Ask someone the capital of New York and many will say New York City. It's Albany, a city about 140 miles up the Hudson River. Ask about Texas and you'll hear Houston or Dallas; it's Austin. Part 2 of the US states runs from Nebraska to Wyoming, and it holds some of the hardest capitals on any us state capitals quiz.
Part 1 covered Alabama to Montana. This deck covers the other 24 states.
Why the big city usually loses
Many of these capitals were picked in the late 1700s and 1800s, often for a central site or as a compromise between rival towns. The cities that grew biggest did so around ports, railroads and industry, and the capital stayed where it was. New York's capital moved several times before it settled in Albany in 1797.
Capitals that aren't the largest city
Using the 2020 Census:
| State | Capital | Largest city |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | Lincoln | Omaha |
| Nevada | Carson City | Las Vegas |
| New Hampshire | Concord | Manchester |
| New Jersey | Trenton | Newark |
| New Mexico | Santa Fe | Albuquerque |
| New York | Albany | New York City |
| North Carolina | Raleigh | Charlotte |
| North Dakota | Bismarck | Fargo |
| Oregon | Salem | Portland |
| Pennsylvania | Harrisburg | Philadelphia |
| South Carolina | Columbia | Charleston |
| South Dakota | Pierre | Sioux Falls |
| Texas | Austin | Houston |
| Vermont | Montpelier | Burlington |
| Virginia | Richmond | Virginia Beach |
| Washington | Olympia | Seattle |
| Wisconsin | Madison | Milwaukee |
That's 17 of these 24 states.
Capitals that are the largest city
The other 7 are the biggest city in their state: Columbus (Ohio), Oklahoma City (Oklahoma), Providence (Rhode Island), Nashville (Tennessee), Salt Lake City (Utah), Charleston (West Virginia) and Cheyenne (Wyoming). Charleston only narrowly beats Huntington, so check the latest figures if you're settling a bet.
Capitals with a catch
- Santa Fe, New Mexico was founded by the Spanish in the early 1600s, long before the United States existed, which makes it the oldest state capital. It also sits higher than any other state capital, at about 7,000 feet.
- Montpelier, Vermont is the smallest state capital by population. Pierre, South Dakota is close behind, and it's said "peer", not like the French name.
- Olympia, Washington is far smaller than Seattle, Spokane or Tacoma. Seattle is the one people guess.
- Bismarck, North Dakota is named after the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck. Lincoln, Nebraska is named after Abraham Lincoln, and Austin, Texas after Stephen F. Austin.
Easy ones to mix up
- Two Charlestons. Charleston is West Virginia's capital, but Charleston, South Carolina, is not South Carolina's capital. That's Columbia.
- Columbus (Ohio) and Columbia (South Carolina). One letter apart. Try: Columbia ends in "a", like Carolina; Columbus is the other one, Ohio's.
- Concord (New Hampshire) and Carson City (Nevada). Two N states, two capitals starting with C.
- Richmond (Virginia) and Raleigh (North Carolina). Neighbours, both starting with R.
- Salem (Oregon) and Olympia (Washington). Two Pacific Northwest capitals that sit south of the famous city, Portland and Seattle.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of New York?
Albany. New York City is the largest city, but the state government sits in Albany.
Why isn't Las Vegas the capital of Nevada?
Carson City became the capital in 1861, when Nevada was still a territory. Las Vegas grew into a big city much later, in the 1900s.
What is the smallest state capital?
Montpelier, Vermont, with fewer than 10,000 residents in the 2020 Census.
How many US state capitals are also the largest city in their state?
17 of the 50. Seven of them are between Nebraska and Wyoming, listed above; the other 10 are in part 1.
Try it
Cover the capital column of the table and say each one out loud, then flip the cards to check. Then open a map: where in the world would you find the two Charlestons, and which one runs a state?