| STATE | LARGEST CITY | EXPLANATION |
| Alabama | Birmingham | The largest city of Alabama is Birmingham, whereas the second and third largest cities are Montgomery (its capital) and Mobile.
The nickname for Alabama (AL) is Yellowhammer State. |
| Alaska | Anchorage | The largest city of Alaska is Anchorage, whereas the second and third largest cities are Juneau (its capital) and Fairbanks.
The nickname for Alaska (AK) is The Last Frontier. It is also known as the Land of the Midnight Sun. Alaska is the largest state in area but is the least populated. The US bought Alaska in 1867 from Russia for a little over 7 million dollars. Great deposits of oil and natural gas are today mined in Alaska. |
| Arizona | Phoenix | The largest city of Arizona is Phoenix (its capital), whereas the second and third largest cities are Tucson and Mesa.
The nickname for Arizona (AZ) is The Grand Canyon State. It is also known as Copper State. |
| Arkansas | Little Rock | The largest city of Arkansas is Little Rock (its capital), whereas the second and third largest cities are Fort Smith and Fayetteville.
The nickname for Arkansas (AR) is The Natural State. |
| California | Los Angeles | The largest city of California is Los Angeles, whereas the second and third largest cities are San Diego and San Jose.
Its capital is Sacramento. The nickname for California (CA) is The Golden State. |
| Colorado | Denver | The largest city of Colorado is Denver (its capital), whereas the second and third largest cities are Colorado Springs and Aurora.
The nickname for Colorado (CO) is Centennial State. It is also referred to as Colorful Colorado. |
| Connecticut | Bridgeport | The largest city of Connecticut is Bridgeport, whereas the second and third largest cities are Hartford (its capital) and New Haven.
The nickname for Connecticut (CT) is Constitution State. It is also called Nutmeg State, Provisions State, or Land of Steady Habits. |
| Delaware | Wilmington | The largest city of Delaware is Wilmington, whereas the second and third largest cities are Dover (its capital) and Newark.
The nickname for Delaware (DE) is The First State. It is also called The Diamond State, Blue Hen State, or Small Wonder. |
| Florida | Jacksonville | The largest city of Florida is Jacksonville, whereas the second and third largest cities are Miami and Tampa.
Its capital is Tallahassee. The nickname for Florida (FL) is Sunshine State. |
| Georgia | Atlanta | The largest city of Georgia is Atlanta (its capital), whereas the second and third largest cities are Augusta and Columbus.
The nickname for Georgia (GA) is Peach State. |
| Hawaii | Honolulu | The largest CDP (census-designated place) of Hawaii is Honolulu (its capital), whereas the second and third largest CDPs are Hilo and Kailua.
The nickname for Hawaii (HI) is Aloha State. Hawaii consists of a group of about 130 islands in the Pacific ocean. It is about 3360 km from the continental US and is the most recent state to be enlisted (in 1959). Hawaii is known for its volcanic activity. |
| Idaho | Boise | The largest city of Idaho is Boise (its capital), whereas the second and third largest cities are Nampa and Idaho Falls.
The nickname for Idaho (ID) is Gem State. It is also called the Gem of the Mountains. |
| Illinois | Chicago | The largest city of Illinois is Chicago, whereas the second and third largest cities are Aurora and Rockford.
Its capital is Springfield. The nickname for Illinois (IL) is Prairie State. |
| Indiana | Indianapolis | The largest city of Indiana is Indianapolis (its capital), whereas the second and third largest cities are Ft. Wayne and Evansville.
The nickname for Indiana (IN) is Hoosier State. |
| Iowa | Des Moines | The largest city of Iowa is Des Moines (its capital), whereas the second and third largest cities are Cedar Rapids and Davenport.
The nickname for Iowa (IA) is Hawkeye State. |
| Kansas | Wichita | The largest city of Kansas is Wichita, whereas the second and third largest cities are Overland Park and Kansas City.
Its capital is Topeka. The nickname for Kansas (KS) is Sunflower State. |
| Kentucky | Louisville | The largest city of Kentucky is Louisville, whereas the second and third largest cities are Lexington and Owensboro.
Its capital is Frankfort. The nickname for Kentucky (KY) is Bluegrass State. |
| Louisiana | Baton Rouge | The largest city of Louisiana is Baton Rouge (its capital), whereas the second and third largest cities are probably New Orleans (evacuated in September 2005 after Hurricane Katrina) and Shreveport.
The nickname for Louisiana (LA) is Pelican State. |
| Maine | Portland | The largest city of Maine is Portland, whereas the second and third largest cities are Lewiston and Bangor.
Its capital is Augusta. The nickname for Maine (ME) is Pine Tree State. Maine is the northeastern most state of the US. It has an area of 86156 sq. km. |
| Maryland | Baltimore | The largest city of Maryland is Baltimore, whereas the second and third largest cities are Gaithersburg and Rockville.
Its capital is Annapolis. The nickname for Maryland (MD) is Old Line State. |
| Massachusetts | Boston | The largest city of Massachusetts is Boston (its capital), whereas the second and third largest cities are Worcester and Springfield.
The nickname for Massachusetts (MA) is Bay State. It is also known as Old Colony State. |
| Michigan | Detroit | The largest city of Michigan is Detroit, whereas the second and third largest cities are Grand Rapids and Warren.
Its capital is Lansing. The nickname for Michigan (MI) is The Wolverine State. It is also called the Great Lakes State. |
| Minnesota | Minneapolis | The largest city of Minnesota is Minneapolis, whereas the second and third largest cities are St. Paul (its capital) and Rochester.
The nickname for Minnesota (MN) is North Star State. It is also known as Land of Ten Thousand Lakes. |
| Mississippi | Jackson | The largest city of Mississippi is Jackson (its capital), whereas the second and third largest cities are Gulfport and Biloxi.
The nickname for Mississippi (MS) is Magnolia State. |
| Missouri | Kansas City | The largest city of Missouri is Kansas City, whereas the second and third largest cities are St. Louis and Springfield.
Its capital is Jefferson City. The nickname for Missouri (MO) is Show Me State. |
| Montana | Billings | The largest city of Montana is Billings, whereas the second and third largest cities are Missoula and Great Falls.
Its capital is Helena. The nickname for Montana (MT) is Treasure State. |
| Nebraska | Omaha | The largest city of Nebraska is Omaha, whereas the second and third largest cities are Lincoln (its capital) and Bellevue.
The nickname for Nebraska (NE) is Cornhusker State. |
| Nevada | Las Vegas | The largest city of Nevada is Las Vegas, whereas the second and third largest cities are Henderson and Reno.
Its capital is Carson City. The nickname for Nevada (NV) is Silver State. It is also known as Sage State or Sagebrush State. |
| New Hampshire | Manchester | The largest city of New Hampshire is Manchester, whereas the second and third largest cities are Nashua and Concord (its capital).
The nickname for New Hampshire (NH) is The Granite State. |
| New Jersey | Newark | The largest city of New Jersey is Newark, whereas the second and third largest cities are Jersey City and Paterson.
Its capital is Trenton. The nickname for New Jersey (NJ) is Garden State. |
| New Mexico | Albuquerque | The largest city of New Mexico is Albuquerque, whereas the second and third largest cities are Las Cruces and Santa Fe (its capital).
The nickname for New Mexico (NM) is Land of Enchantment. |
| New York | New York City | The largest city of New York is New York City, whereas the second and third largest cities are Buffalo and Rochester.
Its capital is Albany. The nickname for New York (NY) is Empire State. |
| North Carolina | Charlotte | The largest city of North Carolina is Charlotte, whereas the second and third largest cities are Raleigh (its capital) and Greensboro.
The nickname for North Carolina (NC) is Old North State. |
| North Dakota | Fargo | The largest city of North Dakota is Fargo, whereas the second and third largest cities are Bismarck (its capital) and Grand Forks.
The nickname for North Dakota (ND) is Peace Garden State. It is also known as Flickertail State or Roughrider State. |
| Ohio | Columbus | The largest city of Ohio is Columbus (its capital), whereas the second and third largest cities are Cleveland and Cincinnati.
The nickname for Ohio (OH) is Buckeye State. |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma City | The largest city of Oklahoma is Oklahoma City (its capital), whereas the second and third largest cities are Tulsa and Norman.
The nickname for Oklahoma (OK) is The Sooner State. |
| Oregon | Portland | The largest city of Oregon is Portland, whereas the second and third largest cities are Salem (its capital) and Eugene.
The nickname for Oregon (OR) is Beaver State. |
| Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | The largest city of Pennsylvania is Philadelphia, whereas the second and third largest cities are Pittsburgh and Allentown.
Its capital is Harrisburg. The nickname for Pennsylvania (PA) is Keystone State. |
| Rhode Island | Providence | The largest city of Rhode Island is Providence (its capital), whereas the second and third largest cities are Warwick and Cranston.
The nickname for Rhode Island (RI) is Ocean State. It is also known as Plantation State. Rhode Island is the smallest state in the US with an area of 3139 sq. km. |
| South Carolina | Columbia | The largest city of South Carolina is Columbia (its capital), whereas the second and third largest cities are Charleston and North Charleston.
The nickname for South Carolina (SC) is Palmetto State. |
| South Dakota | Sioux Falls | The largest city of South Dakota is Sioux Falls, whereas the second and third largest cities are Rapid City and Aberdeen.
Its capital is Pierre. The nickname for South Dakota (SD) is Mount Rushmore State. |
| Tennessee | Memphis | The largest city of Tennessee is Memphis, whereas the second and third largest cities are Nashville (its capital) and Knoxville.
The nickname for Tennessee (TN) is The Volunteer State. It is also known as Big Bend State, Hog and Hominy State, or The Mother of Southwestern Statesmen. |
| Texas | Houston | The largest city of Texas is Houston, whereas the second and third largest cities are San Antonio and Dallas.
Its capital is Austin. The nickname for Texas (TX) is Lone Star State. |
| Utah | Salt Lake City | The largest city of Utah is Salt Lake City (its capital), whereas the second and third largest cities are West Valley City and Provo.
The nickname for Utah (UT) is Beehive State. |
| Vermont | Burlington | The largest city of Vermont is Burlington, whereas the second and third largest cities are Rutland and South Burlington.
Its capital is Montpelier. The nickname for Vermont (VT) is Green Mountain State. |
| Virginia | Virginia Beach | The largest city of Virginia is Virginia Beach, whereas the second and third largest cities are Norfolk and Chesapeake.
Its capital is Richmond. The nickname for Virginia (VA) is Old Dominion State. It is also known as Mother State. |
| Washington | Seattle | The largest city of Washington is Seattle, whereas the second and third largest cities are Spokane and Tacoma.
Its capital is Olympia. The nickname for Washington (WA) is The Evergreen State. |
| West Virginia | Charleston | The largest city of West Virginia is Charleston (its capital), whereas the second and third largest cities are Huntington and Parkersburg.
The nickname for West Virginia (WV) is Mountain State. |
| Wisconsin | Milwaukee | The largest city of Wisconsin is Milwaukee, whereas the second and third largest cities are Madison (its capital) and Green Bay.
The nickname for Wisconsion (WI) is Badger State. |
| Wyoming | Cheyenne | The largest city of Wyoming is Cheyenne (its capital), whereas the second and third largest cities are Casper and Laramie.
The nickname for Wyoming (WY) is Equality State. Yellowstone National Park is located in Wyoming. |
