Alphabetical list of the 50 United States gives you each state from Alabama to Wyoming in A–Z order, ready to copy, study, or double-check.
If you’re hunting for a clean list you can trust, you’re in the right spot. This page is an alphabetical list of the 50 united states in A–Z order, paired with USPS postal abbreviations and each state’s current capital city. It’s built for copying into a worksheet, making flashcards, building a quiz, or settling an argument in seconds.
The list below stays focused on the 50 states. Washington, DC and U.S. territories matter for mailing and forms, yet they don’t belong in a “50 states” set, so they’re kept out of the main table.
Alphabetical List Of The 50 United States With Abbreviations And Capitals
Use this table when you need the state name, the two-letter USPS abbreviation, and the capital in one scan. Postal abbreviations match the United States Postal Service standard, which is what mailing tools and most official forms use.
| State | USPS Abbrev. | Capital |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | AL | Montgomery |
| Alaska | AK | Juneau |
| Arizona | AZ | Phoenix |
| Arkansas | AR | Little Rock |
| California | CA | Sacramento |
| Colorado | CO | Denver |
| Connecticut | CT | Hartford |
| Delaware | DE | Dover |
| Florida | FL | Tallahassee |
| Georgia | GA | Atlanta |
| Hawaii | HI | Honolulu |
| Idaho | ID | Boise |
| Illinois | IL | Springfield |
| Indiana | IN | Indianapolis |
| Iowa | IA | Des Moines |
| Kansas | KS | Topeka |
| Kentucky | KY | Frankfort |
| Louisiana | LA | Baton Rouge |
| Maine | ME | Augusta |
| Maryland | MD | Annapolis |
| Massachusetts | MA | Boston |
| Michigan | MI | Lansing |
| Minnesota | MN | Saint Paul |
| Mississippi | MS | Jackson |
| Missouri | MO | Jefferson City |
| Montana | MT | Helena |
| Nebraska | NE | Lincoln |
| Nevada | NV | Carson City |
| New Hampshire | NH | Concord |
| New Jersey | NJ | Trenton |
| New Mexico | NM | Santa Fe |
| New York | NY | Albany |
| North Carolina | NC | Raleigh |
| North Dakota | ND | Bismarck |
| Ohio | OH | Columbus |
| Oklahoma | OK | Oklahoma City |
| Oregon | OR | Salem |
| Pennsylvania | PA | Harrisburg |
| Rhode Island | RI | Providence |
| South Carolina | SC | Columbia |
| South Dakota | SD | Pierre |
| Tennessee | TN | Nashville |
| Texas | TX | Austin |
| Utah | UT | Salt Lake City |
| Vermont | VT | Montpelier |
| Virginia | VA | Richmond |
| Washington | WA | Olympia |
| West Virginia | WV | Charleston |
| Wisconsin | WI | Madison |
| Wyoming | WY | Cheyenne |
How To Use This State List Without Tripping Up
An A–Z list feels straightforward, yet small details can bite. These quick moves keep your work clean, whether you’re building a handout or studying for a test.
Copying Into A Document Or Spreadsheet
- For worksheets: copy the table and paste into your doc editor. If the columns squeeze, paste as plain text first, then re-insert a table and drop each column in place.
- For spreadsheets: paste into Google Sheets or Excel, then split into columns if the paste lands in one cell.
- For forms: stick to the USPS two-letter codes, since many systems reject older styles like “Calif.” or “Penna.”
Making Flashcards That Stick
Flashcards work best when you force recall, not just recognition. A simple four-round drill keeps your brain working:
- State → capital
- Capital → state
- Abbreviation → state
- State → abbreviation
When you miss one, write it down once, say it once, then move on. That quick “oops” moment is where the learning happens.
Common Mix-Ups That Catch People
Most errors come from similar names, similar abbreviations, or capitals that don’t match the biggest city. If you know the usual traps, you can dodge them.
States That Share A Word
- North Carolina vs South Carolina: Raleigh vs Columbia.
- North Dakota vs South Dakota: Bismarck vs Pierre.
- Virginia vs West Virginia: Richmond vs Charleston.
- New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York: four “New” states, four different capitals.
Capitals That Aren’t The Largest City
It’s tempting to guess that the biggest city is the capital. Sometimes it is (Phoenix, Indianapolis, Boston). Often it isn’t (Sacramento, Tallahassee, Albany, Harrisburg). Treat “largest city” and “capital” as two separate facts when you study.
Abbreviations That Feel Close
USPS abbreviations are always two letters. A few pairs are easy to swap when you’re rushing:
- MA is Massachusetts, while MS is Mississippi.
- MI is Michigan, while MN is Minnesota.
- MO is Missouri, while MT is Montana.
- NE is Nebraska, while NV is Nevada.
Need the official abbreviation list for a citation or a classroom handout? The USPS publishes it in Appendix B postal abbreviations.
Postal Abbreviations Vs Other Styles
You may see older abbreviations in books, older worksheets, or style guides. USPS codes are the two-letter forms used for mailing formats (CA, NY, TX). Other systems use different formats, like AP style (“Calif.”) or older state abbreviations that vary in length.
If you’re turning in homework, match what your teacher asks for. If you’re filling a shipping field online, use USPS codes. Many web forms accept only the two-letter set.
What Counts As A State And What Doesn’t
This page sticks to the 50 states that make up the Union today. You’ll still run into other U.S. places in dropdown menus, so it helps to know what’s what.
Washington, DC
Washington, DC uses the postal abbreviation DC. It’s a federal district, not a state. It often sits right beside states in lists, so it sneaks into “50 states” practice sets by mistake.
U.S. Territories
Territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands also have postal abbreviations. They matter for shipping and mail, yet they don’t count toward 50. If your assignment says “states only,” keep territories on a separate page.
Fast Ways To Memorize The 50 States
Fifty facts can feel like a lot. It gets easier when you break the list into chunks and practice in short bursts. Ten minutes a day beats a two-hour cram session.
Chunk By First Letter
Start with one letter group at a time. Learn the “A” set, then the “C” set, then “D,” then “F,” and so on. The table makes it easy to mark off what you’ve learned.
Practice On A Blank Map
If you’re learning locations, pair the A–Z list with a blank U.S. map. Write the names lightly in pencil, check your work, erase, then do it again. Your speed will climb without you even noticing.
Use Capitals As Memory Hooks
Capitals can act like tags. Try short, spoken prompts: “Austin—Texas,” “Boise—Idaho,” “Helena—Montana.” Keep the phrasing plain, then repeat it out loud while you walk around or do chores.
Alphabetical List Of 50 States By Admission Order
Alphabetical order is perfect for lookup. Statehood order is used in history lessons and trivia: when each state entered the Union. If you’re switching between the two, a few anchor points keep you oriented.
Delaware was first. Alaska and Hawaii were last, both in 1959. For a government report that lays out the state admissions, Congress publishes Admission of States to the Union.
Anchor Points That Make The Timeline Easier
- First state: Delaware.
- Ninth state: New Hampshire (a milestone in early ratification).
- Busy years: 1889 and 1890 saw multiple western admissions.
- Final two: Alaska, then Hawaii (both 1959).
Quick Study Table For Statehood Eras
This table gives you clean eras with examples, so you can place a state on a rough timeline before you check exact dates.
| Era | What Happened | States You’ll See Often |
|---|---|---|
| 1787–1790 | Early Constitution ratification period | Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey |
| 1791–1803 | Early growth after the first set | Vermont, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio |
| 1812–1821 | New states before the 1830s | Louisiana, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri |
| 1836–1848 | Big additions before the Civil War era | Arkansas, Michigan, Florida, Texas |
| 1850–1861 | Pre-war admissions continue | California, Oregon, Kansas |
| 1863–1876 | Post-war admissions and western growth | West Virginia, Nevada, Colorado |
| 1889–1890 | Two busy years of admissions | North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Washington |
| 1896–1912 | Late continental admissions | Utah, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico |
| 1959 | Final admissions to reach 50 | Alaska, Hawaii |
Spelling And Formatting Notes That Save Points
Many teachers grade this topic on tiny details: spelling, spacing, and capitalization. A couple names are easy to miss when you write fast. Watch for the two-word states (New York, North Dakota, West Virginia), and keep the spacing clean. Don’t run words together.
Two state names often trip up spelling: Massachusetts and Connecticut. If you mix letters, write the name once while looking at the table, then write it again from memory. That one extra rep can stop repeat mistakes.
Hyphens And Punctuation
State names don’t use hyphens. Keep it simple: “Rhode Island,” not “Rhode-Island.” When you’re writing capitals, the same rule applies: “Salt Lake City” gets spaces, not hyphens.
Saint Paul Vs St. Paul
Minnesota’s capital is commonly written as “St. Paul” in casual writing. On worksheets and quizzes, “Saint Paul” is usually accepted too. If your class is strict, match the format your teacher uses.
A One Week Practice Plan
If you’ve got a test coming up, a simple week plan can take you from “kind of know it” to “I’ve got this.” Keep each session short and repeatable.
- Day 1: Read the A–Z table once, then write the states from memory in order until you get stuck.
- Day 2: Drill abbreviations for the “A” through “M” states, then check your misses.
- Day 3: Drill abbreviations for the “M” through “W” states.
- Day 4: Drill capitals for ten random states, then ten more.
- Day 5: Reverse drill: capitals → states for twenty cards.
- Day 6: Mix it: state → capital, then state → abbreviation, back and forth.
- Day 7: Full run: write all 50 states, then fill abbreviations you know, then capitals you know, then check the table.
Keep the “missed” pile separate. Those are your points sitting on the table.
Want a quick self-test? Hide the capital column, point to a state, and answer out loud. If you hesitate, mark it and drill it two more times.
Printable Checklist Text You Can Paste
If you want a plain list for printing or a quick self-test, copy this line into your notes. Then mark each state as you recall the capital or abbreviation.
Alabama; Alaska; Arizona; Arkansas; California; Colorado; Connecticut; Delaware; Florida; Georgia; Hawaii; Idaho; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; Mississippi; Missouri; Montana; Nebraska; Nevada; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New Mexico; New York; North Carolina; North Dakota; Ohio; Oklahoma; Oregon; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; South Carolina; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Vermont; Virginia; Washington; West Virginia; Wisconsin; Wyoming.
Small Checks Before You Turn In A Worksheet
Before you submit an assignment or print a handout, run these quick checks. They catch most errors in under a minute.
- Count your states: it should be 50, not 49 or 51.
- Scan the “New” set and the “North/South” pairs for swapped capitals.
- Double-check close abbreviations like MA/MS and MI/MN.
- If your teacher wants statehood order, don’t number the A–Z list.
If you came here looking for the exact phrase again, this page is an alphabetical list of the 50 united states with abbreviations and capitals, ready for study or copying.