What is the most empty US state?

The most "empty" U.S. state, meaning the least densely populated, is Alaska, due to its immense size, harsh climate, and vast wilderness, with Wyoming, Montana, and North Dakota also ranking low in population density after Alaska. While Wyoming has the fewest total people, Alaska has significantly fewer residents per square mile, making it the emptiest.

What is the #1 overpopulated state?

The U.S. state with the largest population is California, which has some 39,000,000 residents.

What U.S. state has the most unoccupied land?

Two out of the top three leading the list of vacant-home states can be found in New England. Maine has the highest vacancies, at 157,467 vacant homes, followed by Vermont (67,606) and Alaska (59,745), according to LendingTree.

What is the least desirable state to live in?

These states are America's worst for quality of life in 2025:

• Oklahoma.
• Arkansas.
• Alabama.
• Georgia.
• Louisiana.
• Utah.
• Indiana.
• Texas.

What is the least populated state?

The least populated state in the U.S. is Wyoming, with fewer than 600,000 residents, making it the state with the smallest population and the lowest population density, featuring vast open spaces and national parks like Yellowstone. Vermont and Alaska are typically the next least populated states after Wyoming.
 

Why NOBODY Lives in these 9 EMPTY States

What states are losing the most population?

States consistently losing the most population recently (2020-2024) include New York, California, and Illinois, with West Virginia, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, and Oregon also seeing declines, often driven by people moving out, although the absolute numbers vary by year and source. New York often leads in the largest numerical losses, while California and Illinois also see significant outbound migration, despite some recent trends showing slight slowdowns or shifts.
 

What US city has a population of 1?

The U.S. town with a population of one is Monowi, Nebraska, home to the sole resident, Elsie Eiler, who serves as the mayor, librarian, clerk, and owner/operator of the town's tavern, keeping this once-bustling village alive since her husband passed in 2004. Monowi is the nation's smallest incorporated town, featuring a house, a library (Rudy's Library), and the tavern as its main buildings.
 

What is America's unhappiest state?

Based on recent studies, particularly WalletHub's 2025 analysis, Louisiana and West Virginia consistently rank as the unhappiest states, often swapping the bottom spots, with Louisiana frequently cited as the absolute least happy due to factors like high depression rates, long work hours, low sleep quality, and high divorce rates, while West Virginia struggles with high adult depression and poor sleep. Other states often in the bottom ranks include Arkansas, Alabama, and Tennessee. 

What is the #1 cheapest state to live in?

Below is a detailed breakdown of the ten most affordable states to live in 2025:

• Arkansas. Arkansas continues to be one of the most affordable states in the U.S., especially for those looking to buy property. ...
• Mississippi. ...
• Oklahoma. ...
• New Mexico. ...
• Missouri. ...
• Tennessee. ...
• Michigan. ...
• Texas.

What is the hardest US state to live in?

U.S. & World News ranks Louisiana the worst state in the nation, as it has rather consistently since 2017. Low performance across all metrics, especially crime and education concerns.

What is the most forgotten state in the USA?

The most forgotten U.S. state, according to data from trivia quizzes like Sporcle, is often cited as Missouri, followed by others in the Midwest and Northeast like Connecticut, Minnesota, and Massachusetts, often because they're overshadowed by larger coastal states or lack major, distinct landmarks. These states are easily missed when people try to quickly name all 50, despite having features like the Ozarks (Missouri) or famous colleges (Connecticut).
 

What state is 80% owned by the government?

Did you know that over 80% of the state of Nevada is owned by the federal government? Land expansion is always a hot topic and unfortunately turns political.

What state is easiest to live off the land?

States That Are the Most Friendly for Off Grid Living

1. Utah. Utah is considered one of the strongest off grid states because of its combination of flexible zoning, large amounts of rural land, and a long standing culture of self reliant living. ...
2. Arizona. ...
3. New Mexico. ...
4. Idaho. ...
5. Montana. ...
6. Wyoming. ...
7. Tennessee. ...
8. Missouri.

What is the blackest state by population?

Texas has the largest Black population by sheer numbers, but the District of Columbia (a territory, not a state) and states like Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, and Maryland have the highest percentages (or proportions) of Black residents relative to their total populations. So, Texas has the most, but D.C., Mississippi, and Louisiana are "blackest" by percentage. 

Which state is expected to gain the most?

Over the next 25 years, Texas is projected to gain 8.6 million residents, the highest absolute increase across states. Like Texas, Florida and California are projected to lead nationally in population gains, adding 5.2 million and 3.1 million people, respectively.

What is the most overpopulated city in the USA?

Since 1790, when the first U.S. census was conducted, New York City has held the title as the most-populated city in the United States. In that initial census, New York City had 33,131 people. Today it is home to more than 8,335,000.

What is the happiest state to live in?

Hawaii is consistently ranked as the happiest U.S. state, largely due to high life satisfaction, long life expectancy, low depression rates, and good physical/emotional well-being, despite being expensive; other top contenders often include Maryland, praised for strong work environments, and Nebraska, noted for economic security and low divorce rates, according to recent WalletHub studies. 

Where is the cheapest but nicest place to live in the US?

The cheapest, best places to live in the U.S. often involve the Midwest and South, with cities like Wichita (KS), Fort Wayne (IN), Dayton (OH), and Knoxville (TN) offering low housing costs and good value, while states like West Virginia, Mississippi, and Oklahoma consistently rank as most affordable overall. Key factors are low housing prices and a cost of living significantly below the national average, with some top contenders being Decatur (IL), Enid (OK), and Brownsville (TX), but "best" depends on balancing budget with lifestyle needs like jobs, culture, and amenities. 

What state has the worst cost of living?

The worst state for cost of living is consistently Hawaii, followed by high-cost states like California, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, due to extremely high housing, grocery, and utility expenses driven by isolation, import reliance, and high demand, making it difficult to save money even with decent incomes. 

What is the most loved state in the USA?

Hawaii is consistently ranked as America's favorite state in recent surveys, leading in overall favorability and net positive perception due to its beauty, warm weather, and perceived well-being, followed by states like North Carolina, Alaska, Tennessee, and Colorado in positive ratings. However, "most liked" varies by survey criteria, with other rankings highlighting states like Utah or Nebraska for overall livability, but Hawaii generally wins popularity contests. 

What is the unhealthiest state to live in?

While rankings vary slightly by study, West Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Kentucky consistently appear as the most unhealthy U.S. states, often due to high rates of obesity, smoking, chronic disease, substance abuse, poor nutrition, mental distress, and lower life expectancies, with many of these top contenders located in the South.
 

What state is #1 in quality of life?

There isn't one single answer, as it depends on the study, but recent reports often name Massachusetts, Vermont, or New Jersey as #1 for Quality of Life, with Massachusetts leading in overall metrics (health, education) and Vermont shining in specific areas like low crime and natural environment. Other top contenders include Idaho, Minnesota, and New York, highlighting that rankings vary based on whether they emphasize healthcare, economy, safety, or environment. 

What is the tiniest town in the US?

The smallest incorporated town in America is Monowi, Nebraska, famously known for having only one resident, Elsie Eiler, who serves as the mayor, clerk, librarian, and bartender, running the town's sole tavern and library. While other places have tiny populations, Monowi stands out as a fully functional, incorporated village with just one person, keeping its history alive in rural Nebraska.
 

Can you live in Monowi Nebraska?

Yes, you can move to Monowi, Nebraska, but it's essentially a town of one, run by Elsie Eiler, who serves as mayor, bartender, and librarian, so you'd essentially be moving into a very small, unincorporated area with very few amenities beyond her tavern and library, existing mostly because she files paperwork to keep it official. While people visit for the novelty, finding a place to live might involve negotiating with Elsie for one of the few remaining structures or a property, with the town's future tied to her.