List of US States by Area: The United States is a vast and geographically diverse nation, spanning coastlines, mountains, deserts, forests, and plains. Understanding the land area of each of the 50 states offers valuable insight into how geography influences population distribution, infrastructure, and economic development. From the enormous wilderness of Alaska to the compact charm of Rhode Island, each state holds a unique place in the country's physical and cultural landscape. This article ranks all U.S. states by area, highlighting interesting comparisons—like how Texas is three times the size of the United Kingdom or how the smallest states together occupy only a fraction of the nation's land. Whether you're a student, traveller, or curious reader, this list offers a deeper appreciation for America’s spatial scale and variety.
Let's dive into the full list of US states, ranked by their area.
Let's explore this article in detail by seeing the US states by area.
How many states are there in the United States?
There are 50 states in the United States.
List of US States by Area
Here is a list of the Size of the US States by Area:
Rank | State | Land Area (Square Miles) | Land Area (Square Kilometers) |
1 | Alaska | 665,384 | 1,723,337 |
2 | Texas | 268,596.5 | 695,662 |
3 | California | 163,696 | 423,970 |
4 | Montana | 147,040 | 380,832 |
5 | New Mexico | 121,590 | 314,917 |
6 | Arizona | 113,990 | 295,234 |
7 | Nevada | 110,572 | 286,380 |
8 | Colorado | 104,094 | 269,601 |
9 | Oregon | 98,378.5 | 254,799 |
10 | Wyoming | 97,813 | 253,335 |
11 | Michigan | 96,713.51 | 250,487 |
12 | Minnesota | 86,936 | 225,163 |
13 | Utah | 84,897 | 219,882 |
14 | Idaho | 83,569 | 216,443 |
15 | Kansas | 82,282 | 213,100 |
16 | Nebraska | 77,348 | 200,330 |
17 | South Dakota | 77,116 | 199,729 |
18 | Washington | 71,362 | 184,661 |
19 | North Dakota | 70,698 | 183,108 |
20 | Oklahoma | 69,898 | 181,037 |
21 | Missouri | 69,715 | 180,540 |
22 | Florida | 65,758 | 170,312 |
23 | Wisconsin | 65,496 | 169,635 |
24 | Georgia | 59,425 | 153,909 |
25 | Illinois | 57,914 | 149,997 |
26 | Iowa | 56,272 | 145,746 |
27 | New York | 54,555 | 141,297 |
28 | North Carolina | 53,819 | 139,391 |
29 | Arkansas | 53,180 | 137,732 |
30 | Alabama | 52,420 | 135,767 |
31 | Louisiana | 52,378 | 135,659 |
32 | Mississippi | 48,431 | 125,443 |
33 | Pennsylvania | 46,054 | 119,283 |
34 | Ohio | 44,825 | 116,096 |
35 | Virginia | 42,774 | 110,787 |
36 | Tennessee | 42,143 | 109,153 |
37 | Kentucky | 40,409 | 104,656 |
38 | Indiana | 36,418 | 94,321 |
39 | Maine | 35,379 | 91,633 |
40 | South Carolina | 32,020 | 82,933 |
41 | West Virginia | 24,230 | 62,756 |
42 | Maryland | 12,407 | 32,131 |
43 | Hawaii | 10,931 | 28,313 |
44 | Massachusetts | 10,565 | 27,336 |
45 | Vermont | 9,616 | 24,906 |
46 | New Hampshire | 9,349 | 24,216 |
47 | New Jersey | 8,729 | 22,591 |
48 | Connecticut | 5,543.41 | 14,357 |
49 | Delaware | 2,488.72 | 6,446 |
50 | Rhode Island | 1,544.89 | 4,001 |
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List of US States by Area: Important Facts
- Alaska, the largest state in the United States, is followed by Texas and California in terms of size. Alaska's size is more than twice that of Texas, which holds the position of the second-largest state. California comes in third in terms of size, although it is significantly more populated compared to Alaska and Texas.
- Rhode Island, the smallest state in the US, has an area of approximately 1,214 square miles, which is roughly equivalent to the size of the city of Chicago.
- The ten largest states in the US collectively occupy around 70% of the total land area of the country. On the other hand, the ten smallest states in the US account for merely 2% of the total land area.
- Population density in the US exhibits substantial variation from state to state. Alaska has a population density of only about one person per square mile, whereas New Jersey boasts a population density of over 1,200 people per square mile.
List of US States by Area: Important Points
- The United States is comprised of 50 states, with 48 states located in the central portion of the North American continent, collectively referred to as the "contiguous United States."
- Alaska, occupying the peninsula-like region in the northwestern part of North America, stands as a distinct state, and then there is Hawaii, an archipelago situated in the central Pacific Ocean.
- California, the third-largest US state, surpasses Germany in size but falls short of France.
- Texas is three times larger than the United Kingdom.
- Massachusetts is approximately two-thirds the size of Switzerland.
- With a population of 576,851 according to the 2020 status, Wyoming is the least populated state of US.
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