March 4, 2026
25 US Geography Facts That Will Surprise You
Every number below comes from real federal data — the Census Bureau, USDA, CDC, NOAA, and National Park Service. No trivia-site estimates, no Wikipedia approximations. Just the official stats, and they're stranger than you'd think.
Population & Demographics
- California has more people than Canada. With 39.5 million residents, California's population exceeds that of the entire nation directly to the north. See California's full data.
- Wyoming's entire population would fit in a mid-sized city. At roughly 577,000 people, Wyoming has fewer residents than cities like Louisville, Portland, or Oklahoma City. Wyoming data.
- The median household income gap between states is over $40,000. Maryland and New Jersey top $90,000 while Mississippi and West Virginia fall below $55,000 — a difference that shapes everything from housing to education.
- Utah has the youngest population. With a median age around 31, Utah is nearly a decade younger than Maine (about 45). Large families and a high birth rate drive this gap.
- Montpelier, Vermont is the smallest state capital. With about 8,000 residents, it's smaller than most suburban subdivisions. Compare that to Phoenix, Arizona's capital, which has over 1.6 million. Vermont data.
Agriculture
- Texas has the most farms in the country — over 247,000. That's more than Missouri and Iowa combined, though Iowa's farms produce more dollar value per acre. Texas data.
- California's agricultural output is worth more than most countries' entire GDP. At over $49 billion in market value, California's farms outproduce the total economies of many small nations.
- Alaska has the fewest farms — just 990. Not surprising given the climate, but the state still manages to produce specialty crops like barley and potatoes in its short growing season. Alaska data.
- The US has nearly 2 million farms covering 382 million acres. That's roughly 17% of the country's total land area dedicated to food production. Browse all 50 states on our states index.
- Nebraska has more farmland than many states have total land. With over 44 million acres of cropland, agriculture dominates the state's landscape and economy. Nebraska data.
Health
- Obesity rates vary by nearly 20 percentage points across states. Colorado and the District of Columbia sit near 25%, while West Virginia and Mississippi exceed 40%. Same country, vastly different health outcomes.
- Texas has the highest uninsured rate. Over 18% of working-age adults in Texas lack health insurance — roughly double the national average.
- The smoking rate has dropped dramatically but varies widely. Utah has among the lowest rates (under 8%), while West Virginia exceeds 23%. Cultural, religious, and policy factors drive the gap.
- Diabetes rates correlate strongly with geography. The "Diabetes Belt" — a swath of states through the Deep South — consistently reports rates above 13%, while western states like Colorado stay below 8%.
- High blood pressure affects over 40% of adults in some states. Alabama, Mississippi, and West Virginia all exceed this threshold, driven by diet, activity levels, and access to healthcare.
National Parks & Landmarks
- California has the most national parks — 9. Yosemite, Sequoia, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, and five more. Alaska is second with 8. California data.
- 20 states have zero national parks. States like Iowa, Kansas, and Delaware have other NPS designations (monuments, historic sites) but no areas designated as "National Park."
- The total NPS system includes nearly 600 sites across all 50 states. National parks get the headlines, but the system also covers battlefields, scenic trails, seashores, lakeshores, and historic sites.
- Washington DC has 25+ NPS sites in a 68-square-mile area. The concentration of memorials, monuments, and historic sites per square mile is unmatched anywhere in the country.
- New Mexico has more NPS sites than its population density would suggest. With ancient cliff dwellings, volcanic landscapes, and historic trails, New Mexico punches well above its weight in the national parks system.
Climate & Weather
- Hawaii has the most stable temperature in the US. The average temperature barely fluctuates season to season, hovering around 70-75°F year-round. No other state comes close to this consistency. Hawaii data.
- Louisiana gets nearly 60 inches of rain per year. That's five feet of water, making it one of the wettest states. Nevada, by contrast, averages under 10 inches.
- Alaska has the lowest average temperature — about 27°F. Parts of interior Alaska regularly hit -40°F in winter, which is the same reading in both Fahrenheit and Celsius.
- Upstate New York gets more snow than most of Alaska. Lake-effect snow from the Great Lakes dumps over 100 inches annually on cities like Syracuse and Buffalo. Many Alaskan cities are actually too cold and dry for heavy snowfall.
- The average temperature across all 50 states is 53°F. That national average hides enormous variation — from Florida's 72°F to Alaska's 27°F, a 45-degree spread.
Explore the Data Yourself
Every fact above comes from the same data sources that power GeoProwl's daily geography puzzles. Want to dig deeper? Our Fast Facts pages have comprehensive data profiles for all 50 states — demographics, agriculture, health, national parks, climate, and capital city statistics — all sourced directly from federal APIs.