Place

The names of the 50 states should be spelled out when used in the body of a story, whether standing alone or in conjunction with a city, town, village or military base.
Lowercase in all state of constructions: the state of Maine, the states of Main and Vermont.
Four states – Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia – are legally commonwealths instead of states. The distinction is necessary only in formal uses: The commonwealth of Kentucky filed a lawsuit. For simple geographic reference: Tobacco is grown in the state of Kentucky.
Do not capitalize state when used simply as an adjective to specify a level of jurisdiction: state Rep. William Smith, the state Transportation Department, state funds. Apply the same principle to phrases such as the city of Lexington, the town of Auburn, etc.
Use the state abbreviations listed below with the name of a city, town, village or military base in most datelines and in lists, agate and tabular material.
When addressing letters, envelopes, abbreviate state per the U.S. Postal Service’s format. Postal code abbreviations are in parentheses.