On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will sweep across the United States, from Texas to  Maine,  sending millions of Americans into darkness. 31 million Americans currently live in the path of totality. Millions more will travel on eclipse day to witness nature’s greatest sight. The maximum duration of totality will be 4 minutes and 27 seconds, and the shadow will travel at a speed of 1,587 miles per hour.  total solar eclipse 2024

Knowing how many people may come and the places they will gather is important information for communities, first responders, and businesses inside the path.

To aid community planners and help eclipse visitors avoid the worst traffic, the Great American Eclipse has developed a geographic model to estimate how many people will travel to see the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024. This model predicts that between 1 and 4 million people will travel to the path of totality. We predict that Texas will receive the majority of visitors, followed by Indiana, Ohio, New York, Arkansas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Oklahoma, Maine, and New Hampshire.

Eclipse Tourism Projections By the numbers

The path of totality will begin in Eagle Pass, Texas at 1:27 PM CDT, and will end in Bangor, Maine at 3:35 PM EDT. The eclipse will be visible in a narrow band across the country, with partial phases visible across a much wider area.

“It will likely be the most-viewed astronomical event in American history. When you combine the populations of Mexico, the USA, and Canada that live inside the path of totality and add all of those who will travel on eclipse day, a total of 50 million North Americans witnessing totality is possible,” ~ says Michael Zeiler, expert eclipse cartographer and co-founder of Great American Eclipse.

“It’s like having 50 Super Bowls happening at the same time all across the country,” ~ says Great American Eclipse co-founder Polly White. The Super Bowl typically draws 80,000 people in total. Multiply that by 50, and you have our high-range prediction for eclipse tourism. And this does not include Mexico or Canada. Texas will enjoy the majority of eclipse visitors, with a high estimate of just over a million visitors. Next are Indiana and Ohio, which can expect a high estimate of about half a million people each. Heavy traffic will come from nearby metropolises such as San Antonio, Houston, Memphis, St. Louis, Louisville, Cincinnati, Columbus, Detroit, and Pittsburgh.

An example of a remarkable potential influx is the area near Kerrville, Texas, northwest of San Antonio, which could see as many as 488,000 visitors.

Here is a table of the times of totality for major cities in the path of the eclipse: total solar eclipse 2024

If you are planning to see the eclipse, it is important to purchase eclipse glasses or a solar filter to protect your eyes. Looking directly at the sun during a total solar eclipse can cause permanent damage to your vision.

Experience the full web page with 8 highly detailed regional maps that break down the visitation model at greatamericaneclipse.com/visitation.