US Capitals! Since 1800, Washington has served as the federal capital of the United States. Each state in the United States, as well as many of its outlying districts, has its own capital city.
Most states have not changed their capital city since becoming a state, but the capital cities of their predecessor colonies, territories, kingdoms, and republics frequently did.
There have also been other governments with their own capitals within the current borders of the United States, such as the Republic of Texas, Native American countries, and other unrecognized governments. Do you want to know the list of all US 50 state capitals and their respective state in alphabetical order, the US State map with capitals and the United States Capitals Prior to Washington, D.C.? Then read on.
Capitals of the United States
Each of the 50 states has a state capitol in a city. It is the location of the government’s seat. Some state capitals are also the state’s largest cities, however, this is not always the case. The city’s population size, a city of historical significance, such as which town in that state was established first, or simply a central position were all factors in determining the location of the state capital.
The alphabetical list below includes all 50 state capitals and their respective states.
Abrr. | States | Capitals |
AL | Alabama | Montgomery |
AK | Alaska | Juneau |
AZ | Arizona | Phoenix |
AR | Arkansas | Little Rock |
CA | California | Sacramento |
CO | Colorado | Denver |
CT | Connecticut | Hartford |
DE | Delaware | Dover |
FL | Florida | Tallahassee |
GA | Georgia | Atlanta |
HI | Hawaii | Honolulu |
ID | Idaho | Boise |
IL | Illinois | Springfield |
IN | Indiana | Indianapolis |
IA | Iowa | Des Moines |
KS | Kansas | Topeka |
KY | Kentucky | Frankfort |
LA | Louisiana | Baton Rouge |
ME | Maine | Augusta |
MD | Maryland | Annapolis |
MA | Massachusetts | Boston |
MI | Michigan | Lansing |
MN | Minnesota | St. Paul |
MS | Mississippi | Jackson |
MO | Missouri | Jefferson City |
MT | Montana | Helena |
NE | Nebraska | Lincoln |
NV | Nevada | Carson City |
NH | New Hampshire | Concord |
NJ | New Jersey | Trenton |
NM | New Mexico | Santa Fe |
NY | New York | Albany |
NC | North Carolina | Raleigh |
ND | North Dakota | Bismarck |
OH | Ohio | Columbus |
OK | Oklahoma | Oklahoma City |
OR | Oregon | Salem |
PA | Pennsylvania | Harrisburg |
RI | Rhode Island | Providence |
SC | South Carolina | Columbia |
SD | South Dakota | Pierre |
TN | Tennessee | Nashville |
TX | Texas | Austin |
UT | Utah | Salt Lake City |
VT | Vermont | Montpelier |
VA | Virginia | Richmond |
WA | Washington | Olympia |
WV | West Virginia | Charleston |
WI | Wisconsin | Madison |
WY | Wyoming | Cheyenne |
United States Capitals Prior to Washington, D.C.
Yes, America’s capital has been in Washington, D.C., for more than 200 years. However, the origin tale of the nation does not include cities. In actuality, it didn’t even exist during the Revolution, and it wasn’t until 1800 that it was designated as the capital. Therefore, several places have served as the capital of America. The United States Senate claims that before Washington, D.C., the federal government was based in eight other places.
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania
- York, Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Princeton, New Jersey
- Annapolis, Maryland
- Trenton, New Jersey
- New York City, New York
Map of the United States with state capitals
A map of the United States with capitals is shown below. Each of the 50 states has its own capital city. The state capitals house the state government and the legislature for each state.
The United States has its own national capital, which is located on the border between Virginia and Maryland. Learn about all of the US states and capitals using the map below.
READ ALSO:
Why isn’t New York the US capital?
Each case has a unique set of causes. While the biggest city was a port on the state’s perimeter, there was frequently a desire for a central position. Additionally, there was frequently a desire to “spread the prosperity about” as opposed to concentrating all economic and political power in one major city.
Which U.S. capital city is the smallest?
The smallest capital by land area is Annapolis, Maryland, which is 6.73 square miles.
Largest cities and state capitals
The capital and biggest city of each state in the United States are included in the table below.
States Capitals | Largest cities |
Montgomery | Birmingham |
Juneau | Anchorage |
Phoenix | Phoenix |
Little Rock | Little Rock |
Sacramento | Los Angeles |
Denver | Denver |
Hartford | Bridgeport |
Dover | Wilmington |
Tallahassee | Jacksonville |
Atlanta | Atlanta |
Honolulu | Honolulu |
Boise | Boise |
Springfield | Chicago |
Indianapolis | Indianapolis |
Des Moines | Des Moines |
Topeka | Wichita |
Frankfort | Louisville |
Baton Rouge | New Orleans |
Augusta | Portland |
Annapolis | Baltimore |
Boston | Boston |
Lansing | Detroit |
St. Paul | Minneapolis |
Jackson | Jackson |
Jefferson City | Kansas City |
Helena | Billings |
Lincoln | Omaha |
Carson City | Las Vegas |
Concord | Manchester |
Trenton | Newark |
Santa Fe | Albuquerque |
Albany | New York City |
Raleigh | Charlotte |
Bismarck | Fargo |
Columbus | Columbus |
Oklahoma City | Oklahoma City |
Salem | Portland |
Harrisburg | Philadelphia |
Providence | Providence |
Columbia | Columbia |
Pierre | Sioux Falls |
Nashville | Memphis |
Austin | Houston |
Salt Lake City | Salt Lake City |
Montpelier | Burlington |
Richmond | Virginia Beach |
Olympia | Seattle |
Charleston | Charleston |
Madison | Milwaukee |
Cheyenne | Cheyenne |