US States by Region

Sort states into Northeast, Midwest, South, West.

Sort all 50 states into Northeast, Midwest, South and West — the four census regions, and the way American geography is actually taught.

Why regions are worth learning separately

Regions are the scaffolding. Fifty individual states is a hard list; four groups of nine to sixteen is four manageable sessions. And once the regional grouping is in place, every other US geography quiz gets easier, because a half-remembered state can be located by asking which region it belongs to first.

These are the US Census Bureau's four regions, which is the standard used in schools, official statistics and most quizzes.

Northeast — 9 states

Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania.

It splits cleanly in two: the six New England states at the top, and the three Mid-Atlantic states below them. Smallest region by area, densest by population, and the easiest block to finish.

Midwest — 12 states

Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas.

Also splits in two: the five Great Lakes states (Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin) and the seven Plains states (Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas).

The most common error in the whole quiz lives here: people put Missouri in the South. It is officially Midwest. Oklahoma, which feels similar, is officially South.

South — 16 states

Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas.

The largest region by state count, and the one with the most surprising members. Delaware and Maryland are in the South, not the Northeast, which almost everyone gets wrong. So is West Virginia. And Texas and Oklahoma are South rather than West.

If you are going to lose points anywhere, it will be on this region's boundaries.

West — 13 states

Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii.

Splits into the eight Mountain states and the five Pacific states (California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii). Largest by area by a wide margin, and the most straightforward region to learn because its boundary is the least disputed.

The five that decide your score

Missouri — Midwest, not South.
Oklahoma — South, not Midwest or West.
Delaware and Maryland — South, not Northeast.
West Virginia — South, not Northeast.
Texas — South, not West.

Learn those five and you have covered nearly every disputed case.

A caveat worth knowing

These are Census Bureau regions, and they are an administrative convention rather than a cultural truth. Plenty of people in Maryland or Missouri would describe their state differently, and other schemes — the Southwest, the Rust Belt, the Pacific Northwest, Appalachia — overlap these boundaries and are equally real.

Quizzes use the census definition because it is the one standard version. It is worth knowing that it is a standard, not a fact about how people identify.

Where to go next

Once regions are solid, US States by Shape becomes much easier, because you can narrow a blank-map click to a quarter of the country before you start looking. The States That Border Canada and Mexico Quiz picks out the 17 states on the international borders. Beyond the 50 states, the US Territories Quiz covers Puerto Rico, Guam and the other three populated territories, and the US Mountain Ranges Quiz puts each range and its highest peak in its state.

Frequently asked questions

What are the four US census regions?

Northeast (9 states), Midwest (12), South (16) and West (13). They are defined by the US Census Bureau and are the standard grouping used in schools, official statistics and most quizzes.

Is Missouri in the Midwest or the South?

The Midwest, officially. It borders eight states and shares history with both regions, which is why it is the single most commonly misplaced state in this quiz. Oklahoma, which feels similar, goes the other way — it is officially South.

Are Maryland and Delaware in the South?

Yes, under the Census Bureau definition, along with West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Most people place them in the Northeast because of their location and culture, which makes them reliable points lost.

Is Texas in the South or the West?

The South, under the census definition, along with Oklahoma. Texas is large enough to span several cultural regions and is often described as Southwestern, but the official grouping places it in the South.

Play States by Region offline in the app

US States by Region and the rest of the arcade are in the free Geography Quiz Arcade app: Get it on Google Play · Download on the App Store.