. Cotton, cattle, citrus, climate and copper, the "Five C's," were the main sources of Arizona's economy in the 20th century. Today, the state government and tourism are the backbones of the city's economy. Phoenix is home to the Arizona State Capitol, the Arizona History Museum and the Arizona Heritage Center.

 
1889
  14,000
The capital of South Dakota is located on the left bank of the Missouri River opposite Fort Pierre, in the geographic center of the state. The town is home to the South Dakota State Capitol. North of Pierre is Lake Oahe, a large reservoir behind Oahe Dam on the Missouri River.

 
Providence, Rhode Island Flag
1900
180,000
The capital of Rhode Island is a port city at the mouth of the Providence River on the Atlantic coast. Providence is home to the Rhode Island State Capitol, Brown University, an Ivy League research university, and the RISD Museum of Art.

 
Raleigh, North Carolina Flag
1792
474,000
North Carolina's capital is located in the Atlantic Coastal Plain region in the central part of the state. The area is known as the Research Triangle due to numerous technology and science institutions around Raleigh, Chapel Hill and Durham. The "City of Oaks" is home to the North Carolina State University.

 
Richmond, Virginia Flag
1780
230,400
The port city and capital of Virginia is located on the James River, 180 km (111 mi) south of Washington, D.C.
Richmond is among America's oldest major cities. The Virginia State Capitol, the seat of the state government of the Commonwealth of Virginia, is the second-oldest state capitol in continuous use. The building was designed by Thomas Jefferson and Charles-Louis Clérisseau and was constructed between 1785 and 1790.

 
Sacramento, California Flag
1854
513,600
The capital of California is located at the confluence of the Sacramento and the American Rivers, about 145 km (90 mi) northeast of San Francisco. The oldest incorporated city in California is a financial center and a major educational hub. Sacramento is home to the public California State University, Sacramento (CSUS).

 
Saint Paul, Minnesota Flag
1849
308,100
The capital of Minnesota is located on the Mississippi River adjacent to Minneapolis, with which it forms the "Twin Cities." Saint Paul is home to the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Minnesota History Center.

 
Salem Oregon Flag
1851
1864
174,400
Oregon's capital is located in the Willamette Valley along the Willamette River, southwest of Portland, about 80 km (50 mi) inland from the Pacific coast. Salem was founded in 1842 by Methodist missionaries. The city is home to the annual Oregon State Fair and Willamette University.

 
Salt Lake City, Utah Flag
1856
(1896)
200,600
Utah's capital is situated southeast of the Great Salt Lake in the northern part of the state. Salt Lake City was founded in 1847 by a group of Mormon pioneers. It is the only metropolitan area in Utah. The city is known as the world headquarters of the Mormon Church (LDS).

 
Santa Fe, New Mexico Flag
1610
(1851)
  84,700
The capital of New Mexico is located on the Santa Fe River, a tributary of the Rio Grande, in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the central part of the state. The city's residents are primarily Hispanic, Anglo and Native American people. Santa Fe lies 2,100 m above sea level, making it the highest state capital in the United States. It is also the oldest state capital, founded between 1607 and 1610; it is America's second-oldest city.

 
Springfield, Illinois Flag
1837
(1839)
114,230
The capital of Illinois is located on the Sangamon River in the central part of the state, about 150 km (95 mi) northeast of St. Louis. The most famous inhabitant of the city was Abraham Lincoln. It is thanks to him that the city became the capital of Illinois. The backbone of Springfield's economy is tied to the state government.

 
Tallahassee, Florida Flag
1824
194,500
Florida's capital is located in the northwestern part of the state's northern panhandle region, about 40 km (25 mi) north of Apalachee Bay (Gulf of Mexico). Tallahassee is the economic center for the surrounding logging, farming and ranching region. The city is home to Florida State University and the Museum of Florida History.

 
Topeka Flag
1856
(1861)
125,300
The capital of Kansas is located along the Kansas River in the northeastern part of the state, 90 km (55 mi) west of Kansas City. The city is known for the landmark US Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, which declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

 
Trenton New Jersey Flag
1790
  83,200
New Jersey's capital is located in the west-central part of the state, between New York and Philadelphia. The town was the site of the Battle of Trenton, George Washington's first military victory. Trenton briefly served as the capital of the United States in 1784. The city is home to the second-oldest state house still in use.

 
Washington, District of Columbia Flag
District of Columbia
1790
705,750
The federal capital is located on the Potomac River, bordering the states of Maryland and Virginia. The federal district is not a part of any U.S. state and is under the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. Congress. Washington, D.C. is the Seat of the Government of the United States and one of the most visited cities in the US.

 

More about the USA:

Cities:
Most populated Cities of the USA

States:
The 50 States of America
Links to capitals and states of the USA.
Maps of all U.S. States
Flags of the 50 U.S. States  
Areas of the 50 U.S. States
Population of the 50 U.S. States 

Country:
 US Time Zone Map
Map of the USA
USA Country Profile
 US Missions around the World

Continent:
Political Map of North America
Relief Map of North America



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