America’s Coastal States: Populations, Shorelines, and Rising Seas Infographic
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An infographic sharing statistics about the coastline of the United States.
Understanding the importance of coastal areas in the U.S. is crucial, from the large populations living along the shorelines to the potential impact of rising sea levels. As more people move to coastal regions and the effects of climate change become more pronounced, it’s clear that these areas will continue to face both opportunities and challenges in the coming decades.
By staying informed about these changes, we can better prepare for the future and work to protect our coastlines. Whether you’re a coastal resident or have an interest in this topic, being aware of this information about America’s coast helps us all make smarter decisions for the environment and our communities.
In this infographic, you’ll discover how many coastal states are in the U.S., the largest coastal populations, the total miles of shoreline, and the percentage of Americans living on the coast. Plus, you’ll learn about the projected sea level rise over the next 30 years, and keep reading below to see how that compares with the sea level rise from the last 100 years.
Take a look at the infographic below for a closer look at these coastal insights.
U.S. Coast — By the Numbers Infographic
Interesting facts, statistics, and projections about the coastline of the United States.
There are 30 coastal states in the U.S.:
Alabama, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.
These states border either the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, or the Great Lakes.
The top 3 coastal populations in the U.S. are in these states:
California, Florida, and New York.
As of the 2020 U.S. Census:
California has 26.8 million people living in coastal counties.
Florida has 16.2 million people living in coastal counties.
New York has 15.9 million people living in coastal counties.
There are 95,439 total miles of shoreline in the U.S.
Alaska is the state with the most shoreline mileage, with 33,904 statute miles; followed by Florida, with 8,436 statute miles.
40% of people in the U.S. live on the coast.
However, the coast accounts for less than 10% of the nation’s land mass (excluding Alaska).
The U.S. coastline is projected to rise 10–12 inches higher in the next 30 years.
This rise is equivalent to the amount of sea level increase that previously took a full century to occur, from 1920 to 2020. What once took 100 years is now expected to happen in just 30, highlighting the accelerated pace of change. The exact sea level rise will vary along the U.S. coast due to changes in land and ocean height.
Sources: coast.noaa.gov, coast.noaa.gov/states/fast-facts/economics-and-demographics.html, coast.noaa.gov/data/docs/states/shorelines.pdf
You can use this coastal infographic in many ways, including:
- For your own knowledge
- As an educational resource, for schools or geography lessons to help students visualize and understand coastal geography, population, and environmental impact
- For an environmental awareness campaign, useful for raising awareness about coastal conservation, climate change impacts, and rising sea levels
- For coastal defense planning, to show the need for coastal protection or disaster preparedness
- As a visual aid during presentations or conferences on coastal topics, from environmental science to population studies
- In graphic design, as an example of what an infographic looks like
- For Social media content, you can repost this infographic on Instagram as long as it’s posted in full (no cropping) and that you tag @starsandanchor in the caption.
- For your website, you can repost this infographic as long as it’s posted in full (no cropping) with this credit: “Credit: Stars & Anchor” with the credit linking to this webpage
- For Pinterest, you can pin this infographic to your Pinterest board
Related: These Are the Perfect Beach Color Palettes, and Here’s How You Can Use Them
Save This Coastal Infographic
Pin the infographic on Pinterest, or bookmark this page, so you can continue to refer back to it. And don’t forget to follow Stars & Anchor on Pinterest and Instagram for more coastal lifestyle and beach inspiration.
Infographic — The U.S. Coast: By the Numbers
Recognizing the significance of U.S. coastal regions is vital, especially as more people settle along the shores and the reality of rising sea levels comes into focus. With coastal populations growing and environmental changes on the horizon, it’s important to consider both the benefits and the risks that these areas will face in the future.
Staying updated on these developments allows us to take proactive steps to safeguard our coastlines. Whether you’re directly impacted or simply interested in coastal trends, understanding these shifts helps ensure a more sustainable future for these vital regions.
Do you live in a coastal community? Are you concerned about changes you’re seeing along the coast? Share your thoughts in the comments.
