The Midwest States Quiz at a Glance
A free map quiz of the 12 Midwest states: Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. Find each state on the map, then find each state from its capital. Ten questions a round, no sign up.
- States in the quiz
- 12
- Region
- The Great Lakes and the Great Plains
- Rounds
- States, then capitals
- Questions per round
- 10
- Census Bureau region
- Midwest (the same 12 states)
- Price
- Free, no sign up
How to Play the Midwest States Quiz
- Click any state on the map to see its name, before you start a round. It is a good way to look over the Midwest first.
- Pick a round. In States, a state is named and you click it. In Capitals, a capital is named and you click its state.
- There is no time limit, and the right state turns green after every answer.
- After ten questions you get your score. The table under the map has every state, its abbreviation and its capital.
What Makes It Different
- The map is zoomed in on the Midwest, with the neighbouring states in grey so you keep your bearings.
- A capitals round as well as a states round, with the capital as the question.
- The full list of states, abbreviations and capitals sits right under the game.
- Free on a phone or a computer, with no account.
The Midwest is the one region everybody agrees on: the school grouping and the Census Bureau both have the same 12 states. They split into the Great Lakes states in the east and the Great Plains states in the west.
The Capitals That Catch People Out
Columbus, Indianapolis and Des Moines are both the largest city and the capital of their states, but most of the famous Midwest cities are not capitals. Illinois's capital is Springfield, not Chicago. Michigan's is Lansing, not Detroit. Missouri's is Jefferson City, not St. Louis or Kansas City, and Kansas's is Topeka, not Wichita.
Minnesota's capital is Saint Paul, the smaller of the Twin Cities; Minneapolis is next door. South Dakota's capital, Pierre, is one of the smallest state capitals, and locals say it like "peer".
The Great Lakes and the Great Plains
Six states border the Great Lakes: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Michigan touches four of the five lakes, more than any other state.
The other six are the Plains states: Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. The geographic centre of the lower 48 states is in Kansas.
States and Capitals of the Midwest
In alphabetical order, with the two letter postal abbreviation.
| # | State | Abbreviation | Capital |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | IL | Springfield |
| 2 | Indiana | IN | Indianapolis |
| 3 | Iowa | IA | Des Moines |
| 4 | Kansas | KS | Topeka |
| 5 | Michigan | MI | Lansing |
| 6 | Minnesota | MN | Saint Paul |
| 7 | Missouri | MO | Jefferson City |
| 8 | Nebraska | NE | Lincoln |
| 9 | North Dakota | ND | Bismarck |
| 10 | Ohio | OH | Columbus |
| 11 | South Dakota | SD | Pierre |
| 12 | Wisconsin | WI | Madison |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many states are in the Midwest?
Twelve: Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. Schools and the Census Bureau use the same list.
What is the capital of Illinois?
Springfield. Chicago is the largest city but not the capital.
What is the capital of Minnesota?
Saint Paul, one of the Twin Cities. The other is Minneapolis.
Which Midwest state borders the most Great Lakes?
Michigan, which touches Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron and Lake Erie.
Is the Midwest states quiz free?
Yes. It runs in your browser, on a phone or a computer, with no download and no account.
Made by Kashif Sulehria in Lahore, Pakistan. Updated September 28, 2026.