Statehood Dates

US States Dates and Order of Statehood

Statehood simply means the status of being one of the states of the US. Delaware was the very first state admitted to the Union in 1787. The United States most recent state admitted to the Union was Hawaii in 1959. A state in the United States is defined as a geographical boundary that holds legislative, executive, and judicial authority below the federal government. There are currently 50 states bound together in the Union. As of 2020, there has been significant interest in granting District of Columbia (DC) statehood as well as Puerto Rico, the oldest colony. States admitted to the statehood are listed below. You can sort in order of admission dates or alphabetical by state.

Sort by Statehood Date

 
State Name
Statehood Date/Order
Pre-Statehood Notes
AlabamaDec. 14, 1819  22ndTerritory by Act of March 3, 1817, effective Aug. 15, 1817.
AlaskaJan. 3, 1959 49thA district from Oct. 18, 1867, until it became an organized territory Aug. 24, 1912.
ArizonaFeb. 14, 1912 48thThis region was sometimes called Arizona before 1863, although it was still in the Territory of New Mexico.
ArkansasJune 15, 1836 25thThe territory was larger than the state. After statehood, the leftover area to the west had post offices that continued for some years to use an Arkansas abbreviation in the postmarks, although they were really in the "Indian Country."
CaliforniaSept. 9, 1850 31stCeded by Mexico by the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, concluded on Feb. 2, 1848, and proclaimed July 4, 1848. From then until statehood, California had a military government until Dec. 20, 1849, and then a local civil government. It never had a territorial form of government.
ColoradoAug. 1, 1876 38th.
ConnecticutJan. 9, 1788 5thThe fifth of the original 13 colonies.
DelawareDec. 7, 1787 1stThe first of the original 13 colonies.
FloridaMarch 3, 1845 27th.
GeorgiaJan. 2, 1788 4thThe fourth of the original 13 colonies
HawaiiAug. 21, 1959 50thThe territorial date Aug. 12, 1898 is that of the formal transfer to the United States, with Sanford B. Dole as the first Governor.
IdahoJuly 3, 1890 43rd.
IllinoisDec. 3, 1818 21st.
IndianaDec. 11, 1816 19thThere was a residue of Indiana Territory that continued to exist under that name until Dec. 3, 1818, when it was attached to Michigan Territory.
IowaDec. 28, 1846 29th.
KansasJan. 29, 1861 34th.
KentuckyJune 1, 1792 15thNever a territory, it was part of Virginia until statehood.
LouisianaApril 30, 1812 18thWith certain boundary changes, had been the Territory of Orleans.
MaineMarch 15, 1820 23rdWhat is now the state of Maine was, before statehood, called the District of Maine and belonged to Massachusetts.
MarylandApril 28, 1788 7thThe seventh of the original 13 colonies.
MassachusettsFeb. 6, 1788 6thThe sixth of the original 13 colonies
MichiganJan. 26, 1837 26th.
MinnesotaMay 11, 1858 32nd.
MississippiDec. 10, 1817 20thTerritory by Act of April 7, 1798, effective May 7, 1798.
MissouriAug. 10, 1821 24thThe state was much smaller than the territory. The area to the west and northwest of the state, which had been in the territory, was commonly known as the "Missouri Country" until May 30, 1854, and certain of the post offices in this area show a Missouri abbreviation in the postmark.
MontanaNov. 8, 1889 41st.
NebraskaMarch 1, 1867 37th.
NevadaOct. 31, 1864 36th.
New HampshireJune 21, 1788 9thThe ninth of the original 13 colonies
New JerseyDec. 18, 1787 3rdThe third of the original 13 colonies.
New MexicoJan. 6, 1912 47th.
New YorkJuly 26, 1788 11thThe 11th of the original 13 colonies.
North CarolinaNov. 21, 1789 12thThe 12th of the original 13 colonies.
North DakotaNov. 2, 1889 39th or 40thWas part of Dakota Territory before statehood. Admitted on the same day as South Dakota
OhioMarch 1, 1803 17thWas part of the Northwest Territory until statehood.
OklahomaNov. 16, 1907 46thThe state was formed from Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory.
OregonFeb. 14, 1859 33rd.
PennsylvaniaDec. 12, 1787 2ndThe second of the original 13 colonies.
Rhode IslandMay 29, 1790 13thThe 13th of the original 13 colonies.
South CarolinaMay 23, 1788 8thThe eighth of the original 13 colonies.
South DakotaNov. 2, 1889 39th or 40thWas part of Dakota Territory before statehood. Admitted on the same day as North Dakota
TennesseeJune 1, 1796 16thWas Southwest Territory before statehood.
TexasDec. 29, 1845 28thWas an independent republic before statehood.
UtahJan. 4, 1896 45th.
VermontMarch 4, 1791 14thUntil statehood, had been a region claimed by both New York and New Hampshire
VirginiaJune 25, 1788 10thThe 10th of the original 13 colonies.
WashingtonNov. 11, 1889 42nd.
West VirginiaJune 20, 1863 35thWas part of Virginia until statehood.
WisconsinMay 29, 1848 30thThe state is smaller than the territory and the leftover area continued to be called the Territory of Wisconsin until March 3, 1849.
WyomingJuly 10, 1890 44th.
 

Source: Scott Stamp Monthly (April 1998)