Measurement tool

Distance between state capitals

Straight-line distance and bearing between any two of the 50 state capitals and Washington, DC, plus the full matrix.

Short answer

Among the 50 state capitals and Washington, DC, the closest pair is Washington, DC and Annapolis, MD at 29.8 miles. The farthest pair is Honolulu, HI and Augusta, ME at 5,111 miles, both in a straight line.
Closest pair
30mi
Farthest pair
5,111mi
2,486 miSacramento, CAAlbany, NYgraticule 10° · azimuthal equidistant

Sacramento, CA to Albany, NY

Miles
2,486.2
Kilometers
4,001.2
Initial bearing
67.9° ENE
Closest pair (all 51)
30 miWashington, DC and Annapolis, MD
Farthest pair (all 51)
5,111 miHonolulu, HI and Augusta, ME
Straight-line distance between the capital coordinates stored for each state.

Full distance matrix

Straight-line miles between every pair of the 50 state capitals and Washington, DC. Hover a row to trace it.

ALAKAZARCACOCTDEDCFLGAHIIDILINIAKSKYLAMEMDMAMIMNMSMOMTNENVNHNJNMNYNCNDOHOKORPARISCSDTNTXUTVTVAWAWVWIWY
AL02,8501,4933822,0131,1589907646881791464,3991,7915455117536994093171,2137141,0817229422275411,6748191,9221,0978401,1459864971,2575556772,1407551,0463241,1222636901,5271,1056152,1664897581,187
AK2,85002,0052,5131,4801,8232,8472,8752,8323,0282,8412,8111,2792,3352,4592,1032,1642,5872,7932,8292,8492,8772,3701,9562,7222,3091,2332,0361,4742,8182,8492,0302,7652,9371,5962,5632,2991,0412,7692,8902,9461,7292,6262,5941,5612,7302,8889132,6962,1791,750
AZ1,4932,00501,1346345862,2112,0591,9781,6381,5892,9067371,3141,4961,1559901,5531,2402,3662,0072,2951,6191,2841,2701,1659089865822,2742,1003822,1591,8991,0971,6648419851,9882,2761,7779811,4438685062,2281,9581,0961,7301,393664
AR3822,5131,13401,6337781,1669738905534564,0361,4143774844783514753031,3639201,2576917072082651,3124831,5411,2541,0317731,1357739446242991,7639251,2296447903254431,1461,2348501,794642596812
CA2,0131,4806341,63308872,5522,4462,3722,1762,0822,4604431,6991,8821,4821,3861,9701,8052,6632,3992,6251,9421,5191,8061,5777331,3231012,5902,4698792,4862,3461,1912,0451,3364472,3592,6152,2571,1621,9021,4655332,5272,3755892,1411,697900
CO1,1581,82358677888701,6871,5661,4891,3311,2103,3406388149986104991,0831,0081,8201,5171,7651,0797059726905914437891,7361,5932851,6271,4595331,1635039871,4821,7511,3773981,0207713711,6821,4891,0281,25583997
CT9902,8472,2111,1662,5521,68702343031,0148455,0102,1898977181,0771,2216911,290229278936101,0461,1621,0501,9571,2452,4511151521,829825231,4255531,4022,498242657031,4018491,6012,0191733862,4625288551,655
DE7642,8752,0599732,4461,5662340837806184,9052,1117545699651,0795091,071462543215329849488961,8991,1242,346348841,6792582891,3754021,2312,4351052844691,3236491,3981,9153841532,4133337701,546
DC6882,8321,9788902,3721,4893038307155424,8292,0416764918921,000426992528303934739238678151,8361,0492,2724131521,5973102331,3143261,1482,368943584051,2565661,3161,841436972,3502507041,472
FL1793,0281,6385532,1761,3311,01478071502294,5411,9667136539298785364111,2427371,1018501,1113717191,8539982,0871,1268621,3021,0254931,4346628412,3157961,0633111,3004218021,6981,1496282,3445669171,363
GA1462,8411,5894562,0821,21084561854222904,4931,8335084277397263084581,0685689366219023505471,6948331,9889526941,2298423551,2454367552,1806119001931,1242158181,5819624702,1973536981,228
HI4,3992,8112,9064,0362,4603,3405,0104,9054,8294,5414,49302,8334,1534,3383,9423,8344,4194,1355,1114,8565,0814,4013,9704,1764,0233,0933,7802,5615,0444,9293,2654,9434,7873,6144,5033,7392,5614,8185,0734,6783,6124,3333,7492,9924,9774,8272,6374,5934,1553,360
ID1,7911,2797371,4144436382,1892,1112,0411,9661,8332,83301,3901,5651,1551,1081,6691,6432,2782,0672,2551,5871,1431,6101,2942901,0153592,2152,1227732,1182,0517821,7181,1403492,0162,2501,9907891,6331,3692962,1452,0594011,8281,343606
IL5452,3351,3143771,6998148977546767135084,1531,39001852423262796501,0637049823343985181591,2163781,5999657889338486617403535221,7286769626216332948001,1719276761,728442228802
IN5112,4591,4964841,8829987185694916534274,3381,56518504105101297038955198052215045633321,3785601,7837926041,1156744948801686871,8994927834897932519261,3537624951,892263283984
IA7532,1031,1554781,4826101,0779658929297393,9421,15524241002075197811,2159181,1564702346692219741701,3821,1289877801,0179005075664711,4908761,1418623915248159511,0769041,487673239582
KS6992,1649903511,3864991,2211,0791,0008787263,8341,10832651020705866461,3781,0281,3056344295591919751331,2881,2841,1146091,1699605966782651,4551,0011,2868834395266178661,2419931,472759430504
KY4092,5871,5534751,9701,0836915094265363084,4191,66927912951958606448894567823156315053961,4926551,8727795591,1746603821,0031597222,0074517553609081759141,4467634082,0061774121,078
LA3172,7931,2403031,8051,0081,2901,0719924114584,1351,64365070378164664401,5071,0191,3839241,0071405641,5757791,7201,3931,1439261,2788131,2418025051,9891,0511,3496421,0834693911,3591,3929262,0357708771,060
ME1,2132,8292,3661,3632,6631,8202294625281,2421,0685,1112,2781,0638951,2151,3788891,50705051497471,1441,3761,2212,0291,3852,5611163801,9862307521,5007401,5812,5714581909311,5021,0551,8032,1341386142,5227389811,778
MD7142,8492,0079202,3991,51727854307375684,8562,0677045199181,0284561,01950503684959468958441,8591,0762,2993901261,6272912511,3373541,1782,393913324261,2815961,3451,8684171122,3732807281,499
MA1,0812,8772,2951,2572,6251,765933213931,1019365,0812,2559828051,1561,3057821,38314936806861,1131,2551,1372,0171,3242,523632421,9141396091,4856421,4912,559335417911,4709411,6932,0931524742,5196209291,731
MI7222,3701,6196911,9421,0796105324738506214,4011,58733422147063431592474749568604527844911,3686391,8406585361,2405485758432088541,9064326746337974691,1271,4096095201,8813412451,045
MN9421,9561,2847071,5197051,0469849231,1119023,9701,1433985042344296311,0071,1449461,11345208884439163391,4181,0749869299759883916196941,4558841,1079913586911,0459921,0089591,429748226647
MS2272,7221,2702081,8069721,1629488673713504,1761,6105185636695595051401,3768951,25578488804481,5186901,7171,2621,0179311,1477031,1496644741,9589211,2225429973304671,3351,2588071,9956387461,013
MO5412,3091,1652651,5776901,0508968157195474,0231,2941593322211913965641,2218441,13749144344801,1472861,4791,1219357831,0047697175003631,6398231,1156965823406551,0571,0858041,651571343693
MT1,6741,2339081,3127335911,9571,8991,8361,8531,6943,0932901,2161,3789749751,4921,5752,0291,8592,0171,3689161,5181,14708616451,9731,9038161,8821,8725321,5201,0745421,8002,0151,8335851,4841,3624011,8991,8635151,6391,131519
NE8192,0369864831,3234431,2451,1241,0499988333,7801,0153785601701336557791,3851,0761,32463933969028686101,2231,2971,1506131,1861,0374627233701,3571,0391,3099783086247307931,2461,0541,366820407424
NV1,9221,4745821,5411017892,4512,3462,2722,0871,9882,5613591,5991,7831,3821,2881,8721,7202,5612,2992,5231,8401,4181,7171,4796451,22302,4882,3687952,3852,2481,0921,9451,2464332,2582,5132,1621,0601,8061,3894322,4252,2765662,0411,595800
NH1,0972,8182,2741,2542,5901,7361153484131,1269525,0442,2159657921,1281,2847791,393116390636581,0741,2621,1211,9731,2972,48802651,8931196371,4416331,4792,515342958161,4329431,6932,059904992,4736258981,699
NJ8402,8492,1001,0312,4691,593152841528626944,9292,1227886049871,1145591,1433801262425369861,0179351,9031,1502,36826501,7191763731,3744361,2792,4411122075511,3337101,4621,9373012352,4143897791,569
NM1,1452,0303827738792851,8291,6791,5971,3021,2293,2657739331,1157806091,1749261,9861,6271,9141,2409299317838166137951,8931,71901,7781,5268141,2834741,1011,6061,8951,4136691,0716044771,8481,5801,1741,3511,018382
NY9862,7652,1591,1352,4861,627822583101,0258424,9432,1188486741,0171,1696601,2782302911395489751,1471,0041,8821,1862,3851191761,77805421,3505141,3612,4242311337161,3328261,5751,9541264032,3865097911,592
NC4972,9371,8997732,3461,4595232892334933554,7872,0516614949009603828137522516095759887037691,8721,0372,2486373731,52654201,3723741,0582,3893245711831,2864561,1681,8256681392,3862417621,458
ND1,2571,5961,0979441,1915331,4251,3751,3141,4341,2453,6147827408805075961,0031,2411,5001,3371,4858433911,1497175324621,0921,4411,3748141,3501,37201,0088011,0741,2741,4831,3581711,0301,1556931,3691,3491,0401,133614441
OH5552,5631,6646242,0451,1635534023266624364,5031,7183531685666781598027403546422086196645001,5207231,9456334361,2835143741,00808492,0483246184269373331,0661,5156103432,0351353941,145
OK6772,2998412991,3365031,4021,2311,1488417553,7391,1405226874712657225051,5811,1781,4918546944743631,0743701,2461,4791,2794741,3611,05880184901,4881,1691,4679396316023618611,4461,1211,531898680556
OR2,1401,0419851,7634479872,4982,4352,3682,3152,1802,5613491,7281,8991,4901,4552,0071,9892,5712,3932,5591,9061,4551,9581,6395421,3574332,5152,4411,1012,4242,3891,0742,0481,48802,3372,5572,3341,1121,9781,7046332,4412,3911452,1621,665954
PA7552,7691,9889252,3591,482242105947966114,8182,0166764928761,0014511,051458913354328849218231,8001,0392,2583421121,6062313241,2743241,1692,33703054891,2276071,3591,8273531912,3132866731,458
RI1,0462,8902,2761,2292,6151,751652843581,0639005,0732,2509627831,1411,2867551,349190332416741,1071,2221,1152,0151,3092,513952071,8951335711,4836181,4672,55730507521,4629121,6642,0821784362,5195909181,719
SC3242,9461,7776442,2571,3777034694053111934,6781,9906214898628833606429314267916339915426961,8339782,1628165511,4137161831,3584269392,33448975201,2533581,0091,7478403172,3423017721,387
SD1,1221,7299817901,1623981,4011,3231,2561,3001,1243,6127896337933914399081,0831,5021,2811,4707973589975825853081,0601,4321,3336691,3321,2861719376311,1121,2271,4621,25309109846371,3661,2801,1001,054554318
TN2632,6261,4433251,9021,0208496495664212154,3331,6332942515245261754691,0555969414696913303401,4846241,8069437101,0718264561,0303336021,97860791235891007521,3909335251,9903214971,030
TX6902,5948684431,4657711,6011,3981,3168028183,7491,3698009268156179143911,8031,3451,6931,1271,0454676551,3627301,3891,6931,4626041,5751,1681,1551,0663611,7041,3591,6641,00998475201,0741,6761,2651,7701,074997849
UT1,5271,5615061,1465333712,0191,9151,8411,6981,5812,9922961,1711,3539518661,4461,3592,1341,8682,0931,4099921,3351,0574017934322,0591,9374771,9541,8256931,5158616331,8272,0821,7476371,3901,07401,9971,8476971,6141,164370
VT1,1052,7302,2281,2342,5271,6821733844361,1499624,9772,1459277621,0761,2417631,3921384171526091,0081,2581,0851,8991,2462,425903011,8481266681,3696101,4462,4413531788401,3669331,6761,99705292,3966228421,640
VA6152,8881,9588502,3751,489386153976284704,8272,0596764959049934089266141124745209598078041,8631,0542,2764992351,5804031391,3493431,1212,3911914363171,2805251,2651,84752902,3782347361,478
WA2,1669131,0961,7945891,0282,4622,4132,3502,3442,1972,6374011,7281,8921,4871,4722,0062,0352,5222,3732,5191,8811,4291,9951,6515151,3665662,4732,4141,1742,3862,3861,0402,0351,5311452,3132,5192,3421,1001,9901,7706972,3962,37802,1541,646982
WV4892,6961,7306422,1411,2555283332505663534,5931,8284422636737591777707382806203417486385711,6398202,0416253891,3515092411,1331358982,1622865903011,0543211,0741,6146222342,15405221,244
WI7582,1791,3935961,6978398557707049176984,1551,3432282832394304128779817289292452267463431,1314071,5958987791,0187917626143946801,6656739187725544979971,1648427361,6465220801
WY1,1871,750664812900971,6551,5461,4721,3631,2283,3606068029845825041,0781,0601,7781,4991,7311,0456471,0136935194248001,6991,5693821,5921,4584411,1455569541,4581,7191,3873181,0308493701,6401,4789821,2448010

Worked example: the two extremes

Every pair of the 51 capitals, 1,275 pairs in all, is measured with the haversine formula. The shortest is Washington, DC to Annapolis, MD at 29.8 miles. The longest is Honolulu, HI to Augusta, ME at 5,110.6 miles, which crosses most of the Pacific and the continent.

Pick any two capitals above to see the distance and the starting compass direction, or scan the matrix. Each cell is rounded to the nearest mile.

Where the capital coordinates come from

Each capital is a single stored point for the capital city, the same point the site uses on its state pages. Distances between cities depend on which point inside each city you pick, so two sources can disagree by a few miles for nearby pairs and still both be right.

Washington, DC is included as the 51st row because it appears in Census tables alongside the states. Its row makes the matrix useful for trips to federal offices.

How the matrix is built

The matrix holds 51 rows and 51 columns. The diagonal is zero and the table is symmetric, since the distance from A to B equals the distance from B to A. Bearings are not symmetric: the direction you leave on is not the reverse of the direction you arrive on, except along a meridian or the equator.

All distances use a sphere of radius 6,371.0088 km. The CSV download contains the same rounded miles, one row per capital, ready for a spreadsheet lookup.

What people use it for

Common uses are planning legislative visits across a region, estimating flight legs for multi-state work, building quiz questions, and checking the distances in a report. For road miles, take a pair to the crow flies calculator and run the driving comparison, which asks a live router and reports when it is unavailable.

Rows for Juneau and Honolulu hold the largest numbers because those capitals sit far from the rest. The road comparison may return no route for them, and the page says so when it does.

Each capital's nearest neighbor capital

For every capital, the closest other capital in a straight line. Pairs of small eastern states sit close together; western and non-contiguous capitals are far from their nearest neighbor.

CapitalNearest capitalMiles
Washington, DCAnnapolis, MD30
Annapolis, MDWashington, DC30
Boston, MAProvidence, RI41
Providence, RIBoston, MA41
Dover, DEAnnapolis, MD54
Concord, NHBoston, MA63
Hartford, CTProvidence, RI65
Albany, NYHartford, CT82
Trenton, NJDover, DE84
Montpelier, VTConcord, NH90
Harrisburg, PAAnnapolis, MD91
Richmond, VAWashington, DC97
Denver, COCheyenne, WY97
Cheyenne, WYDenver, CO97
Sacramento, CACarson City, NV101
Carson City, NVSacramento, CA101
Augusta, MEConcord, NH116
Indianapolis, INFrankfort, KY129
Frankfort, KYIndianapolis, IN129
Topeka, KSLincoln, NE133
Lincoln, NETopeka, KS133
Columbus, OHCharleston, WV135
Charleston, WVColumbus, OH135
Raleigh, NCRichmond, VA139
Baton Rouge, LAJackson, MS140
Jackson, MSBaton Rouge, LA140
Salem, OROlympia, WA145
Olympia, WASalem, OR145
Montgomery, ALAtlanta, GA146
Atlanta, GAMontgomery, AL146
Springfield, ILJefferson City, MO159
Jefferson City, MOSpringfield, IL159
Des Moines, IALincoln, NE170
Bismarck, NDPierre, SD171
Pierre, SDBismarck, ND171
Nashville, TNFrankfort, KY175
Tallahassee, FLMontgomery, AL179
Columbia, SCRaleigh, NC183
Lansing, MIColumbus, OH208
Little Rock, ARJackson, MS208
Saint Paul, MNMadison, WI226
Madison, WISaint Paul, MN226
Oklahoma City, OKTopeka, KS265
Santa Fe, NMDenver, CO285
Boise, IDHelena, MT290
Helena, MTBoise, ID290
Salt Lake City, UTBoise, ID296
Austin, TXOklahoma City, OK361
Phoenix, AZSanta Fe, NM382
Juneau, AKOlympia, WA913
Honolulu, HISacramento, CA2,460

Questions people ask

Which two state capitals are closest together?

Washington, DC and Annapolis, MD, 29.8 miles apart in a straight line, counting Washington, DC as a capital.

Which two state capitals are farthest apart?

Honolulu, HI and Augusta, ME, 5,111 miles apart in a straight line.

Are these driving distances?

No. They are straight-line distances on a sphere. Driving routes are longer and are not precomputed here.

Can I download the whole table?

Yes. The Download CSV button saves all 51 rows and 51 columns in miles.

Sources and data as of

Data as of: computed from the capital coordinates stored in this site's state table.

  1. 01Valhalla routing, FOSSGIS public instance
  2. 02OSRM public demo router

How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.