County CluesGuess the state game
Find the hidden state in eight guesses. Each guess shows how far, which way, and how it compares.
How the clues work
People compares 2023 populations; Growth compares the change from 2020 to 2023. Distance turns striped within 300 miles. Division and Region say whether your guess shares them.
A round, worked through
Say the mystery state is Colorado. You open with New York. The tiles read: People: Far fewer; Growth: Faster; Distance: 1,581 mi, arrow west; Division: No; Region: No.
So the mystery is 1,581 miles west and has fewer people, in another region. You try Arizona: People: Fewer; Growth: Slower; Distance: 470 mi, arrow northeast; Division: Same; Region: Same. Now the mystery is 470 miles northeast and has fewer people, in the same division: a few Mountain states are left to check.
Questions
Which states are in the game?
All 50 states. Washington, D.C., is not a state and is left out.
Where is a state's middle point?
The land-weighted middle of its counties' middle points, from the Census Bureau's 2023 county list. Distances run between those points.
What are divisions and regions?
The Census Bureau's nine divisions and four regions group neighboring states. The census regions and divisions page lists them.
What is the most populous state?
California, with 38,965,193 people in 2023. Texas is second with 30,503,301.
Populations are the US Census Bureau's 2023 estimates; growth is the change since 2020. Distances run between each place's middle point on the Census Bureau's 2023 county list. Both are public domain.