County CluesUS county quiz: guess the mystery county
Find the hidden county among the 1,002 with 50,000+ people. Each guess shows how far, which way, and how it compares.
How the clues work
People compares 2023 populations, from "Close" (within about 10%) to "Vastly more" (over 8 times as many). Growth compares the change from 2020 to 2023. Distance turns striped within 150 miles. State and Division say whether your guess shares them.
A round, worked through
Say the mystery county is Travis County, Texas. You open with Cook County, Illinois. The tiles read: People: Far fewer; Growth: Faster; Distance: 980 mi, arrow southwest; State: No; Division: No.
So the mystery is 980 miles southwest and has fewer people. You try Harris County, Texas: People: Far fewer; Growth: Similar; Distance: 140 mi, arrow west; State: Same; Division: Same. Now the mystery is 140 miles west and has fewer people, in the same state: a short list of Texas counties is left.
Questions
Which counties are in the quiz?
The 1,002 US counties and county-equivalents with 50,000 or more people in the Census Bureau's 2023 estimates, the same pool as the daily puzzle.
How is this different from the daily puzzle?
The daily puzzle is one county a day for everyone, with state, division and region clues. This quiz picks a new county every round and adds distance and direction, so it is easier and good practice.
What is a division?
The Census Bureau groups the states into nine divisions, such as New England or the Pacific, and four regions. See the census regions and divisions page for the full list.
Can I play more than one round?
Yes. Press "Play another" after a round for a new mystery county.
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.