U.S. State Capitals in Alphabetical Order

Whether you're studying for a geography test, building a trivia game, or just need a quick reference, having a list of all 50 US state capitals in alphabetical order is incredibly useful. On this page you'll find the complete list sorted two ways: capitals ordered alphabetically, and a full state-to-capital reference table. For the official federal directory, you can also visit USA.gov's guide to U.S. states and territories. Use the sorting tool above to alphabetize your own custom list of capitals.

State capitals are one of those things that most people learn at some point in school, but few can recall all 50 from memory as adults. That's exactly why having a well-organized reference list matters. Below you'll find a few common reasons people look up state capitals in alphabetical order.

Students & Test Prep

One of the most common reasons people search for state capitals in alphabetical order is for school. Whether it's a middle school geography quiz or a college entrance exam, knowing your state capitals is a frequent requirement. Having the capitals listed alphabetically makes it easier to study them in a systematic way — you can work through the list from A to Z, quiz yourself on each one, and track which capitals you've already memorized. Many teachers hand out alphabetical capital lists specifically because the structure helps students organize their studying.

Trivia & Game Nights

State capitals are a staple of trivia competitions. If you're hosting a trivia night or building a quiz for friends, an alphabetical list of capitals makes it simple to pull questions in order without accidentally repeating any. It's also helpful for games like "Name the Capital" where one person reads a state and the other guesses the capital — having the answer key sorted alphabetically means you can quickly verify answers. Board games, pub trivia, and family game nights all benefit from having a clean, complete reference list.

Surprising State Capital Facts

Many people are surprised to learn that a state's capital is rarely its largest or most well-known city. For example, the capital of New York is Albany — not New York City. The capital of California is Sacramento, not Los Angeles or San Francisco. Illinois has Springfield as its capital, not Chicago. This pattern holds across most of the country: according to the Wikipedia list of U.S. state capitals, only 17 of the 50 state capitals are also the largest city in their state. The reason is largely historical — many capitals were chosen because of their central geographic location within the state, not because they were the biggest population center.

Here are a few more facts that might surprise you:

• Santa Fe, New Mexico is the oldest state capital in the United States, founded in 1610 — a full decade before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.
• Montpelier, Vermont is the least populous state capital, with fewer than 8,000 residents.
• Phoenix, Arizona is the most populous state capital, with over 1.6 million people.
• Oklahoma City and Indianapolis are among the few capitals that include the state name in the city name.
• Four state capitals start with the letter "S": Sacramento, Salem, Salt Lake City, and Santa Fe.

All 50 State Capitals in Alphabetical Order

Below is the complete list of all 50 US state capitals sorted alphabetically by the capital city name. Each capital is listed with its corresponding state for easy reference.

1. Albany — New York
2. Annapolis — Maryland
3. Atlanta — Georgia
4. Augusta — Maine
5. Austin — Texas
6. Baton Rouge — Louisiana
7. Bismarck — North Dakota
8. Boise — Idaho
9. Boston — Massachusetts
10. Carson City — Nevada
11. Charleston — West Virginia
12. Cheyenne — Wyoming
13. Columbia — South Carolina
14. Columbus — Ohio
15. Concord — New Hampshire
16. Denver — Colorado
17. Des Moines — Iowa
18. Dover — Delaware
19. Frankfort — Kentucky
20. Harrisburg — Pennsylvania
21. Hartford — Connecticut
22. Helena — Montana
23. Honolulu — Hawaii
24. Indianapolis — Indiana
25. Jackson — Mississippi
26. Jefferson City — Missouri
27. Juneau — Alaska
28. Lansing — Michigan
29. Lincoln — Nebraska
30. Little Rock — Arkansas
31. Madison — Wisconsin
32. Montgomery — Alabama
33. Montpelier — Vermont
34. Nashville — Tennessee
35. Oklahoma City — Oklahoma
36. Olympia — Washington
37. Phoenix — Arizona
38. Pierre — South Dakota
39. Providence — Rhode Island
40. Raleigh — North Carolina
41. Richmond — Virginia
42. Sacramento — California
43. Salem — Oregon
44. Salt Lake City — Utah
45. Santa Fe — New Mexico
46. Springfield — Illinois
47. St. Paul — Minnesota
48. Tallahassee — Florida
49. Topeka — Kansas
50. Trenton — New Jersey

State Capitals Listed by State (Alphabetical)

If you prefer to look up capitals by state name instead, here is the full list organized alphabetically by state. This format is especially useful for studying, since you can cover the right column and test yourself on each state's capital.

How to Use This List

There are several practical ways to use these state capital lists:

• Flashcard creation: Use the alphabetical list to create a set of 50 flashcards — state on one side, capital on the other. Working through them in alphabetical order provides a consistent study sequence.
• Worksheet answers: If you have a blank US map worksheet, this list serves as your answer key. Cross-reference each state's location on the map with its capital from the table above.
• Quick reference: Bookmark this page for anytime you need to quickly look up a state capital without searching through multiple sources.
• Custom sorting: Need the capitals in a different order? Paste them into the alphabetizing tool on our homepage to re-sort them however you need.

You may also find our list of all 50 US states in alphabetical order helpful, which includes state abbreviations. For more alphabetically sorted reference lists, check out our pages on countries of the world, US presidents, and periodic table elements — all available in alphabetical order.

We're always working to make this site more useful. If you have suggestions for other lists you'd like to see in alphabetical order, please reach out and let us know.