On April 8, 2024, Americans across the nation will have the opportunity to witness either a partial or total solar eclipse. These celestial wonders occur when the moon aligns between the earth and the sun, casting a compelling shadow upon our planet’s surface, obscuring the sun either partially or entirely from view.
Despite the relative regularity of solar eclipses, happening approximately two to four times a year, the narrow geographic path of totality—the area where viewers can witness the complete obscuration of the sun—is remarkably limited. Consequently, for individuals residing in any given locale, the chance to behold a total solar eclipse is an exceptionally rare occurrence. According to NASA, this extraordinary event typically happens only once every hundred years, on average. However, certain regions may be graced with total solar eclipses more frequently.
In an effort to ascertain the states boasting the highest populations living within the path of totality for the 2024 solar eclipse, researchers meticulously identified Census tracts within each state that either wholly or partially intersected with the path of totality. The populations residing within these resulting Census tracts were then aggregated and normalized by the respective state’s total population.
These are the key takeaways from the report:
- The most recent total solar eclipse visible in the U.S. took place in 2017, with the path of totality extending from Oregon to South Carolina. Prior to 2017, only two solar eclipses in the 20th century had totality paths that overlapped some portion of the United States.
- An estimated 31 million Americans will find themselves within the path of totality for the 2024 event, substantially more than the 12 million in 2017.
- Looking ahead, the next coast-to-coast total solar eclipse won’t occur until 2045.
- Residents in 15 states—Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine—will have the opportunity to witness the moon completely blocking the sun’s view in 2024.
- Due to the unique path of the 2024 eclipse, Texas stands out as the state hosting the top four largest cities within the totality path and eight of the top 15. Notably, among the five largest cities in Texas—Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, and Austin—only Houston will not experience the total solar eclipse this year.
- Similarly, in Ohio, three out of its top four cities fall within the 2024 path of totality, including Columbus, Cleveland, and Toledo.
- While Texas has the most residents overall living in the path of totality, Ohio has the highest proportion at 60.5%.
