state names, state

Spell out the names of U.S. states in text when they stand alone or after a county:

Example: Three projects began this year in Sussex County, Delaware.

Spell out state, country, or territory names after a city or use Associated Press abbreviations (see page 6X). Use the two-letter postal code (DE, PA) with full addresses including ZIP codes only. Use commas after the city and state in a sentence.

Examples:     Members came from the office in Yigo Village, Guam, to participate.

                       Members came from the office in Nashville, Tenn., to participate.

Never abbreviate these state names in text: Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas, and Utah.

Include the name of the state at the first mention of the city, unless it is one of the cities on the list below. These cities are so widely known, they can stand alone without a state reference. 

Example: Send your application to the office located in Wilmington, Delaware.

Atlanta Baltimore Boston Chicago Cincinnati Cleveland Dallas Denver

Detroit Honolulu Houston Indianapolis Las Vegas Los Angeles Miami Milwaukee

Minneapolis New Orleans New York Oklahoma City Philadelphia Phoenix Pittsburgh St. Louis

Salt Lake City San Antonio San Diego San Francisco Seattle Washington

Avoid use of the phrase “the state of.”

Example: “In Utah,” instead of “in the state of Utah”

Do not capitalize state when used as an adjective to specify a level of jurisdiction.

Example:  state Rep. William Smith, the state Transportation Department, state funds