kids encyclopedia robot

List of geographic centers of the United States facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This is a list of geographic centers of each U.S. state and inhabited territory. The geographic center of the United States is northeast of Belle Fourche in Butte County, South Dakota (44°58′N 103°46′W / 44.967°N 103.767°W / 44.967; -103.767), while that of the contiguous 48 states is near Lebanon in Smith County, Kansas (39°50′N 98°35′W / 39.833°N 98.583°W / 39.833; -98.583 (Geographic Center of the Contiguous United States)). The geographic center of North America lies near Rugby, North Dakota (48°10′N 100°10′W / 48.167°N 100.167°W / 48.167; -100.167), though this designation has no official status. In 2017, a new calculation of the geographic center of North America placed it near the town of Center, North Dakota.

Historic list of geographic centers

The list given below has been only slightly modified since it was first produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in the early 1920s. At that time, the center for a state was found by suspending a cardboard cutout of the state by a string, and then drawing a vertical line from the suspension point. After rotating the cutout 90 degrees and drawing another vertical line from the new suspension point, the intersection of the two vertical lines was used as the geographic center. The result is dependent upon the type of projection used.

Geographic centers of the states of the United States and the District of Columbia
State or
federal district
County Location Coordinates
 Alabama Chilton County Clanton 32°50′5″N 86°38′0″W / 32.83472°N 86.63333°W / 32.83472; -86.63333 (Center of Alabama)
 Alaska Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area Tanana 64°43′54″N 152°28′12″W / 64.73167°N 152.47000°W / 64.73167; -152.47000 (Center of Alaska)
 Arizona Yavapai County Camp Verde 34°34′00″N 111°51′22″W / 34.56667°N 111.85611°W / 34.56667; -111.85611 (State of Arizona)
 Arkansas Saline County Bryant 34°38′09″N 92°28′42″W / 34.6358°N 92.4783°W / 34.6358; -92.4783 (Geographic Center of Arkansas Marker)
 California Madera County North Fork 37°9′58″N 119°26′58″W / 37.16611°N 119.44944°W / 37.16611; -119.44944 (Center of California)
 Colorado Park County 40 mi (64 km) west of Colorado Springs, southwest of Castle Rock 39°00′00″N 105°32′42.6″W / 39.00000°N 105.545167°W / 39.00000; -105.545167 (State of Colorado)
 Connecticut Hartford County Berlin
 Delaware Kent County 11 mi (18 km) southwest of Dover 38°58′48″N 75°30′42″W / 38.98000°N 75.51167°W / 38.98000; -75.51167 (approximate center of Delaware)
 District of Columbia District of Columbia Near 4th and L Streets, Northwest 38°54′15″N 77°00′58″W / 38.90417°N 77.01611°W / 38.90417; -77.01611 (approximate center of District of Columbia)
 Florida Hernando County 12 mi (19 km) north-northwest of Brooksville 28°40′53″N 82°27′36″W / 28.68139°N 82.46000°W / 28.68139; -82.46000 (approximate center of Florida)
Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia Twiggs County 18 mi (29 km) southeast of Macon 32°39′43.6″N 83°26′17.9″W / 32.662111°N 83.438306°W / 32.662111; -83.438306 (approximate center of Georgia)
 Hawaii Maui County off-shore southwest of Molokai and west of Lanai
 Idaho Custer County on the Yankee Fork River, southwest of Challis 44°16′11″N 114°44′04″W / 44.26972°N 114.73444°W / 44.26972; -114.73444 (State of Idaho)
 Illinois Sangamon County 1.5 mi (2.4 km) southeast of Rochester 39°44′21.5″N 89°30′13.1″W / 39.739306°N 89.503639°W / 39.739306; -89.503639 (approximate center of Illinois)
 Indiana Hendricks County 2 mi (3.2 km) west of Avon 39°45′57.7″N 86°26′28.6″W / 39.766028°N 86.441278°W / 39.766028; -86.441278 (approximate center of Indiana)
 Iowa Story County 5 mi (8.0 km) northeast of Ames
 Kansas Barton County 15 mi (24 km) northeast of Great Bend
 Kentucky Marion County 3 mi (4.8 km) north-northwest of Lebanon
 Louisiana Avoyelles Parish 3 mi (4.8 km) southeast of Marksville
 Maine Piscataquis County 18 mi (29 km) north of Dover-Foxcroft 45°15′11.9982″N 69°13′59.9988″W / 45.253332833°N 69.233333000°W / 45.253332833; -69.233333000 (Center of Maine)
 Maryland Prince George's County 4.5 mi (7.2 km) northwest of Davidsonville
 Massachusetts Worcester County 12 mi (19 km) northwest of Worcester, in Rutland 42°22′37.62″N 71°55′30.93″W / 42.3771167°N 71.9252583°W / 42.3771167; -71.9252583 (Center of Massachusetts)
 Michigan Wexford County 5 mi (8.0 km) north-northwest of Cadillac
 Minnesota Crow Wing County 10 mi (16 km) southwest of Brainerd
 Mississippi Leake County 9 mi (14 km) west-northwest of Carthage
 Missouri Miller County 20 mi (32 km) southwest of Jefferson City 38°29′7″N 91°22′51″W / 38.48528°N 91.38083°W / 38.48528; -91.38083 (Center of Missouri)
 Montana Fergus County 11 mi (18 km) west of Lewistown 47°03′52″N 109°40′01″W / 47.06444°N 109.66694°W / 47.06444; -109.66694 (State of Montana)
 Nebraska Custer County 10 mi (16 km) northwest of Broken Bow 41°31′30″N 99°51′42″W / 41.52500°N 99.86167°W / 41.52500; -99.86167 (approximate center of Nebraska)
 Nevada Lander County 26 mi (42 km) southeast of Austin
 New Hampshire Belknap County 3 mi (4.8 km) east of Ashland 43°41′6″N 71°34′38″W / 43.68500°N 71.57722°W / 43.68500; -71.57722 (Approximate center of New Hampshire)
 New Jersey Burlington County 5 mi (8.0 km) southeast of Trenton 40°4′12″N 74°33′30″W / 40.07000°N 74.55833°W / 40.07000; -74.55833 (Center of New Jersey)
 New Mexico Torrance County 12 mi (19 km) south-southwest of Willard 34°26′17″N 106°06′44″W / 34.43806°N 106.11222°W / 34.43806; -106.11222 (State of New Mexico)
New York (state) New York Madison County 26 mi (42 km) southwest of Utica, near Syracuse
 North Carolina Chatham County 10 mi (16 km) northwest of Sanford
 North Dakota Sheridan County 5 mi (8.0 km) southwest of McClusky
 Ohio Knox County north-northeast of Columbus, 5.6 mi (9.0 km) southwest of Centerburg
 Oklahoma Oklahoma County 8 mi (13 km) north of Oklahoma City
 Oregon Crook County 25 mi (40 km) south-southeast of Prineville
 Pennsylvania Centre County 2.5 mi (4.0 km) southwest of Bellefonte, in State College
 Rhode Island Kent County 1-mile (1.6 km) south-southwest of Crompton 41°40′18″N 71°34′36″W / 41.67167°N 71.57667°W / 41.67167; -71.57667 (Center of Rhode Island)
 South Carolina Richland County 13 mi (21 km) southeast of Columbia 33°50′13″N 80°55′30″W / 33.83694°N 80.92500°W / 33.83694; -80.92500 (Center of South Carolina)
 South Dakota Hughes County 8 mi (13 km) northeast of Pierre
 Tennessee Rutherford County 5 mi (8.0 km) northeast of Murfreesboro
 Texas McCulloch County 15 mi (24 km) northeast of Brady 31°23′29.52″N 99°10′14.34″W / 31.3915333°N 99.1706500°W / 31.3915333; -99.1706500 (Center of Texas)
 Utah Sanpete County 3 mi (4.8 km) north of Manti 39°18′29″N 111°38′20″W / 39.30806°N 111.63889°W / 39.30806; -111.63889 (State of Utah)
 Vermont Washington County 3 mi (4.8 km) east of Roxbury
 Virginia Buckingham County 5 mi (8.0 km) southwest of Buckingham
Washington (state) Washington Chelan County 10 mi (16 km) west-southwest of Wenatchee
 West Virginia Braxton County 4 mi (6.4 km) east of Sutton
 Wisconsin Wood County 9 mi (14 km) southeast of Marshfield 44°26′16.00″N 90°07′48.67″W / 44.4377778°N 90.1301861°W / 44.4377778; -90.1301861 (Center of Wisconsin)
 Wyoming Fremont County 58 mi (93 km) east-northeast of Lander

43°00′00″N 107°32′42.6″W / 43.00000°N 107.545167°W / 43.00000; -107.545167 (Center of Wyoming)

Modern list of geographic centers

Although there have been different definitions offered for the geographic center, an intuitive one, and one used by the USGS, is "the center of gravity of the surface, or that point on which the surface of the area would balance if it were a plane of uniform thickness." An updated list of geographic centers using this definition (which is equivalent to the state's centroid) is given below. It was derived by minimizing the sum of squared great circle distances from all points of land in a state (including islands, but not coastal waters, following the earlier practice of the USGS). It represents a slight improvement over the list originally published.

The geographic center of the contiguous United States, determined in this way, is at 39°50.13′N 99°5.45′W / 39.83550°N 99.09083°W / 39.83550; -99.09083 (Geographic center of the Geographic center of the Contiguous United States); this is 5.4 miles (8.7 km) from Agra, Kansas, 5.7 miles (9.2 km) from Kensington, Kansas, and 26.9 great circle miles (43.3 km) west of the longstanding designated site near Lebanon, Kansas.

Updated geographic centers of the states of the United States and the District of Columbia
State or
federal district
Location Coordinates
 Alabama 12.1 mi (19.5 km) southwest of Clanton 32°46′46″N 86°49′43″W / 32.7794°N 86.8287°W / 32.7794; -86.8287 (Geographic center of the State of Alabama)
 Alaska 77.9 mi (125.4 km) northwest of Denali 64°04′07″N 152°16′42″W / 64.0685°N 152.2782°W / 64.0685; -152.2782 (Geographic center of the State of Alaska)
 Arizona 49.7 mi (80.0 km) east-southeast of Prescott 34°16′28″N 111°39′37″W / 34.2744°N 111.6602°W / 34.2744; -111.6602 (Geographic center of the State of Arizona)
 Arkansas 14.2 mi (22.9 km) northwest of Little Rock 34°53′38″N 92°26′33″W / 34.8938°N 92.4426°W / 34.8938; -92.4426 (Geographic center of the State of Arkansas)
 California 36 mi (58 km) northeast of Madera 37°11′03″N 119°28′11″W / 37.1841°N 119.4696°W / 37.1841; -119.4696 (Geographic center of the State of California)
 Colorado 29.2 mi (47.0 km) northwest of Pikes Peak 38°59′50″N 105°32′52″W / 38.9972°N 105.5478°W / 38.9972; -105.5478 (Geographic center of the State of Colorado)
 Connecticut 1.1 mi (1.8 km) east of East Berlin 41°37′19″N 72°43′38″W / 41.6219°N 72.7273°W / 41.6219; -72.7273 (Geographic center of the State of Connecticut)
 Delaware 11.7 mi (18.8 km) south of Dover 38°59′23″N 75°30′18″W / 38.9896°N 75.5050°W / 38.9896; -75.5050 (Geographic center of the State of Delaware)
 District of Columbia Near 3rd and P Streets, Northwest 38°54′36″N 77°00′53″W / 38.9101°N 77.0147°W / 38.9101; -77.0147 (Geographic center of the District of Columbia)
 Florida 5.8 mi (9.3 km) northwest of Brooksville 28°37′50″N 82°26′59″W / 28.6305°N 82.4497°W / 28.6305; -82.4497 (Geographic center of the State of Florida)
Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia 17.7 mi (28.5 km) southeast of Macon 32°38′29″N 83°26′33″W / 32.6415°N 83.4426°W / 32.6415; -83.4426 (Geographic center of the State of Georgia)
 Hawaii 27.7 mi (44.6 km) off-shore south of Wailea-Makena 20°17′34″N 156°22′25″W / 20.2927°N 156.3737°W / 20.2927; -156.3737 (Geographic center of the State of Hawai'i)
 Idaho 21.4 mi (34.4 km) west-southwest of Challis 44°21′03″N 114°36′47″W / 44.3509°N 114.6130°W / 44.3509; -114.6130 (Geographic center of the State of Idaho)
 Illinois 28.8 mi (46.3 km) northeast of Springfield 40°02′30″N 89°11′47″W / 40.0417°N 89.1965°W / 40.0417; -89.1965 (Geographic center of the State of Illinois)
 Indiana 10.8 mi (17.4 km) northwest of Indianapolis 39°53′39″N 86°16′54″W / 39.8942°N 86.2816°W / 39.8942; -86.2816 (Geographic center of the State of Indiana)
 Iowa 7 mi (11 km) northeast of Ames 42°04′30″N 93°29′46″W / 42.0751°N 93.4960°W / 42.0751; -93.4960 (Geographic center of the State of Iowa)
 Kansas 2.1 mi (3.4 km) southeast of Bushton Bend 38°29′37″N 98°22′49″W / 38.4937°N 98.3804°W / 38.4937; -98.3804 (Geographic center of the State of Kansas)
 Kentucky 3.4 mi (5.5 km) southwest of Lebanon 37°32′05″N 85°18′08″W / 37.5347°N 85.3021°W / 37.5347; -85.3021 (Geographic center of the Commonwealth of Kentucky)
 Louisiana 5.8 mi (9.3 km) southeast of Marksville 31°04′08″N 91°59′48″W / 31.0689°N 91.9968°W / 31.0689; -91.9968 (Geographic center of the State of Louisiana)
 Maine 12.6 mi (20.3 km) north of Dover-Foxcroft 45°22′10″N 69°14′34″W / 45.3695°N 69.2428°W / 45.3695; -69.2428 (Geographic center of the State of Maine)
 Maryland 3.3 mi (5.3 km) north of Bowie 39°03′18″N 76°47′27″W / 39.0550°N 76.7909°W / 39.0550; -76.7909 (Geographic center of the State of Maryland)
 Massachusetts Irving St. and Wellington St., Worcester 42°15′35″N 71°48′30″W / 42.2596°N 71.8083°W / 42.2596; -71.8083 (Geographic center of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts)
 Michigan 6.6 mi (10.6 km) west of Cadillac 44°20′48″N 85°24′37″W / 44.3467°N 85.4102°W / 44.3467; -85.4102 (Geographic center of the State of Michigan)
 Minnesota 10 mi (16 km) southwest of Brainerd 46°16′51″N 94°18′19″W / 46.2807°N 94.3053°W / 46.2807; -94.3053 (Geographic center of the State of Minnesota)
 Mississippi 7.7 mi (12.4 km) west-northwest of Carthage 32°44′11″N 89°40′04″W / 32.7364°N 89.6678°W / 32.7364; -89.6678 (Geographic center of the State of Mississippi)
 Missouri 21 mi (34 km) southwest of Jefferson City 38°21′24″N 92°27′29″W / 38.3566°N 92.4580°W / 38.3566; -92.4580 (Geographic center of the State of Missouri)
 Montana 10.1 mi (16.3 km) west of Lewistown 47°03′10″N 109°38′00″W / 47.0527°N 109.6333°W / 47.0527; -109.6333 (Geographic center of the State of Montana)
 Nebraska 12.3 mi (19.8 km) northwest of Broken Bow 41°32′16″N 99°47′42″W / 41.5378°N 99.7951°W / 41.5378; -99.7951 (Geographic center of the State of Nebraska)
 Nevada 26 mi (42 km) southeast of Austin 39°19′44″N 116°37′52″W / 39.3289°N 116.6312°W / 39.3289; -116.6312 (Geographic center of the State of Nevada)
 New Hampshire 2.6 mi (4.2 km) east of Ashland 43°40′50″N 71°34′52″W / 43.6805°N 71.5811°W / 43.6805; -71.5811 (Geographic center of the State of New Hampshire)
 New Jersey 4.3 mi (6.9 km) southeast of Trenton 40°11′27″N 74°40′22″W / 40.1907°N 74.6728°W / 40.1907; -74.6728 (Geographic center of the State of New Jersey)
 New Mexico 13.8 mi (22.2 km) south-southwest of Willard 34°24′26″N 106°06′45″W / 34.4071°N 106.1126°W / 34.4071; -106.1126 (Geographic center of the State of New Mexico)
New York (state) New York 11.5 mi (18.5 km) south-southeast of Oneida 42°57′14″N 75°31′36″W / 42.9538°N 75.5268°W / 42.9538; -75.5268 (Geographic center of the State of New York)
 North Carolina 12.7 mi (20.4 km) northwest of Sanford 35°33′21″N 79°23′16″W / 35.5557°N 79.3877°W / 35.5557; -79.3877 (Geographic center of the State of North Carolina)
 North Dakota 2.7 mi (4.3 km) southwest of McClusky 47°27′00″N 100°27′57″W / 47.4501°N 100.4659°W / 47.4501; -100.4659 (Geographic center of the State of North Dakota)
 Ohio 24.9 mi (40.1 km) north-northeast of Columbus 40°17′10″N 82°47′37″W / 40.2862°N 82.7937°W / 40.2862; -82.7937 (Geographic center of the State of Ohio)
 Oklahoma 4.4 mi (7.1 km) south of Edmond 35°35′20″N 97°29′39″W / 35.5889°N 97.4943°W / 35.5889; -97.4943 (Geographic center of the State of Oklahoma)
 Oregon 29.1 mi (46.8 km) southeast of Prineville 43°56′01″N 120°33′30″W / 43.9336°N 120.5583°W / 43.9336; -120.5583 (Geographic center of the State of Oregon)
 Pennsylvania 2.7 mi (4.3 km) southwest of Bellefonte, in State College 40°52′41″N 77°47′59″W / 40.8781°N 77.7996°W / 40.8781; -77.7996 (Geographic center of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania)
 Rhode Island 2.4-mile (3.9 km) west of Crompton, in West Warwick 41°40′34″N 71°33′22″W / 41.6762°N 71.5562°W / 41.6762; -71.5562 (Geographic center of the State of Rhode Island)
 South Carolina 9.7 mi (15.6 km) southeast of Columbia 33°55′01″N 80°53′47″W / 33.9169°N 80.8964°W / 33.9169; -80.8964 (Geographic center of the State of South Carolina)
 South Dakota 7.9 mi (12.7 km) northeast of Pierre 44°26′39″N 100°13′35″W / 44.4443°N 100.2263°W / 44.4443; -100.2263 (Geographic center of the State of South Dakota)
 Tennessee 2.5 mi (4.0 km) northeast of Murfreesboro 35°51′29″N 86°21′02″W / 35.8580°N 86.3505°W / 35.8580; -86.3505 (Geographic center of the State of Tennessee)
 Texas 23.6 mi (38.0 km) north of Brady 31°28′33″N 99°19′52″W / 31.4757°N 99.3312°W / 31.4757; -99.3312 (Geographic center of the State of Texas)
 Utah 3.1 mi (5.0 km) northwest of Manti 39°18′20″N 111°40′13″W / 39.3055°N 111.6703°W / 39.3055; -111.6703 (Geographic center of the State of Utah)
 Vermont 3.7 mi (6.0 km) southeast of Roxbury 44°04′07″N 72°39′57″W / 44.0687°N 72.6658°W / 44.0687; -72.6658 (Geographic center of the State of Vermont)
 Virginia 16.6 mi (26.7 km) west of Buckingham 37°31′17″N 78°51′13″W / 37.5215°N 78.8537°W / 37.5215; -78.8537 (Geographic center of the Commonwealth of Virginia)
Washington (state) Washington 7 mi (11 km) west-southwest of Wenatchee 47°22′57″N 120°26′50″W / 47.3826°N 120.4472°W / 47.3826; -120.4472 (Geographic center of the State of Washington)
 West Virginia 4.9 mi (7.9 km) east-southeast of Sutton 38°38′27″N 80°37′22″W / 38.6409°N 80.6227°W / 38.6409; -80.6227 (Geographic center of the State of West Virginia)
 Wisconsin 9.3 mi (15.0 km) east-southeast of Marshfield 44°37′27″N 89°59′39″W / 44.6243°N 89.9941°W / 44.6243; -89.9941 (Geographic center of the State of Wisconsin)
 Wyoming 60.6 mi (97.5 km) east-northeast of Lander 42°59′45″N 107°33′04″W / 42.9957°N 107.5512°W / 42.9957; -107.5512 (Geographic center of the State of Wyoming)

Geographic centers of the U.S. territories

Very little information exists about the geographic centers of the U.S. territories. In a geological survey of all geographic centers in the U.S., the U.S. Department of the Interior did not measure the geographic centers of the U.S. territories. Similarly, the USGS does not include the territories in its list of geographic centers. In terms of each territory’s land area, only one territory, Puerto Rico, has a confirmed geographic center. There are also official geographic centers of territorial exclusive economic zones, though those geographic centers are based on a territory's territorial waters (not land area).

Geographic centers of the U.S. territories
Territory County-
equivalent
Location Coordinates
 American Samoa North of
Manu’a District (EEZ)
Eastern District
(Tutuila center)
The geographic center of American Samoa’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is located in the Pacific Ocean, about 35.08 miles (56.45 km) northeast of the island of Ta‘ū.
The geographic center of Tutuila (the main island) is about 1.03 miles (1.65 km) southwest of Fagatogo.
13°51′06″S 169°03′27″W / 13.8517°S 169.0576°W / -13.8517; -169.0576 (Geographic center of the Exclusive Economic Zone of American Samoa)
(EEZ center)
14°17′24″S 170°42′10″W / 14.2901°S 170.7028°W / -14.2901; -170.7028 (Geographic center of Tutuila island, American Samoa)
(Tutuila center)
 Guam Guam The geographic center of Guam’s exclusive economic zone is in the Pacific Ocean, about 73.65 miles (118.53 km) west-southwest of Cocos Island and 76.08 miles (122.45 km) west-southwest of the main island of Guam.
The exact geographic center of the main island of Guam is unknown — it is probably somewhere within the village of Chalan Pago-Ordot, because that is the default center starting point of Guam on Google Maps.
12°58′37″N 143°34′53″E / 12.9770°N 143.5814°E / 12.9770; 143.5814 (Geographic center of the Exclusive Economic Zone of Guam)
(Center of EEZ)
13°26′38″N 144°46′02″E / 13.4440°N 144.7671°E / 13.4440; 144.7671 (Chalan Pago-Ordot village, Guam))
(Chalan Pago-Ordot)
 Northern Mariana Islands Northern Islands Municipality The geographic center of the Northern Mariana Islands’ exclusive economic zone is in the Pacific Ocean, about 18.33 miles (29.50 km) northeast of the island of Pagan. 18°19′06″N 146°01′42″E / 18.3183°N 146.0284°E / 18.3183; 146.0284 (Geographic center of the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Northern Mariana Islands)
(EEZ center)
 Puerto Rico Orocovis Municipality The geographic center of Puerto Rico is in the Orocovis Municipality, about 2.58 miles (4.15 km) west of the main town of Orocovis. 18°13′20″N 66°25′49″W / 18.2223°N 66.4303°W / 18.2223; -66.4303 (Geometric center of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico)
 U.S. Virgin Islands Between Saint Thomas
and Saint Croix
The exact geographic center of the U.S. Virgin Islands is unknown — the default center starting point for the U.S. Virgin Islands on Google Maps is located in the Caribbean Sea, 18.21 miles (29.30 km) south-southeast of Saint Thomas and 18.31 miles (29.47 km) north of Saint Croix — note that this point is the approximate center of the 3 main islands, not the center of the exclusive economic zone 18°20′N 64°54′W / 18.34°N 64.90°W / 18.34; -64.90 (Geometric center of the Virgin Islands of the United States)
United States U.S. Minor Outlying Islands There is no information about the geographic centers of the islands in the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands (or the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands as a whole).

See also

kids search engine
List of geographic centers of the United States Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.