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When Were Individual States Admitted to the U.S.?

L. S. Wynn
By L. S. Wynn
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 45,874
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The United States of America is currently made up of 50 states and they officially joined the union over a period of 172 years. Here are some interesting statistics about states admitted to the union:

  • Most common day of the month to join the union: 1st of the month (five states)
  • Most common month to join the union: December (nine states)
  • Least common month to join the union: September and October (one admission each)
  • Only two states were admitted on exactly the same date: North and South Dakota (2 November 1889)
  • Admission dates that coincide with U.S. holidays:
    • Oregon and Arizona were admitted on Valentine's Day (14 February)
    • Nevada was admitted on Halloween (31 October)
    • Washington was admitted on Veteran's Day (11 November)
  • Most admissions in one particular month: November 1889 (four)
  • Year with the most admissions: 1788 (eight)

Here are two charts showing the dates when each state was admitted to the US. The first chart lists them in order of admission date. In the second chart, they are organized in alphabetical order.

sorted by date
# State Admission Date
1 Delaware 7 December 1787
2 Pennsylvania 12 December 1787
3 New Jersey 18 December 1787
4 Georgia 2 January 1788
5 Connecticut 9 January 1788
6 Massachusetts 6 February 1788
7 Maryland 28 April 1788
8 South Carolina 23 May 1788
9 New Hampshire 21 June 1788
10 Virginia 25 June 1788
11 New York 26 July 1788
12 North Carolina 21 November 1789
13 Rhode Island 29 May 1790
14 Vermont 4 March 1791
15 Kentucky 1 June 1792
16 Tennessee 1 June 1796
17 Ohio 1 March 1803
18 Louisiana 30 April 1812
19 Indiana 11 December 1816
20 Mississippi 10 December 1817
21 Illinois 3 December 1818
22 Alabama 14 December 1819
23 Maine 15 March 1820
24 Missouri 10 August 1821
25 Arkansas 15 June 1836
26 Michigan 26 January 1837
27 Florida 3 March 1845
28 Texas 29 December 1845
29 Iowa 28 December 1846
30 Wisconsin 29 May 1848
31 California 9 September 1850
32 Minnesota 11 May 1858
33 Oregon 14 February 1859
34 Kansas 29 January 1861
35 West Virginia 20 June 1863
36 Nevada 31 October 1864
37 Nebraska 1 March 1867
38 Colorado 1 August 1876
39 North Dakota 2 November 1889
40 South Dakota 2 November 1889
41 Montana 8 November 1889
42 Washington 11 November 1889
43 Idaho 3 July 1890
44 Wyoming 10 July 1890
45 Utah 4 January 1896
46 Oklahoma 16 November 1907
47 New Mexico 6 January 1912
48 Arizona 14 February 1912
49 Alaska 3 January 1959
50 Hawaii 21 August 1959
# State Admission Date

sorted by state
# State Admission Date
22 Alabama 14 December 1819
49 Alaska 3 January 1959
48 Arizona 14 February 1912
25 Arkansas 15 June 1836
31 California 9 September 1850
38 Colorado 1 August 1876
5 Connecticut 9 January 1788
1 Delaware 7 December 1787
27 Florida 3 March 1845
4 Georgia 2 January 1788
50 Hawaii 21 August 1959
43 Idaho 3 July 1890
21 Illinois 3 December 1818
19 Indiana 11 December 1816
29 Iowa 28 December 1846
34 Kansas 29 January 1861
15 Kentucky 1 June 1792
18 Louisiana 30 April 1812
23 Maine 15 March 1820
7 Maryland 28 April 1788
6 Massachusetts 6 February 1788
26 Michigan 26 January 1837
32 Minnesota 11 May 1858
20 Mississippi 10 December 1817
24 Missouri 10 August 1821
41 Montana 8 November 1889
37 Nebraska 1 March 1867
36 Nevada 31 October 1864
9 New Hampshire 21 June 1788
3 New Jersey 18 December 1787
47 New Mexico 6 January 1912
11 New York 26 July 1788
12 North Carolina 21 November 1789
39 North Dakota 2 November 1889
17 Ohio 1 March 1803
46 Oklahoma 16 November 1907
33 Oregon 14 February 1859
2 Pennsylvania 12 December 1787
13 Rhode Island 29 May 1790
8 South Carolina 23 May 1788
40 South Dakota 2 November 1889
16 Tennessee 1 June 1796
28 Texas 29 December 1845
45 Utah 4 January 1896
14 Vermont 4 March 1791
10 Virginia 25 June 1788
42 Washington 11 November 1889
35 West Virginia 20 June 1863
30 Wisconsin 29 May 1848
44 Wyoming 10 July 1890
# State Admission Date
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Discussion Comments
By anon47574 — On Oct 05, 2009

What sources were used for this information?

By jh443 — On Sep 16, 2008

The U.S. has now gone the longest period of time since the last state was admitted. To date it is just over 49 years. The previous longest period between admissions was just under 47 years - between the admission of Arizona and Alaska.

By ericzahler — On May 27, 2008

There are only 33 states admitted to the Union. It takes the President and two thirds of the Senate to concur to ratify a treaty necessary to admit a State to the Union. The best example of the fraud of there being 50 states is North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Washington. The United State Senate was not even in session in November 1889. I live in Yakama. They call this Washington State. They claim their constitution was ratified in this state on November 7th and then was admitted to the Union on November 11th. This is a total fraud. I am going to throw the corporate washington state right off the damned continent.

By malena — On Jan 20, 2008

Wow! Arizona was the last state in the contiguous US (lower 48 states) to be accepted to the US! Not exactly what you would have guessed!

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