The Real Number Of U.S. States: Why It’s 50, Not 52, And The Race For The 51st State In 2024

The United States of America currently consists of 50 states. This is the definitive, official, and unchanging number as of today, December 15, 2025. While this fact seems simple, the question "how many states are there in the USA?" is one of the most common geographical and political queries, often leading to confusion, debate, and the persistent, yet incorrect, belief that the number is 52. The complexity lies not in the current count, but in the political status of U.S. territories and the active, high-stakes movements to create a 51st state, a topic that has seen significant developments in 2024.

The confusion surrounding the number of states is often rooted in a misunderstanding of U.S. geography and the political status of non-state entities like the District of Columbia and the five major inhabited U.S. territories. To truly understand the nation’s structure, one must look beyond the 50 stars on the flag and examine the ongoing political battles for full representation.

The Definitive Answer: 50 States, Not 52

The current number of states in the Union has been 50 since 1959, when the last two states were admitted. The common misconception that there are 52 states is one of the most persistent errors in American civics, often stemming from two main sources of confusion.

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The 48 Contiguous States Myth

Many people incorrectly assume the count is 52 by adding the 48 contiguous states (the "Lower 48") to Alaska and Hawaii, somehow counting the latter two as two extra states on top of an already-assumed 50. The reality is that the 50 states are comprised of:

• The 48 Contiguous States: The states connected by land in North America, stretching from Maine to Washington and Florida to California.
• Alaska: Admitted as the 49th state on January 3, 1959.
• Hawaii: Admitted as the 50th state on August 21, 1959, and is the youngest state in the Union.

The number 52 is also a common wrong answer simply because it is a familiar number—the number of weeks in a year or the cards in a deck—leading to a cognitive bias known as confabulation, where the brain fills in a memory gap with a plausible, but incorrect, detail.

The District of Columbia and Territories Confusion

The other primary source of the "52 states" error is the confusion between states, the District of Columbia (D.C.), and the five major U.S. territories. People often mistakenly count D.C. and Puerto Rico as the two "missing" states. While these entities are integral to the United States, they do not possess the political status of a state.

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The District of Columbia is the federal district and capital of the nation, established by the U.S. Constitution to be under the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. Congress, thus preventing the seat of government from being beholden to any single state. Puerto Rico, meanwhile, is an unincorporated territory of the United States.

The Path to 51: The Current Statehood Movements

The debate over the 51st state is not academic; it is a live political issue with major developments in 2024. The two primary candidates for statehood are the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, both of which have populations larger than at least one current U.S. state (Wyoming) and whose residents pay federal taxes without full voting representation in Congress.

Puerto Rico: A Majority Vote in 2024

Puerto Rico, a Caribbean archipelago and U.S. territory since 1898, has a long history of debating its political status. In a non-binding status referendum held on November 5, 2024, coinciding with the general elections, the option for Statehood received a clear majority of the votes.

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• 2024 Referendum Result: Statehood secured approximately 57% to 58.61% of the vote, marking the fourth time in recent history (following 2012, 2017, and 2020) that the statehood option has received a majority.
• The Status Options: The ballot asked voters to choose between Statehood, Independence, or Free Association.
• Current Status: Despite the repeated majority votes, the ultimate decision rests with the U.S. Congress, which has not yet acted to admit Puerto Rico as the 51st state. The issue remains highly partisan in Washington, D.C.

The District of Columbia (D.C.) Statehood Push

The movement for D.C. statehood, often referred to as "Taxation Without Representation," is focused on granting the residents of the nation's capital the same political rights as other Americans. The proposed state would be named Washington, D.C. (for "Douglass Commonwealth," honoring abolitionist Frederick Douglass), with a small, constitutionally mandated federal enclave remaining for the White House, the U.S. Capitol Building, and the National Mall.

• Recent Congressional Action (2024): Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a resolution in May 2024, expressing support for the designation of “DC Statehood Day,” highlighting the continued legislative effort.
• Constitutional Obstacles: Opponents argue that the U.S. Constitution requires a federal district separate from any state, making full statehood constitutionally difficult without a constitutional amendment or a reinterpretation of the district's size.
• Representation: D.C. residents pay federal taxes and serve in the military but have no voting representation in the Senate and only a non-voting delegate (Congresswoman Norton) in the House of Representatives.

Beyond the 50: Understanding U.S. Territories and Historical Entities

To fully grasp the structure of the United States, it is essential to understand the status of its territories, which are under U.S. sovereignty but are not part of any state. These areas are crucial entities in the discussion of U.S. expansion and political rights.

The Five Major U.S. Territories

The U.S. currently administers five major, permanently inhabited, unincorporated territories. Residents of these territories are U.S. citizens (with the exception of American Samoa) but do not have voting representation in the U.S. Congress and cannot vote for the U.S. President.

The five major U.S. territories are:

1. Puerto Rico (PR): The most populous territory, with a strong, active statehood movement.
2. U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI): Located in the Caribbean, known for its focus on tourism.
3. Guam (GU): A strategic island in the Western Pacific, a major military and naval base.
4. American Samoa (AS): Located in the South Pacific, unique for its residents being U.S. nationals, not citizens by birth.
5. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI): A chain of 15 islands in the Western Pacific, including Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.

These territories are governed by the U.S. Congress under the Territorial Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which grants Congress the power to "make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States."

A Brief History of State Admission (Key Entities)

The history of U.S. statehood is a story of continuous expansion from the original 13 Colonies. Understanding this history provides context for the current debates.

• The Original 13: The first 13 states declared independence in July 1776, including Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut.
• Early Expansion: Vermont (1791) and Kentucky (1792) were among the first to join the Union after the original 13.
• The Western States: The 19th century saw massive expansion, with key additions like California (1850), Kansas (1861), and Colorado (1876).
• The Last Two: Alaska (49th state, 1959) and Hawaii (50th state, 1959) finalized the current count of 50, ending a period of rapid state creation that began with the Declaration of Independence.

The journey from 13 states to 50 involved numerous territorial acquisitions, including the Louisiana Purchase, the Mexican Cession, and the acquisition of Alaska from Russia in 1867. Each new state was a political entity that had to meet specific Congressional requirements for admission to the Union.

Conclusion: The Future of the Union

While the definitive answer to "how many states are there in the USA" remains 50, the political landscape is more dynamic than the simple number suggests. The persistent myth of 52 states reflects a genuine confusion about the status of entities like the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories—places where millions of American citizens live without full political rights.

With Puerto Rico's 2024 referendum showing a clear majority for statehood, and the ongoing legislative push for D.C. statehood, the question of the 51st state is not a matter of *if*, but *when* and *which* entity will be the next to join the Union. Until Congress passes and the President signs an act of admission for a new state, the count remains a solid, but potentially temporary, 50.