All 50 U.S. State Flags

New Mexico's flag is the most praised — a red Zia sun symbol on a yellow field, no lettering. Maryland's quartered heraldic design takes the opposite approach: complex, but bold enough to be instantly recognizable. Both consistently rank near the top of NAVA flag surveys.

Texas's Lone Star flag (1839) predates statehood by six years, giving it historical weight most flags lack. California's Bear Flag — grizzly bear, red star, red stripe — is one of the most recognized state flag designs in the country. Arizona's sunburst flag (1917) is another standout: a copper star on a red-and-gold sunburst, with no seal.

Ohio is the only state with a non-rectangular flag. Its swallowtail burgee shape was designed by John Eisenmann for the 1901 Pan-American Exposition. The design features a blue triangle, red and white stripes, and a circle representing both the letter 'O' and a buckeye nut. Ohio officially adopted it in 1902.

Oregon is the only state flag with a different design on each side. The front shows the state seal on navy blue with 'State of Oregon' and '1859' in gold. The back shows a gold beaver — Oregon's state animal, also listed among state mammals — making it the most expensive state flag to produce.

Hawaii's flag is the only U.S. state flag to include the British Union Jack. It appears in the upper-left corner, reflecting Hawaii's ties to Britain during the Kingdom of Hawaii era. The eight horizontal stripes represent Hawaii's eight main islands. The design dates to 1845 and was kept after Hawaii became a state in 1959.

Mississippi adopted an entirely new flag in 2021 — the 'New Magnolia' — after a referendum to retire the old design that had featured the Confederate battle emblem since 1894. The new flag shows a magnolia blossom, a direct nod to Mississippi's state flower, plus 20 white stars, one gold star, and the words 'In God We Trust' on a dark blue field with red and gold bars.

Utah and Minnesota both adopted new flags in 2024, replacing their seal-on-blue designs. Utah's new flag features a beehive and mountains. Minnesota's centers on an eight-pointed North Star on a deep blue field.

Georgia has changed its flag more than any other state — five major versions since the Civil War, including decades with Confederate emblems. The current 2003 design uses a Stars and Bars-inspired pattern with a circle of 13 stars and the state seal.

Texas has the oldest current state flag, adopted in 1839 — six years before Texas joined the Union. The Lone Star flag served as the national flag of the Republic of Texas. Hawaii's flag (1845) is second oldest; South Carolina's (1861) is third, designed when the state seceded from the Union.

Mississippi (2021) holds the newest, followed by Utah and Minnesota (both 2024). Most states settled on their current flags between 1900 and 1930, with standardization updates through the mid-20th century to codify colors and proportions.