How big is every state capital?

Only 17 of the 50 state capitals are the largest city in their state. The rest range from Austin, Texas, which has more than a million people but ranks fifth in its own state, to Montpelier, Vermont, the smallest state capital in the country, with about 7,800 residents.

The figures are the U.S. Census Bureau's 2025 population estimates for each capital city. The last column shows where the capital ranks among cities in its own state.

Phoenix is the largest state capital, at about 1.67 million people, and the only one bigger than Austin. Columbus, Ohio, Indianapolis, Denver, Nashville, Oklahoma City, and Boston round out the capitals of more than 600,000 people that are also their state's biggest city.

Twelve of the 17 capitals that lead their states are in the South or the West. In the Northeast, only Boston and Providence, Rhode Island, are both capital and largest city.

Many capitals never grew into their state's main city. Olympia, Washington, has about 56,700 people and ranks 24th among cities in its state. Jefferson City, Missouri, ranks 16th, and Frankfort, Kentucky, 14th.

Four capitals have fewer than 30,000 residents: Frankfort (28,657), Augusta, Maine (19,155), Pierre, South Dakota (13,848), and Montpelier (7,823). Juneau, Alaska, with 31,609, ranks second in its state, just 141 people ahead of Fairbanks.

Tallahassee, Florida, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, both rank ninth in their states. Sacramento, with more than half a million people, ranks sixth in California behind Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, and Fresno.

The largest city in each state is listed in the largest city in every state, and the national list is at largest cities by population.

Sources

Population figures are U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 population estimates for incorporated places. Honolulu, which is not incorporated, is the Census Bureau's Urban Honolulu figure. Indianapolis and Nashville are the consolidated city governments' figures excluding other incorporated places within their counties, as the bureau reports them. Carson City, Nevada, is an independent city that is also its own county. Ranks within each state compare incorporated places only.