home

Top 10 U.S. States with the Longest Coastline

What are the ten U.S. states that have the most coastline?
Full list, based on original research by the Quizmaster
Does not include lakeshore, but does include oceanic inlets, bays, etc...
Quiz by Akubus
Rate:
Featured Quiz
Last updated: April 18, 2019
You have not attempted this quiz yet.
More quiz info >>
First submittedMarch 15, 2015
Times taken44,279
Average score70.0%
Rating4.39
Quiz and answer stats >>
Friends stats >>
1:00
Enter answer here
0
 / 10 guessed
The quiz is paused. You have remaining.
Scoring
You scored / = %
This beats or equals % of test takers also scored 100%
The average score is
Your high score is
Your fastest time is
Keep scrolling down for answers and more stats ...
Coastline (km)
State
37,300
Alaska
4,850
Florida
2,740
California
2,600
Washington
2,590
North Carolina
2,440
Texas
2,350
Louisiana
1,820
Maryland
1,740
Maine
1,640
Virginia
Quizmaster
+40
Level ∞
Apr 18, 2019
I completely redid this quiz. As several people pointed out, the Wikipedia source is extremely poor. I spent a couple hours computing the coastlines myself, and got results which make a lot more sense. You can read more here. As far as I know, my list is the only accurate source for state coastlines that exists on the internet.
redsplat
+7
Level 74
Apr 24, 2019
Wow, thank you. Short, sweet, accurate. Yay!
Klavitoo
+10
Level 22
Jul 25, 2019
There is no correct lenght of any coastline. Read about coastline paradox
woshiwaiguoren
+10
Level 70
Apr 3, 2022
he knows
GAH1968
+10
Level 67
Jul 25, 2019
Why exclude coastline from lakes? Michigan has the second most shoreline of any state (behind Alaska). I don't understand the logic.
TheSavageGeographer
+13
Level 46
Jul 25, 2019
well it does say that it doesn't accept lakeshore states, so...
wiifly
+8
Level 59
Apr 3, 2022
He’s just asking why
CatSub
+3
Level 35
Apr 7, 2022
Why don't they ever use softballs in baseball?
Nikhaz
+7
Level 75
Apr 18, 2019
I forgot the state I live in *facepalm*
bigasahouse
+6
Level 67
Apr 19, 2019
No Oregon?
samiamco
+8
Level 69
Apr 22, 2019
In the last version, before the correction mentioned above, I think I remember Oregon was there but not Washington, which did seem strange to me.
determinedtobeatthis
+10
Level 68
Jul 25, 2019
I found it hard to believe that Maryland has more coastline than Oregon, but Oregon's coastline is pretty much a straight line and Maryland has the Chesapeake bay, so I guess it makes sense.
AyBrains
+5
Level 37
May 7, 2020
I was surprised too, then I realized that Washington and pretty much everywhere else had all of those bays, islands, and peninsulas.
JoshPen
+8
Level 79
Apr 23, 2019
I would have thought Hawaii would have been in there.
kalbahamut
+9
Level 82
Apr 24, 2019
Hawaii is pretty small, but according to QM's data it's #11.
Tvic
+5
Level 72
Jun 6, 2019
Love the quiz. What about Michigan? More than 3,000 miles of coastline.
Bdubz
+8
Level 43
Jul 5, 2019
Does not include lakeshore
stayc0tt
+9
Level 46
Jul 25, 2019
It should.
TurkeyCookTime
+2
Level 76
Mar 10, 2020
Michigan's borders do not stop at the edge of the lake, it includes much of the water as well, so it doesn't really have any coastline.
AntiMatter8192
+4
Level 68
Nov 28, 2021
Maybe, but this is about coastline, not state borders.
wiifly
+4
Level 59
Apr 3, 2022
Technically the same would go for all states
IsleAuHaulte
+3
Level 89
Apr 4, 2022
Hawaii's borders don't stop at the coastline either. All coastal states have state marine borders 3 nautical miles from all points of land. You are fully within state jurisdiction in that area. The U.S. has borders within 12 nautical miles and exclusive economic zones out to 200 nautical miles of all those states.

There is a common fallacy on JetPunk of listing Michigan at nearly twice its size because of adjacent Great Lakes area while not including adjacent oceanic waters of coastal states. Both, of course, would be totally misleading. Using that methodology, Hawaii would jump from one of the tiniest states to a very large state, especially if including integral U.S. waters around Hawaii.

zakatan
+4
Level 65
Jul 25, 2019
Good job. I believe the description should include the resolution used.
divantilya
+6
Level 37
Jul 26, 2019
Thank you for the tremendous effort in redoing the quiz. It is heartening to know that some quizzers aim for accuracy to inform and educate.
oakleaf
+4
Level 52
Jul 26, 2019
this should include lake shore lines. No one outside the great lakes area knows how massive these lake are and how long the coastline of Michigan really is. ITs longer than the eastern seaboard!
EcceHomo
+3
Level 79
Mar 1, 2021
That's quite a sweeping statement.
SpencerGT
+3
Level 67
Apr 3, 2022
I'm sure that there is at least one person outside of the great lakes region who knows how big the lakes are, though I am not sure.
AyBrains
+2
Level 37
May 7, 2020
A message to everyone who wants Michigan included and every other lakeshore state: The quiz says longest coastlines, not shorelines. A longest shorelines quiz is what you want if you want ocean and lake, but that's not a coastline!
cmr0
+1
Level 70
Apr 3, 2022
Thought Oregon has much longer coastline, good quiz
rely9
+1
Level 67
Apr 4, 2022
Yet another typing contest, not trivia.
EvanAviator
+1
Level 59
Apr 6, 2022
nah u just not smart
ShievaAndGolly
+1
Level 56
Feb 16, 2023
Idaho?
SirPhilippines
+3
Level 65
May 2, 2023
?????
Save Your Progress

Copyright H Brothers Inc, 2008–2024

Contact Us | Go To Top | View Desktop Site