Which State Borders the Most States? Every State’s Neighbour Count
Two states in America border 8 other states each. Most people can name one of them, almost nobody names both on the first try — and that gap is exactly what makes border questions so good in quizzes. Every “which states border Texas?” or “which state touches the most states?” question comes back to one simple list: how many neighbours each state has.
The two states that border 8 others
Missouri borders Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Tennessee — 8 in total. Tennessee also borders 8: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina and Virginia. The two even border each other, across the Mississippi River. No other state reaches 8.
Next: the 7-neighbour states
Colorado borders 7 states: Arizona, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming. Kentucky also borders 7: Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. After those four, the highest count anywhere else is 6.
The fewest neighbours
Maine borders only one other state: New Hampshire. That is the fewest of any state in the lower 48. Alaska and Hawaii border no other US state at all — Alaska borders Canada instead, and Hawaii borders nobody.
Every state’s neighbour count
Neighbours here are counted the way the quiz counts them: land, river, lake or single-point borders. Canada and Mexico are never counted as neighbours.
| State | Neighbours |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 4 |
| Alaska | 0 |
| Arizona | 5 |
| Arkansas | 6 |
| California | 3 |
| Colorado | 7 |
| Connecticut | 3 |
| Delaware | 3 |
| Florida | 2 |
| Georgia | 5 |
| Hawaii | 0 |
| Idaho | 6 |
| Illinois | 6 |
| Indiana | 4 |
| Iowa | 6 |
| Kansas | 4 |
| Kentucky | 7 |
| Louisiana | 3 |
| Maine | 1 |
| Maryland | 4 |
| Massachusetts | 5 |
| Michigan | 5 |
| Minnesota | 5 |
| Mississippi | 4 |
| Missouri | 8 |
| Montana | 4 |
| Nebraska | 6 |
| Nevada | 5 |
| New Hampshire | 3 |
| New Jersey | 3 |
| New Mexico | 5 |
| New York | 6 |
| North Carolina | 4 |
| North Dakota | 3 |
| Ohio | 5 |
| Oklahoma | 6 |
| Oregon | 4 |
| Pennsylvania | 6 |
| Rhode Island | 3 |
| South Carolina | 2 |
| South Dakota | 6 |
| Tennessee | 8 |
| Texas | 4 |
| Utah | 6 |
| Vermont | 3 |
| Virginia | 5 |
| Washington | 2 |
| West Virginia | 5 |
| Wisconsin | 4 |
| Wyoming | 6 |
Tricky counts: when the rule changes the number
Some counts change when you count land borders only. Water-only pairs count in this table but not in a land-only count: Delaware–New Jersey, Illinois–Michigan, Michigan–Minnesota and New York–Rhode Island. That is why Michigan drops from 5 to 3, Rhode Island from 3 to 2, Delaware and New Jersey from 3 to 2, Illinois from 6 to 5, Minnesota from 5 to 4 and New York from 6 to 5. The Four Corners point pairs work the other way: Colorado–Arizona and Utah–New Mexico meet at a single point, and this table counts them as neighbours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which state borders the most other states?
Missouri and Tennessee, with 8 neighbours each — the most of any state.
Which state borders the fewest other states?
Maine, with only New Hampshire. Alaska and Hawaii border no other US state at all.
Why does Michigan’s neighbour count change between lists?
Michigan has 5 neighbours when water borders count, and 3 on land only. Its water borders with Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin across the Great Lakes explain the difference.
Do water borders count as borders?
In this table and in the quiz, yes: land, river, lake or single-point borders all count. Some lists count land only, which is why the same state shows two different numbers.
Which states border no other state?
Alaska and Hawaii. Alaska borders Canada, and Hawaii is an island chain with no neighbouring state.
Want to test yourself on all of this? Play the quiz, then head back to the us states quiz homepage for more quizzes.
