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Head to Head - U.S. States

We put two states head to head with each other in a series of stand offs! Can you select the winning state in each scenario?
Quiz by Stewart
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Last updated: May 13, 2021
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First submittedApril 7, 2021
Times taken15,951
Average score73.3%
Rating4.41
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1. Which state has the greater land area?
New Mexico's land area of 121,300 mi² while Michigan's has just 56,000 mi²
2. Which state has more people?
Ohio has 11.8 million to Indiana's 6.7 million
3. Which state has the hottest all-time high temperature?
California's Death Valley has reached 130° F while Lousiana has never exceeded 114 ° F.
4. Which state is more obese?
Arkansas has a prevalence of 37.4%, while Colorado has "only" 23.8%. (Source)
5. Which state leaned more towards the Democratic Party in the last 4 presidential elections?
The Democratic candidate outperformed the Republican by 27.8% in Maryland and 4.0% in Pennyslvania
6. Which state has a longer border with Canada?
Although it seems like a clear winner for Vermont at 145km, due to its intricate borders with Canada, New Hampshire is not that behind on 93km.
7. Which state receives more international visitors?
In the year 2018, 27.1% of visitors to the U.S. stated that they visited New York, while only 4.9% said they visited Texas
8. Which state has land further north?
While the east coast extreme of Maine reaches as far as 47.5ºN, the west coast extreme of Washington eclipses that at 49.0 ºN
9. Which state has the greater maximum elevation?
Despite being in the Rockies, Colorado's peak is 14,440 feet while Alaska towers up to 20,310 feet
10. Which state has a greater % of the population being Catholic?
Rhode Island is the most Catholic state at 42%, while North Dakota has only 26%
11. Which state was admitted to the Union first?
Oregon joined in 1859, while Arizona didn't join until 1912
12. Which state has a higher rate of un-sheltered homelessness?
Hawaii's rate of homelessness is about 5 times that of Florida
13. Which state has the higher life expectancy?
Massachusetts is 80.6 years, while South Carolina is 77.1 years (Source)
14. Which state has more immigrants as a percent of the population?
As of 2019, New Jersey is at 23.4% while Washington is down at 14.9% (Source)
15. Which state has hosted the Olympic games?
Utah hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics
+3
Level 74
Apr 7, 2021
For question 9, I would specify greater maximum elevation since Colorado has the highest average elevation and Alaska has the higher maximum elevation. I like this quiz idea though :)
+1
Level 68
Apr 8, 2021
Thanks
+9
Level 67
Apr 8, 2021
Great quiz, I'm surprised Washington is further up than Maine.
+3
Level 68
Apr 8, 2021
Yep! That was my idea for putting it in there :)
+1
Level 84
Mar 16, 2022
You should have used Minnesota. That would have blown people's minds. Beats both of these! :-)
+2
Level 90
May 13, 2021
Am I reading the clarification for the homelessness question wrong? It sounds like the right answer should be hawaii.
+3
Level 68
May 13, 2021
They were the wrong way around in the explanation, thanks.
+8
Level ∞
May 13, 2021
Correction to the correction.

The correct answer is Hawaii. I introduced this error.

Stewart added a new error by changing the description.

It is now all fixed.

+1
Level 65
Jan 5, 2024
Is it though? The question specifies "unsheltered homeless" while the answer/explanation just says "homeless." 😕
+2
Level 67
May 14, 2021
Highlighting Vermont in question 6, uncleared artifacts can be found in the right face of the picture.
+2
Level 68
May 15, 2021
This has been fixed now, thank you
+1
Level 72
May 17, 2021
If you ever construct a quiz about astronomical matters, please note that "eclipse" has just one L (see your answer to 8). Also -- just a style note -- one of your answers in this U.S.-oriented quiz contains a word that is not present at all in U.S. English -- "whilst". :) This was fun -- how about doing something similar involving British counties?
+1
Level 68
May 17, 2021
Both fixed, thanks. Sometimes it's tough having to "Americanize" my quizzes :)
+1
Level 65
Jan 5, 2024
You're right but everyone knows what "whilst" means."
+2
Level 70
Jun 4, 2021
I can't believe 65% of people thought Maine was further north than Washington
+1
Level 59
Aug 22, 2021
globes are hard
+1
Level 75
Jun 12, 2021
New Mexico's land area "if" 121,300 mi²

Also as a Coloradan I'm almost insulted that you lined us up against Arkansas for obesity. Fairly proud to come from the healthiest state, even if we don't stack up super well against other countries.

+1
Level 65
Jan 5, 2024
Not the HEALTHIEST, just the HEALTHIER of the two. That's the point. 🙄
+1
Level 64
Jun 12, 2021
For the Catholic population one, maybe put greatest Catholic percentage of population instead?
+1
Level 68
Jun 12, 2021
updated, thanks
+3
Level 61
Jun 12, 2021
Why not just name the states?
+8
Level 68
Jun 12, 2021
Because that's not as interesting
+2
Level 69
Jun 12, 2021
Sure it's more interesting. But you've misrepresented your quiz. Instead of just selecting the winning state, now you have to identify each state pair using the state flag and shape combination, then select the winning state.
+4
Level 79
Jun 14, 2021
It's more interesting this way.
+1
Level 71
Jun 14, 2021
But nigh on impossible for those living outside of the US
+1
Level 65
Jan 5, 2024
So practice with the US states quiz first. 🤷🏻‍♀️
+5
Level 68
Jun 14, 2021
I disagree, since the creator of the quiz themselves is British and not American.
+1
Level 56
Jul 29, 2021
Idaho?
+2
Level 59
Aug 22, 2021
what about idaho
+2
Level 82
Sep 6, 2021
I'm such an idiot I thought Indiana was Illinois *hangs my head in shame*
+1
Level 49
Jan 26, 2022
i only got 60% and I live in the US.
+1
Level 64
Apr 21, 2022
Fun quiz, and colorful graphics too!

Question:

Doesn't Texas have far more international visitors than New York, as they pour in over the southern border at a rate of 2.4 million annually?

+1
Level 68
Apr 22, 2022
Even if they were included, it can't overtake New York's over 27% (I would guess equivalent to 20m or so)
+1
Level 65
Jan 5, 2024
Those aren't "visitors."
+1
Level 65
Sep 11, 2022
For #7, if you count undocumented visitors, Texas wins by a landslide.
+2
Level 68
Sep 12, 2022
But these are undocumented, which means your comment is speculative.
+1
Level 65
Jan 5, 2024
They also aren't "visitors."
+1
Level 44
Nov 16, 2022
Great quiz! Pretty sure your trying to blank the names of states on the flags, so wouldn’t you want to do the same for Indiana in no.2?
+1
Level 68
Nov 16, 2022
Fixed thanks
+1
Level 65
Jan 5, 2024
*you're