Special Report

The Tallest Building in Every State

bluejayphoto / Getty Images

For more than four decades, from 1931 until 1972, the Empire State Building was the tallest building in the world. Standing at 1,454-foot, including the antenna, it was the first building in history with more than 100 stories. At the time, it was hardly believed that it was possible to build anything above 1,000 feet.

Fast-forward to 2021, and in the rankings of today’s tallest man-made structures, the Empire State Building doesn’t even make the top 40. It’s not even in the top five in its home state.

To determine the tallest building in every state, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data from several sources, including the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Only completely finished buildings were mainconsidered.

The tallest building in a state is typically in its largest city. Most are office buildings, several are hotels and casinos, and a couple are government buildings.

The height of a state’s tallest building often reflects the size of its largest city’s economy. The tallest buildings on this list tend to be in the largest cities in the country in terms of economic output.

Likewise, states with smaller economies often lack the commercial activity that would necessitate a skyscraper. The tallest building in North Dakota, for example, is in Bismarck. The metro area’s GDP is about $7.7 billion, a miniscule amount compared to New York City’s metro area’s GDP of $1.9 trillion. The North Dakota State Capitol is just 242 feet tall, or 19 stories high. By comparison, there are thousands of buildings in New York City alone that are 20 stories or higher.

For many years, the U.S. has dominated the world skyscraper rankings. Now, many of the world’s tallest buildings are in Asia and the Middle East — these are the 50 tallest buildings in the world.

Click here to see the tallest buildings in every state

Alabama: RSA Battle House Tower
> City: Mobile
> Height 745 feet
> Floors: 35
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 2007

[in-text-ad]

Alaska: Conoco-Phillips Building
> City: Anchorage
> Height 296 feet
> Floors: 21
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1983

Art Wager / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

Arizona: Chase Tower
> City: Phoenix
> Height 483 feet
> Floors: 40
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1972

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Arkansas: Simmons Tower
> City: Little Rock
> Height 546 feet
> Floors: 40
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1986

[in-text-ad-2]

California: Wilshire Grand Center
> City: Los Angeles
> Height 1,100 feet
> Floors: 73
> Building type: Hotel/office
> Completed in: 2017

Faina Gurevich / iStock via Getty Images

Colorado: Republic Plaza
> City: Denver
> Height 714 feet
> Floors: 56
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1984

[in-text-ad]

DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images

Connecticut: City Place I
> City: Hartford
> Height 535 feet
> Floors: 38
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1980

Jonesrmj / Wikimedia Commons

Delaware: The River Tower at Christina Landing
> City: Wilmington
> Height 340 feet
> Floors: 27
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 2007

Phillip Pessar / Wikimedia Commons

Florida: Panorama Tower
> City: Miami
> Height 868 feet
> Floors: 85
> Building type: Mixed-use
> Completed in: 2018

[in-text-ad-2]

Davel5957 / iStock via Getty Images

Georgia: Bank of America Plaza
> City: Atlanta
> Height 1,023 feet
> Floors: 55
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1992

bifyu / Flickr

Hawaii: First Hawaiian Center
> City: Honolulu
> Height 429 feet
> Floors: 30
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1996

[in-text-ad]

Wikimedia Commons

Idaho: 8th and Main Tower
> City: Boise
> Height 315 feet
> Floors: 18
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 2014

rabbit75_ist / iStock via Getty Images

Illinois: Willis Tower
> City: Chicago
> Height 1,451 feet
> Floors: 108
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1974

jetcityimage / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

Indiana: Salesforce Tower
> City: Indianapolis
> Height 701 feet
> Floors: 49
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1990

[in-text-ad-2]

Davel5957 / iStock via Getty Images

Iowa: 801 Grand
> City: Des Moines
> Height 630 feet
> Floors: 44
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1991

Zach Korb / Flickr

Kansas: Epic Center
> City: Wichita
> Height 320 feet
> Floors: 22
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1989

[in-text-ad]

Kentucky: 400 West Market
> City: Louisville
> Height 549 feet
> Floors: 35
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1992

Louisiana: Hancock Whitney Center
> City: New Orleans
> Height 697 feet
> Floors: 51
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1972

Kenneth C. Zirkel / Wikimedia Commons

Maine: Saint Joseph’s Church
> City: Biddeford
> Height 235 feet
> Floors: N/A
> Building type: Church
> Completed in: 1870

[in-text-ad-2]

Wallstreethotrod / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

Maryland: Transamerica Tower
> City: Baltimore
> Height 529 feet
> Floors: 40
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1973

AppalachianViews / iStock via Getty Images

Massachusetts: 200 Clarendon Street (John Hancock Tower)
> City: Boston
> Height 790 feet
> Floors: 62
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1976

[in-text-ad]

BSPollard / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

Michigan: Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center
> City: Detroit
> Height 727 feet
> Floors: 70
> Building type: Hotel
> Completed in: 1977

Minnesota: IDS Center
> City: Minneapolis
> Height 792 feet
> Floors: 55
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1973

Wikimedia Commons

Mississippi: Beau Rivage Casino Hotel
> City: Biloxi
> Height 346 feet
> Floors: 32
> Building type: Hotel and casino
> Completed in: 1999

[in-text-ad-2]

tupungato / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

Missouri: One Kansas City Place
> City: Kansas City
> Height 623 feet
> Floors: 42
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1988

Wikimedia Commons

Montana: First Interstate Center
> City: Billings
> Height 272 feet
> Floors: 20
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1985

[in-text-ad]

Nebraska: First National Bank Tower
> City: Omaha
> Height 634 feet
> Floors: 45
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 2002

tttuna / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

Nevada: The Palazzo
> City: Las Vegas
> Height 642 feet
> Floors: 53
> Building type: Hotel and casino
> Completed in: 2007

Wikimedia Commons

New Hampshire: City Hall Plaza
> City: Manchester
> Height 275 feet
> Floors: 20
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1992

[in-text-ad-2]

Scott Brody / Wikimedia Commons

New Jersey: 99 Hudson Street
> City: Jersey City
> Height 900 feet
> Floors: 79
> Building type: Residential
> Completed in: 0

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

New Mexico: Albuquerque Plaza
> City: Albuquerque
> Height 351 feet
> Floors: 22
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1990

[in-text-ad]

dibrova / iStock via Getty Images

New York: One World Trade Center
> City: New York
> Height 1,776 feet
> Floors: 94
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 2014

Davel5957 / iStock via Getty Images

North Carolina: Bank of America Corporate Center
> City: Charlotte
> Height 871 feet
> Floors: 60
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1992

powerofforever / E+ via Getty Images

North Dakota: North Dakota State Capitol
> City: Bismarck
> Height 242 feet
> Floors: 19
> Building type: Government
> Completed in: 1934

[in-text-ad-2]

drnadig / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

Ohio: Key Tower
> City: Cleveland
> Height 947 feet
> Floors: 57
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1991

Davel5957 / iStock via Getty Images

Oklahoma: Devon Energy Center
> City: Oklahoma City
> Height 844 feet
> Floors: 52
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 2012

[in-text-ad]

Another Believer / Wikimedia Commons

Oregon: Wells Fargo Center
> City: Portland
> Height 546 feet
> Floors: 40
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1973

PhillysPhinest / iStock via Getty Images

Pennsylvania: Comcast Technology Center
> City: Philadelphia
> Height 1,121 feet
> Floors: 60
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 2018

Julie Kertesz / Wikimedia Commons

Rhode Island: Industrial National Bank Building
> City: Providence
> Height 428 feet
> Floors: 26
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1927

[in-text-ad-2]

Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

South Carolina: Capitol Center
> City: Columbia
> Height 349 feet
> Floors: 25
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1987

TCN7JM / Wikimedia Commons

South Dakota: CenturyLink Tower
> City: Sioux Falls
> Height 174 feet
> Floors: 11
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1962

[in-text-ad]

SeanPavonePhoto / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

Tennessee: AT&T Building
> City: Nashville
> Height 617 feet
> Floors: 33
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1994

Agsftw / Wikimedia Commons

Texas: JPMorganChase Tower
> City: Houston
> Height 1,002 feet
> Floors: 75
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1982

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Utah: Wells Fargo Center
> City: Salt Lake City
> Height 422 feet
> Floors: 26
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1998

[in-text-ad-2]

Mark Asread / Wikimedia Commons

Vermont: Decker Towers
> City: Burlington
> Height 124 feet
> Floors: 11
> Building type: Residential
> Completed in: 1971

Wikimedia Commons

Virginia: The Westin Virginia Beach Town Center & Residences
> City: Virginia Beach
> Height 508 feet
> Floors: 38
> Building type: Residential/hotel
> Completed in: 2007

[in-text-ad]

carterdayne / iStock via Getty Images

Washington: Columbia Center
> City: Seattle
> Height 933 feet
> Floors: 76
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1984

DenisTangneyJr / E+ via Getty Images

West Virginia: West Virginia State Capitol
> City: Charleston
> Height 292 feet
> Floors: 4
> Building type: Government
> Completed in: 1932

Wisconsin: U.S. Bank Center
> City: Milwaukee
> Height 601 feet
> Floors: 42
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1973

[in-text-ad-2]

Courtesy of University of Wyoming Residence Life & Dining Services via Facebook

Wyoming: White Hall at the University of Wyoming
> City: Laramie
> Height 146 feet
> Floors: 12
> Building type: Office
> Completed in: 1967

 

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.