New Hampshire: State Flag, Bird and Facts
New Hampshire's state bird is the purple finch, and the purple lilac is its state flower.
- Capital
- Concord
- Nickname
- The Granite State
- State bird
- Purple finch
- State flower
- Purple lilac
- State tree
- American white birch
- Admitted
- June 21, 1788
- Population
- 1,377,529 (2020 census)
- Motto
- Live Free or Die
- Region
- Northeast
- Area
- 24,214 km² (9,349 sq mi)
- Highest point
- Mount Washington (6,285.8 ft)
- Borders
- Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont
About New Hampshire
Live Free or Die is the official motto, and it shows up on license plates. The phrase points back to the Revolution. In 1774, colonists grabbed Fort William and Mary from British hands, among the first rebel acts of that era. The Granite State nickname comes from the rock formations and quarries found across the state. Concord is the capital, and Manchester is the biggest city.
Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine and Quebec surround New Hampshire, and it has a short coast on the Gulf of Maine. Its first presidential primary of each cycle gives it outsized political attention. The flag puts the state seal on blue. On the seal, the frigate USS Raleigh sits in Portsmouth harbor with a granite boulder in front, inside a ring of laurel and nine stars.
Did you know?
- Mount Washington is the highest point in New Hampshire, at 6,285.8 feet.
- New Hampshire's flag is the only state flag with the Stars and Stripes inside its seal.
- The American white birch is the official state tree of New Hampshire.
Questions about New Hampshire
What is on the New Hampshire flag?
The state seal on a blue field, showing the frigate USS Raleigh, a granite boulder, laurel leaves and nine stars.
When did New Hampshire become a state?
New Hampshire ratified the Constitution on June 21, 1788.
Sources
- Wikidata Q759, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: New Hampshire, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: Flag and seal of New Hampshire, checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.