Top 10 Most Forgotten U.S. States

Some states shine bright in the national spotlight, plastered across headlines and Hollywood scripts. Then there are the ones you forget exist until you see them on a map and think, "Oh, right. That's a place." This list is for those under-the-radar, passed-over, flyover-zone states that rarely get their moment in the sun.

You might forget them during trivia night, struggle to name their capital, or even question what they're known for at all. No famous cities, no major sports teams, no iconic landmarks that pop up in road trip dreams. They're the states you probably drove through once on a cross-country haul, blinked, and missed. But hey, someone's gotta grow the corn and keep the rest of the country humble.

So, go ahead and vote for the states you think most people leave out of the conversation. Think of it as your way of saying, "Sorry I forgot you existed."

The Top Ten

Nebraska

Nebraska is a state that lies in both the Great Plains and the Midwestern United States. Its state capital is Lincoln. The state's economy is largely based on agriculture, especially corn and cattle, and it is also known for its role in U.S. westward expansion.

I only know of this state because it's so forgotten it becomes slightly memorable again. I don't hear anything about it at all, and when I look at a map I think, "This place really exists?"

I was looking at a map of the states and, for the life of me, couldn't remember which state was above Kansas. After looking at a labeled map, I audibly gasped after reading the name "Nebraska."

People think of it as a mostly farm state, but it's got some beauty to it and is one of the cheapest states to live in. If you're a sports person though, you won't find anything but college teams, and you're far from any professional teams anywhere.
Wyoming

Wyoming is a state in the Mountain region of the Western United States. It is the tenth-largest state by area, but the least populous and second-least densely populated of the 50 states. Wyoming is home to Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks and is known for its natural beauty and energy production... read more

I honestly feel bad for Wyoming. It has the lowest population, the second lowest GDP, and the highest suicide rate. Wyoming is a beautiful state with Yellowstone, picturesque high plains, and stunning mountains.
It really makes me sad, almost to the point of crying, to see a state with all of this beauty being so forgotten and underrated. I want to go here someday.

Wyoming has the fewest people (less than a million). It has two big towns: Cheyenne and Casper. Laramie is a chill college town. Wyoming is pretty beautiful, but it's also really cold and really conservative.
New Hampshire

New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It was one of the original thirteen colonies and is known for its granite quarries and rugged landscapes. The state traditionally holds the first primary in the U.S. presidential election cycle, giving it political... read more

Yes, it is real. It is a great place. Just visit, and it's very peaceful.
Delaware

Delaware is one of the Mid-Atlantic states located in the Northeast megalopolis region of the United States. It was the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution on December 7, 1787. Delaware is known for its business-friendly corporate laws and numerous incorporated companies.

I love Delaware! I did have to tell all my friends what it was, though.

I actually forgot about Delaware while writing a list of states.
Kentucky

Kentucky, officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state located in the East South Central region of the United States. It is bordered by seven states, with Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia and Virginia to the east, Tennessee to the south, and Missouri to the west. Known for... read more

I live here, and it doesn't even feel like a real state sometimes. People only know it for KFC, but it's very pretty.

The only reason why I know this state is because of KFC.

Chicken and country stuff. No pro sports teams.
North Dakota

North Dakota is the 39th state of the United States, having been admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889. It is located in the Upper Midwest and is bordered by Canada to the north. The state has a strong agricultural base and a growing energy sector, particularly in oil and natural gas.

Overshadowed by South Dakota, which has Mount Rushmore. I wouldn't choose to live in either state, but I'd choose South Dakota first. Also, the "Fargo" from the movie is from Fargo, Minnesota, not North Dakota. So it doesn't have that either.

North Dakota is the least visited state. It's super cold and rural. Fargo, with 100,000 people, is the big city. It has some nice nature in Western ND, and the people are sweet.

It's the American version of Siberia. It is cold, bleak, and has absolutely no prospects for improvement, ever!
Iowa

Iowa is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. The state has historically played a key role in U.S. presidential elections because its caucuses traditionally opened the primary season, although... read more

If you're looking for an exciting state, look elsewhere. Cheapest state to live in though. Just be prepared to travel to do things.

Unless you love to stare at cornfields or sleep all the time, this is certainly a forgettable state.

I live in Iowa. Everyone passes over it. Iowans are nice. We wave at anyone, and if you've ever watched "Field of Dreams," that was shot and takes place in Iowa. Also, we don't have flat lands. It's actually quite hilly.
Now I'm ranting. Just remember, never forget Iowa.
Montana

Montana is a state in the Western region of the United States. The state's name is derived from the Spanish word montaña, meaning mountain. It is known for its wide open spaces, national parks like Glacier and Yellowstone (partially), and its mining and agriculture industries.

Montana is rural and empty. Western Montana has beautiful mountains. East Montana is just open land and grass. It gets pretty cold there, and it has a lot of poor Native Americans, which is sad.

Sparsely populated despite its size. I've heard it's pretty nice though.

I didn't even know this was a state.
Idaho

Idaho is a state in the northwestern region of the United States. Idaho is the 14th largest, the 38th most populous, and the 7th least densely populated of the 50 United States. It is known for its mountainous terrain, agricultural output, and outdoor recreational activities.

The only reason I have any knowledge of this state is because my grandparents own a farm up there.
Arkansas

Arkansas is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. Its name is of Siouan derivation, denoting the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas features diverse geography, including mountains, forests, and the Mississippi River.

I forget this state all the time!

The Newcomers

?
Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.
Its two largest cities are Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Philadelphia is known for being the home of the Liberty Bell and Philly cheesesteak sandwiches... read more

Thought it was a city in Philadelphia.
?
South Carolina

South Carolina is a state in the southeastern region of the United States. The state is bordered to the north by North Carolina, to the south and west by Georgia across the Savannah River, and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. Its economy includes manufacturing, agriculture, and a growing tourism sector... read more

The Contenders

Utah

Utah is a state in the western United States. It became the 45th state admitted to the Union on January 4, 1896. Utah is the 13th-largest, 31st-most populous, and 10th-least densely populated of the 50 states. It is known for its natural landscapes and significant Mormon population.

Salt Lake City, a couple of national parks, and that's it.

Almost forgot to put it on the list.
Vermont

Vermont is a state in the New England part of the northeastern region of the United States. It is the second least populous state in the country, after Wyoming, and is known for its forested natural beauty and progressive politics.... read more

Even though I'm from a neighboring state, Massachusetts, I've never been here once in my life and never hear of it.

I'm a Vermonter, and there are some people that think it's a town. No one even knows it was its own country!

I am in college and I just found out Vermont is a state.
New Mexico

New Mexico is a state in the southwestern region of the United States. It shares borders with Arizona, Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, and the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Sonora. Known for its desert landscapes, Native American heritage, and Spanish colonial influence, New Mexico has a distinctive multicultural... read more

Breaking Bad put this poor state on the map. It has a lot of desert, Mexicans, and Native Americans. If you like art, nature, and good food, you will like New Mexico.

Wait, this wasn't part of Mexico?
Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States, in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions. It is known for its dairy production, especially cheese, and its progressive political history. Major cities include Milwaukee and Madison, the state capital.

I live in WI. We are only known for cheese, and that's literally it. It's very rare to see somebody talking about Wisconsin unless they live in Wisconsin.

Some people try to forget about Wisconsin because winter time sucks. However, we all suffer together!
Mississippi

Mississippi is a southern U.S. state bordered by the Mississippi River to the west, Alabama to the east, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. The state is known for its rich cultural contributions to blues music, literature, and Southern cuisine. It has a predominantly agricultural economy with a growing... read more

Yes, Mississippi is forgotten and the most obese state. But since it's forgotten, that means there aren't very many bad people. Although, someone did throw a cinder block through my 12-year-old daughter's window while she was in there. The police couldn't get fingerprints because it was a "rough surface." I mean, seriously, police, do your job!
Indiana

Indiana is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern and Great Lakes regions of North America. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana is known for its manufacturing industry, particularly in automobiles and steel, and for hosting the Indianapolis 500 auto race.

Indiana is truly forgotten even though it is the host of the Indy 500, and has a town that receives around one million visits, Santa Claus. In the southern half of the state, there are almost no fields. It is filled with campsites and a lot of waterfalls.
Around NW Indiana, there is Dunes State Park where about 10 million people visit every year! Also, go back to Indianapolis because it is home to some of the most historical monuments. Finally, Indiana is home to one of the most well-known colleges in the USA, Notre Dame! Why is Indiana so forgotten?

Last time a relative called me before coming to visit from LA, they said, "So, Indiana is in Chicago?" It seems that Indiana is always confused with Chicago. What about Indianapolis?!
Connecticut

Connecticut is the southernmost state in the New England region of the United States. It is known for its rich colonial history, affluent suburbs, and prestigious universities, including Yale University.
Connecticut also has a diverse economy rooted in finance, insurance, and manufacturing. The... read more

I honestly thought this state was a city when I was a kid.

Just a highway from NYC and Boston…

Is this state a part of New York?
Oklahoma

Oklahoma is a state in the South Central region of the United States. It shares borders with Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, New Mexico, and Colorado. The state has a strong Native American presence and is known for its oil and gas industry and severe weather, particularly tornadoes.

Oklahoma is no one's favorite state, and the most we have going for us is... I actually have no idea. At least it isn't Texas.

There's literally nothing decent above ground there.
Minnesota

Minnesota is a state in the Midwestern United States. It was admitted as the 32nd state on May 11, 1858, created from the eastern portion of the Minnesota Territory.
The state is known for its lakes, natural beauty, and high standard of living. It has a cold climate, particularly in the winter... read more

Minnesota is the least and the most unwanted state ever. We have nothing politically and nothing economically, which makes Minnesota very boring and forgotten.
As a Minnesotan resident, I feel this.

I'm surprised this isn't on the list. When my mom moved to America, she didn't even know what Minnesota was.
West Virginia

West Virginia is a state located in the Appalachian region of the Southern United States. It is bordered by Pennsylvania to the north, Maryland to the east and northeast, Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, and Ohio to the northwest. West Virginia is the 41st-largest state by area and... read more

I don't think I even knew this state existed before yesterday. I mean, I probably did from looking at maps, lists, and state flags, but forgot about it every time. So it is by far the most forgotten US state.

West Virginia still gets lumped in with Virginia. We are a separate state! Not Western Virginia. West Virginia! Big difference!

I live in this state, and yes, it's so forgettable. This state is barely mentioned in movies, TV shows, and many more things.
Kansas

Kansas is a state in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansa Native American people, who inhabited the area. Kansas is known for its agricultural output, especially wheat production, and for its historical significance in the pre-Civil War conflict known as Bleeding Kansas.
Ohio

Ohio is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ohio is the 34th largest by area, the 7th most populous, and the 10th most densely populated of the 50 United States. The state is a key political swing state and is home to major cities like Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati.

You've got Cleveland, which can't win at sports and is run by criminals, and Cincinnati, which is a sludge city on the river.
In between? Nothing.

It doesn't really stick out for anything. I'd remember Cleveland before Ohio.
Rhode Island

Rhode Island, officially the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, is a state in the New England region of the United States. Despite its long official name, it is the smallest state by area. It is known for its coastal towns, maritime history, and Ivy League university, Brown University... read more

It's not an island, but it has pretty bad roads.
Maryland

Maryland is a state located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Washington, D.C. It is one of the smallest states by area but among the most densely populated. Maryland has a diverse economy, including biotechnology, defense... read more

Everyone knows about Virginia and Pennsylvania, and Maryland is just that little state squished between them.
Maine

Maine is in the New England region of the northeastern United States and is the easternmost state in the contiguous U.S. Its capital is Augusta, and its largest city is Portland. The state is known for its rugged coastline and maritime history, and it is famous for seafood cuisine, especially lobster... read more

One of our sheriff's deputies was shot this summer (during that huge string of cop shootings), and on the news, they said three officers/law workers had been murdered that week. Guess who they forgot to list? (I live in Maine by the way).

It's just too forgettable. Heck, its capital is named after a city in Georgia - Augusta.