Introduction
The U.S. is a vast landmass with many different geographical features. From tall mountains in Colorado to flat grassy plains in North Dakota, lush green forests in Oregon to dry, sandy, and arid deserts in Nevada, from Alaska’s glaciers to Hawaii’s volcanos, the 50 states have it all. Additionally, the difference between the highest point and the lowest point is significantly wide, going from 20,237 feet above sea level in Alaska’s Mount McKinley to 282 feet below sea level in California’s Death Valley basin. When discussing flatness in a geographical context, one tends to look at plains and grassy steppes as the ideal example, often citing Kansas as an extremely flat state. However, this is not entirely accurate, as plains, steppes, and farmland have all kinds of bumps, raised areas, and uneven ground to be called consistently flat.
The flatness of land is determined by a process called geomorphometric analysis, which measures the shape of the surface of the earth. It works by looking at the horizon and measuring the rise of the land in comparison to the sea level.
If you want to learn more about the flattest states, be sure to check the data in the charts.
| # | State | Percentage of Flat Land | Total Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | 52% | 65,758 mi² |
| 2 | Illinois | 50% | 57,914 mi² |
| 3 | North Dakota | 49% | 70,698 mi² |
| 4 | Louisiana | 47% | 52,378 mi² |
| 5 | Minnesota | 47% | 86,936 mi² |
| 6 | Delaware | 44% | 2,489 mi² |
| 7 | Kansas | 44% | 82,278 mi² |
| 8 | Nevada | 43% | 110,572 mi² |
| 9 | Texas | 43% | 268,596 mi² |
| 10 | Indiana | 42% | 36,420 mi² |
| 11 | Michigan | 40% | 96,714 mi² |
| 12 | South Dakota | 40% | 77,116 mi² |
| 13 | Arizona | 38% | 113,990 mi² |
| 14 | New Mexico | 38% | 121,590 mi² |
| 15 | South Carolina | 38% | 32,020 mi² |
| 16 | New Jersey | 37% | 8,723 mi² |
| 17 | Oklahoma | 37% | 69,899 mi² |
| 18 | Iowa | 36% | 56,273 mi² |
| 19 | Nebraska | 36% | 77,348 mi² |
| 20 | Ohio | 36% | 44,826 mi² |
| 21 | Arkansas | 35% | 53,179 mi² |
| 22 | California | 35% | 163,695 mi² |
| 23 | Mississippi | 35% | 48,432 mi² |
| 24 | Utah | 35% | 84,897 mi² |
| 25 | Colorado | 34% | 104,094 mi² |
| 26 | North Carolina | 33% | 53,819 mi² |
| 27 | Rhode Island | 32% | 1,545 mi² |
| 28 | Georgia | 31% | 59,425 mi² |
| 29 | Maryland | 31% | 12,406 mi² |
| 30 | Wisconsin | 31% | 65,496 mi² |
| 31 | Missouri | 30% | 69,707 mi² |
| 32 | Idaho | 29% | 83,569 mi² |
| 33 | Wyoming | 29% | 97,813 mi² |
| 34 | Montana | 28% | 147,040 mi² |
| 35 | Oregon | 28% | 98,379 mi² |
| 36 | Alabama | 26% | 52,420 mi² |
| 37 | Maine | 26% | 35,380 mi² |
| 38 | District of Columbia | 25% | 68 mi² |
| 39 | Massachusetts | 25% | 10,554 mi² |
| 40 | New York | 25% | 54,555 mi² |
| 41 | Washington | 25% | 71,298 mi² |
| 42 | Virginia | 24% | 42,775 mi² |
| 43 | Tennessee | 22% | 42,144 mi² |
| 44 | Connecticut | 21% | 5,543 mi² |
| 45 | Kentucky | 20% | 40,408 mi² |
| 46 | New Hampshire | 20% | 9,349 mi² |
| 47 | Pennsylvania | 20% | 46,054 mi² |
| 48 | Vermont | 20% | 9,616 mi² |
| 49 | West Virginia | 12% | 24,230 mi² |
Percentage of Flat Land by State
Alabama
Percentage of Flat Land
26%
Ranked in the US
#36
Total Area
52,420 mi²
Ranked in the US
#30
Arizona
Percentage of Flat Land
38%
Ranked in the US
#13
Total Area
113,990 mi²
Ranked in the US
#6
Arkansas
Percentage of Flat Land
35%
Ranked in the US
#21
Total Area
53,179 mi²
Ranked in the US
#29
California
Percentage of Flat Land
35%
Ranked in the US
#22
Total Area
163,695 mi²
Ranked in the US
#3
Colorado
Percentage of Flat Land
34%
Ranked in the US
#25
Total Area
104,094 mi²
Ranked in the US
#8
Connecticut
Percentage of Flat Land
21%
Ranked in the US
#44
Total Area
5,543 mi²
Ranked in the US
#48
Delaware
Percentage of Flat Land
44%
Ranked in the US
#6
Total Area
2,489 mi²
Ranked in the US
#49
District of Columbia
Percentage of Flat Land
25%
Ranked in the US
#38
Total Area
68 mi²
Ranked in the US
#51
Florida
Percentage of Flat Land
52%
Ranked in the US
#1
Total Area
65,758 mi²
Ranked in the US
#22
Georgia
Percentage of Flat Land
31%
Ranked in the US
#28
Total Area
59,425 mi²
Ranked in the US
#24
Idaho
Percentage of Flat Land
29%
Ranked in the US
#32
Total Area
83,569 mi²
Ranked in the US
#14
Illinois
Percentage of Flat Land
50%
Ranked in the US
#2
Total Area
57,914 mi²
Ranked in the US
#25
Indiana
Percentage of Flat Land
42%
Ranked in the US
#10
Total Area
36,420 mi²
Ranked in the US
#38
Iowa
Percentage of Flat Land
36%
Ranked in the US
#18
Total Area
56,273 mi²
Ranked in the US
#26
Kansas
Percentage of Flat Land
44%
Ranked in the US
#7
Total Area
82,278 mi²
Ranked in the US
#15
Kentucky
Percentage of Flat Land
20%
Ranked in the US
#45
Total Area
40,408 mi²
Ranked in the US
#37
Louisiana
Percentage of Flat Land
47%
Ranked in the US
#4
Total Area
52,378 mi²
Ranked in the US
#31
Maine
Percentage of Flat Land
26%
Ranked in the US
#37
Total Area
35,380 mi²
Ranked in the US
#39
Maryland
Percentage of Flat Land
31%
Ranked in the US
#29
Total Area
12,406 mi²
Ranked in the US
#42
Massachusetts
Percentage of Flat Land
25%
Ranked in the US
#39
Total Area
10,554 mi²
Ranked in the US
#44
Michigan
Percentage of Flat Land
40%
Ranked in the US
#11
Total Area
96,714 mi²
Ranked in the US
#11
Minnesota
Percentage of Flat Land
47%
Ranked in the US
#5
Total Area
86,936 mi²
Ranked in the US
#12
Mississippi
Percentage of Flat Land
35%
Ranked in the US
#23
Total Area
48,432 mi²
Ranked in the US
#32
Missouri
Percentage of Flat Land
30%
Ranked in the US
#31
Total Area
69,707 mi²
Ranked in the US
#21
Montana
Percentage of Flat Land
28%
Ranked in the US
#34
Total Area
147,040 mi²
Ranked in the US
#4
Nebraska
Percentage of Flat Land
36%
Ranked in the US
#19
Total Area
77,348 mi²
Ranked in the US
#16
Nevada
Percentage of Flat Land
43%
Ranked in the US
#8
Total Area
110,572 mi²
Ranked in the US
#7
New Hampshire
Percentage of Flat Land
20%
Ranked in the US
#46
Total Area
9,349 mi²
Ranked in the US
#46
New Jersey
Percentage of Flat Land
37%
Ranked in the US
#16
Total Area
8,723 mi²
Ranked in the US
#47
New Mexico
Percentage of Flat Land
38%
Ranked in the US
#14
Total Area
121,590 mi²
Ranked in the US
#5
New York
Percentage of Flat Land
25%
Ranked in the US
#40
Total Area
54,555 mi²
Ranked in the US
#27
North Carolina
Percentage of Flat Land
33%
Ranked in the US
#26
Total Area
53,819 mi²
Ranked in the US
#28
North Dakota
Percentage of Flat Land
49%
Ranked in the US
#3
Total Area
70,698 mi²
Ranked in the US
#19
Ohio
Percentage of Flat Land
36%
Ranked in the US
#20
Total Area
44,826 mi²
Ranked in the US
#34
Oklahoma
Percentage of Flat Land
37%
Ranked in the US
#17
Total Area
69,899 mi²
Ranked in the US
#20
Oregon
Percentage of Flat Land
28%
Ranked in the US
#35
Total Area
98,379 mi²
Ranked in the US
#9
Pennsylvania
Percentage of Flat Land
20%
Ranked in the US
#47
Total Area
46,054 mi²
Ranked in the US
#33
Rhode Island
Percentage of Flat Land
32%
Ranked in the US
#27
Total Area
1,545 mi²
Ranked in the US
#50
South Carolina
Percentage of Flat Land
38%
Ranked in the US
#15
Total Area
32,020 mi²
Ranked in the US
#40
South Dakota
Percentage of Flat Land
40%
Ranked in the US
#12
Total Area
77,116 mi²
Ranked in the US
#17
Tennessee
Percentage of Flat Land
22%
Ranked in the US
#43
Total Area
42,144 mi²
Ranked in the US
#36
Texas
Percentage of Flat Land
43%
Ranked in the US
#9
Total Area
268,596 mi²
Ranked in the US
#2
Utah
Percentage of Flat Land
35%
Ranked in the US
#24
Total Area
84,897 mi²
Ranked in the US
#13
Vermont
Percentage of Flat Land
20%
Ranked in the US
#48
Total Area
9,616 mi²
Ranked in the US
#45
Virginia
Percentage of Flat Land
24%
Ranked in the US
#42
Total Area
42,775 mi²
Ranked in the US
#35
Washington
Percentage of Flat Land
25%
Ranked in the US
#41
Total Area
71,298 mi²
Ranked in the US
#18
West Virginia
Percentage of Flat Land
12%
Ranked in the US
#49
Total Area
24,230 mi²
Ranked in the US
#41
Wisconsin
Percentage of Flat Land
31%
Ranked in the US
#30
Total Area
65,496 mi²
Ranked in the US
#23
Wyoming
Percentage of Flat Land
29%
Ranked in the US
#33
Total Area
97,813 mi²
Ranked in the US
#10
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