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About This Quiz
New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and Philadelphia. These are the five biggest cities in the United States. How many of them are a state capital? While many like to believe that the largest cities usually account for a capital, this is not always true! From Austin to Miami, can you tell if this city is a state capital or not?
When it comes to capitals, you'll find that most people tend to believe that the largest city is its capital. While this is sometimes true, you'll find the belief starts all the way up with countries. In the Eurasian country of Turkey, many believe its capital to be its largest city, Istanbul, when Turkey's capital is actually Ankara. Sao Paulo is Brazil's largest city, but many people believe its capital to be its most popular city, Rio de Janeiro. Its capital is actually Brasilia. While this belief in the relationship between a country's largest city and its capital doesn't work for these countries, it does work in places like France and Japan.
You'll find this same ambiguity in the United States. While you might believe a state's capital is its largest city, think again! With cities like Austin, Dallas, and Houston in Texas, which of these cities is actually Texas's state capital? Can you figure it out? Take this quiz and let's find out!
Los Angeles
State Capital
Not
While Los Angeles is the largest city in California, it is not the State Capital. California's capital is Sacramento, which has a population of around 466,000.
Austin
State Capital
Texas has quite a few large cities. Between them, Houston is Texas's largest city with a population of over 2 million. Austin, its capital, is the 4th largest city in the state.
Not
Jacksonville
State Capital
Not
Jacksonville is the largest city in Florida with a population of 880,000. Florida's capital is Tallahassee, which has a much smaller population of under 200,000 residents.
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New York City
State Capital
Not
Not only is New York City the largest city in New York, it is the largest city in the entire country. With that said, New York City is not a state capital. New York's capital is Albany, which has 8 million fewer residents than the Big Apple.
Springfield
State Capital
Springfield is the capital of Illinois. With a population of 116,000, it doesn't compare to Illinois's largest city, Chicago, which has a population of close to 2.7 million people.
Not
Philadelphia
State Capital
Not
The City of Brotherly Love is the largest city in Pennsylvania, but it is not it's capital. The capital of Pennsylvania is Harrisburg.
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Columbus
State Capital
Not only is Columbus the largest city in Ohio, it is also the state's capital. Columbus has a population of around 787,000.
Not
Detroit
State Capital
Not
Detroit is the largest city in Michigan, but it is not Michigan's capital. The capital of Michigan is Lansing, which has a population of around 114,000.
Columbus
State Capital
Not
Columbus is the second largest city in Georgia and most definitely not the state's capital. Georgia's largest city and capital is Atlanta.
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Raleigh
State Capital
While Charlotte is the largest city in North Carolina, Raleigh is the second largest. With that said, Raleigh is North Carolina's capital.
Not
Newark
State Capital
Not
Newark is the largest city in New Jersey but it is not its state capital. Trenton is the capital of New Jersey with a population of less than 85,000.
Richmond
State Capital
Richmond is the fourth largest city in Virginia and the state's capital. It has a population of around 204,000.
Not
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Olympia
State Capital
Olympia is the state capital of Washington and comes nowhere near the top largest cities. Washington's largest city is Seattle.
Not
Boston
State Capital
Boston is both the state capital and largest city in Massachusetts. The city has a population of over 617,000.
Not
Fort Wayne
State Capital
Not
Fort Wayne is the second largest city in Indiana. Indiana's capital and largest city are Indianapolis, which has a population of over 820,000.
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Tucson
State Capital
Not
Tucson is the second-largest city in Arizona. Arizona's capital is Phoenix, which is also its largest city with a population of just under 1.5 million.
Nashville
State Capital
Nashville is both the state capital and largest city in Tennessee. The city has a population of around 660,000 people.
Not
Kansas City
State Capital
Not
Kansas City is the largest city in Missouri with a population of just under 460,000. Missouri's capital is Jefferson City, which has a relatively small population of 43,000.
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Baltimore
State Capital
Not
Baltimore is the largest city in Maryland with a population of 620,000. Maryland's capital is Annapolis, which has a population of under 40,000.
Madison
State Capital
Madison is the state capital of Wisconsin and is also the state's second-largest city. Wisconsin's largest city is Milwaukee.
Not
Saint Paul
State Capital
Saint Paul is the state capital of Minnesota. It is also the second-largest city, while Minneapolis is the largest with a population of 382,000.
Not
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Colorado Springs
State Capital
Not
Colorado Springs is the second largest city in Colorado. Denver acts as both Colorado's state capital and its largest city with a population of around 600,000 residents.
Birmingham
State Capital
Not
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama but not its state capital. Montgomery is Alabama's capital and second-largest city.
Columbia
State Capital
Columbia is South Carolina's capital and second-largest city. Charleston is the state's largest city with a population of 129,000.
Not
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Baton Rouge
State Capital
Baton Rouge is the state capital of Louisiana as well as its second-largest city. New Orleans is Louisiana's largest city with a population of over 343,000.
Not
Frankfort
State Capital
Frankfort is the state capital of Kentucky and its population of 25,000 comes nowhere near the population of its largest city. Louisville is the largest city in Kentucky, with a population of just under 600,000.
Not
Salem
State Capital
Salem is the state capital and second-largest city in Oregon. Oregon's largest city is Portland, which has a population of over 575,000.
Not
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Oklahoma City
State Capital
Oklahoma City serves as both Oklahoma's state capital and its largest city with over 570,000 residents.
Not
Bridgeport
State Capital
Not
Bridgeport is the largest city in Connecticut, with a population of around 144,000. Hartford is the state's fourth-largest city as well as its capital.
Des Moines
State Capital
Des Moines is both the largest city and state capital of Iowa. The city has a population of 215,000.
Not
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Gulfport
State Capital
Not
Gulfport is the second-largest city in Mississippi, while Jackson is both the state's capital and largest city with a population of 173,000.
Fort Smith
State Capital
Not
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas. Little Rock is the state capital and largest city. It has a population of just under 200,000.
Topeka
State Capital
Topeka is the state capital of Kansas but doesn't fall within it's top 3 largest cities. Kansas's largest city is Wichita, which has a population of around 380,000.
Not
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Salt Lake City
State Capital
Salt Lake City is both the capital and largest city in Utah. It has a population of around 186,000.
Not
You Got:
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