Location

The locations in the post-nuclear United States of America form the backdrop in which the events of the Fallout series occur.

Communities
Following the war, the entirety of the former country became without distinction, hereafter referred to as the wasteland. When lands across the country became less irradiated and more habitable, survivors reestablished communities, with the regional names of the past found on signage remnants along long-abandoned roadways.

Thirteen commonwealths of the United States were created in 1969, as a new level of governance. States and commonwealths were both used to describe regions and governmental entities before and after the Great War. The name of two Commonwealths are known. This includes the Southwest Commonwealth, named on a sign in the former state of Nevada. and Great Midwest Commonwealth, seen on a license plate.

Vaults
The vaults are a series of survival shelters designed by Vault-Tec Corporation on contract with the U.S. government to protect a selected portion of the United States population from a nuclear holocaust. The government commissioned 122 vaults as part of Project Safehouse, seen throughout the continental United States.

Real world named equivalents
Some locations that appear across the games are either based on real world locations or have equivalent names, organized by former state below.

Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah

 * Albuquerque based on Albuquerque, New Mexico.
 * Bullhead City based on Bullhead City, Arizona.
 * Coalpits Wash based on Coalpits Wash within Zion National Park.
 * Crimson River Trail based on Crimson Trail in Cache County, Utah.
 * Dead Horse Point based on Dead Horse Point State Park.
 * Denver based on Denver, Colorado.
 * Flagstaff based on Flagstaff, Arizona.
 * Fountain Green based on Fountain Green, Utah.
 * Grand Canyon based on the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
 * Grand Staircase based on the Grand Staircase within Zion National Park.
 * Great Salt Lake based on the Great Salt Lake in Utah.
 * Highway 50 based on U.S. Route 50 in Utah.
 * Highway 89 based on U.S. Route 89 in Utah.
 * Nephi based on Nephi, Utah.
 * New Canaan based on Ogden, Utah.
 * New Jerusalem based on Salt Lake City, Utah.
 * Phoenix based on Phoenix, Arizona.
 * Provo Bay based on Provo, Utah.
 * Rockville based on Rockville, Utah.
 * Rocky Mountains based on the Rocky Mountains.
 * Salt Lake City based on Salt Lake City, Utah.
 * Spanish Fork based on Spanish Fork, Utah.
 * Syracuse based on Syracuse, Utah.
 * Toquerville based on Toquerville, Utah.
 * Two Sun based on Tucson, Arizona.
 * Utah State Route 9 based on Utah State Route 9.
 * Utah State Route 77 based on Utah State Route 77.
 * Yuma based on Yuma, Arizona.
 * Zion Canyon based on Zion National Park.

Illinois

 * Chicago based on Chicago, Illinois.
 * Freeport based on Freeport, Illinois.
 * Macomb based on Macomb, Illinois.
 * Peoria based on Peoria, Illinois.
 * Quincy based on Quincy, Illinois.
 * Rock Falls based on Rock Falls, Illinois.
 * Springfield based on Springfield, Illinois.

Massachusetts

 * Boston based on Boston, Massachusetts.
 * Boston Airport based on Logan International Airport.
 * Boston Common based on Boston Common.
 * Boston Public Library based on Boston Public Library.
 * Bunker Hill based on Bunker Hill Monument.
 * The Castle based on Castle Island and Fort Independence.
 * C.I.T. ruins based on Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
 * Charles River based on the Charles River.
 * Charles View Amphitheater based on Hatch Memorial Shell.
 * Christopher Columbus Park based on Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park in the North End.
 * College Square based on Harvard Square.
 * Concord based on Concord, Massachusetts.
 * Copley Station based on Copley station under the Boston Public Library.
 * D.B. Technical High School based on Don Bosco Technical High School.
 * Diamond City based on Fenway Park.
 * Dorchester Heights based on Dorchester Heights in South Boston.
 * Dorchester Heights monument based on the Dorchester Heights monument in South Boston.
 * Faneuil Hall based on Faneuil Hall.
 * Forest Grove marsh based on Forest Grove Park in Waltham, Massachusetts.
 * Freedom Trail based on the Freedom Trail in downtown Boston.
 * Goodneighbor based on Scollay Square and the Old State House.
 * Hubris Comics based on Newbury Comics flagship store.
 * Hyde Park based on Hyde Park, Boston.
 * Jamaica Plain based on Jamaica Plain, Boston.
 * Lexington based on Lexington, Massachusetts.
 * Malden based on Malden, Massachusetts.
 * Mass Bay Medical Center based on Tufts Medical Center.
 * Massachusetts State House based on Massachusetts State House.
 * Monroe based on Monroe, Connecticut.
 * Monsignor Plaza based on CambridgeSide Galleria.
 * Nahant based on Nahant, Massachusetts.
 * Natick Banks based on Natick, Massachusetts.
 * Old North Church based on the Old North Church.
 * Quincy ruins based on Quincy, Massachusetts.
 * Revere Beach station based on Revere Beach station.
 * Rocky Narrows Park based on Rocky Narrows Reservation in Sherborn, Massachusettes.
 * Salem based on Salem, Massachusetts.
 * Saugus Ironworks based on Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Saugus.
 * Somerville Place based on Somerville, Massachusetts.
 * South Boston High School based on South Boston High School in South Boston.
 * South Boston Police Department based on District C-6 Police Station in South Boston.
 * Swan's Pond based on Boston Public Garden and its Swan Boats.
 * University Point based on University of Massachusetts Boston.
 * The USS Constitution based on the USS Constitution, berthed at the Charlestown Navy Yard.
 * Walden Pond based on Walden Pond.
 * West Everett Estates based on Everett, Massachusetts, north of Boston.
 * Weston water treatment plant based on the Weston Reservoir.
 * World's Largest Fire Hydrant based on World's Largest Working Fire Hydrant constructed at Disneyland in Anaheim, California.

Alaska

 * Anchorage based on Anchorage, Alaska
 * Juneau based on Juneau, Alaska

Kansas and Missouri

 * Cold Water based on Coldwater, Kansas
 * Great Bend based on Great Bend, Kansas
 * Jefferson based on Jefferson City, Missouri
 * Junction City based on Junction City, Kansas
 * Kansas City based on Kansas City, Missouri
 * Scott City based on Scott City, Kansas
 * St. Louis based on St. Louis, Missouri

Georgia, North and South Carolina

 * Atlanta based on Atlanta, Georgia.
 * Charlotte based on Charlotte, North Carolina.
 * Kitty Hawk based on Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
 * Mullins based on Mullins, South Carolina.

Nevada

 * 188 trading post based on Railroad Pass in Henderson, Nevada.
 * Aerotech Office Park based on the former Aerotech Components in Winchester, Las Vegas, Nevada.
 * Area 2 based on Area 2 in northern Mojave Desert, Nevada.
 * Arizona Spillway based on the Arizona Spillway at the Hoover Dam.
 * Ashton based on Ashton, in Amargosa Valley, Nevada.
 * Atomic Wrangler Casino based on Atomic Liquors in Las Vegas, Nevada.
 * Big Horn Saloon based on the former Big Horn Restaurant in Boulder City, Nevada.
 * Big MT based on Dome Mountain and National Criticality Experiments Research Center in the Nevada National Security Site in Nye County, Nevada.
 * Bison Steve Hotel based on Buffalo Bill's Resort & Casino in Primm, Nevada.
 * Bitter Springs based on Bitter Spring, south of the Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada.
 * Black Mountain based on Black Mountain, Nevada.
 * Bonnie Springs based on the former Bonnie Springs Ranch in Blue Diamond, Nevada.
 * Boulder Beach Campground based on Boulder Beach Campground in Boulder City, Nevada.
 * Boulder City Memorial based on Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City, Nevada.
 * Boulder City train station based on Nevada Southern Railroad Museum in Boulder City, Nevada.
 * Boulder City based on Boulder City, Nevada.
 * Broadcast building based on KLAS and KOMP-FM Radio Towers on Black Mountain, Nevada.
 * Brooks tumbleweed ranch based on Desert National Wildlife Refuge in Clark County, Nevada.
 * Calada based on the town of Calada, California.
 * Caliente based on Caliente, Nevada.
 * California Sunset Drive-in based on Skyline Drive-in in Barstow, California.
 * Callville Bay based on Callville Bay, Nevada on the north shore of Lake Mead.
 * Camp Forlorn Hope based on Forlorn Hope Spring, Nevada.
 * Camp Golf based on Reflection Bay Golf and Beach Club at Lake Las Vegas, Nevada.
 * Camp Guardian based on Guardian Peak on the north shore of Lake Mead.
 * Camp McCarran based on McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada.
 * Camp Searchlight trailer park based on Cree's Desert Mobile Home and RV Park in Searchlight, Nevada.
 * Camp Searchlight based on Searchlight, Nevada.
 * Camp Willow based on Willow Beach on the east shore of the Colorado River.
 * Canyon wreckage based on State Line Pass, in San Bernardino County, California.
 * Colorado River based on the Colorado River.
 * Corn Creek Dunes based on Corn Creek Dunes at Desert National Wildlife Refuge in Clark County, Nevada.
 * Cottonwood Cove based on Cottonwood Cove Resort & Marina.
 * Coyote Mines based on Coyote Mine, Nevada.
 * Crashed B-29 based on the 1948 Lake Mead Boeing B-29 crash into Lake Mead.
 * Crescent Canyon east based on Crescent Peak, Nevada.
 * Crescent Canyon west based on Crescent Peak, Nevada.
 * Death Valley based on Death Valley in California.
 * Deathclaw promontory based on Promontory Point, Nevada.
 * Devil Peak based on Devil Peak in Clark County, Nevada.
 * The Divide based on Amargosa Valley and Death Valley in Nevada and California.
 * Doc Mitchell's house based on Goodsprings Community Church in Goodsprings, Nevada.
 * El Diablo rollercoaster based on the Desperado roller coaster in Primm, Nevada.
 * El Dorado Dry Lake based on El Dorado Dry Lake, Nevada.
 * El Dorado substation based on El Dorado Solar Power Plant substation.
 * El Rey Motel based on the El Rey Motel in Searchlight, Nevada.
 * Elephant Hill based on Elephant Hill, an Arizona mountain summit overlooking the Colorado River.
 * Floyd Lamb State Park based on Floyd Lamb State Park in Las Vegas, Nevada.
 * Freeside based on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada.
 * Garnet based on Garnet in Arrolime, Nevada.
 * Gomorrah based on the Sahara Las Vegas and the former Dunes Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
 * Goodsprings Cemetery based on Goodsprings Cemetery near Goodsprings, Nevada.
 * Goodsprings General Store based on Ghost Town Cafe in Goodsprings, Nevada.
 * Goodsprings schoolhouse based on Goodsprings Schoolhouse in Goodsprings, Nevada.
 * Goodsprings based on Goodsprings, Nevada.
 * Griffith Peak based on Griffith Peak in Clark County, Nevada.
 * Guardian Peak based on Guardian Peak on the north shore of Lake Mead.
 * Gypsum train yard based on Nevada Industrial Switch Railway Station serving PABCO Gypsum Mine in northeast Las Vegas, Nevada.
 * H&H Tools Factory based on Hughes Tool Company.
 * Hawthorne Army Depot based on Hawthorne Army Depot.
 * HELIOS One based on Ivanpah Solar Power Facility and Nevada Solar One.
 * Henderson based on Henderson, Nevada.
 * Hidden Valley based on Hidden Valley Trail in Sloan Canyon and Groom Dry Lake in Lincoln County, Nevada.
 * Highway 93 based on U.S. Route 93, Nevada.
 * Highway 95 based on U.S. Route 95, Nevada.
 * Hoover Dam intake towers based on the intake towers at the Hoover Dam.
 * Hoover Dam lower level is based on the service tunnels underneath the Hoover Dam.
 * Hoover Dam offices based on the offices at the Hoover Dam.
 * Hoover Dam power plants based on the power plants within the Hoover Dam.
 * Hoover Dam visitor center based on the visitor center at the Hoover Dam.
 * Hoover Dam based on Hoover Dam, on the border of U.S. states of Nevada and Arizona.
 * Hunter's farm based on Hunter's Edge Farm in Las Vegas, Nevada.
 * I-15 based on Interstate 15.
 * I-40 based on Interstate 40.
 * I-215 based on Interstate 215.
 * I-515 based on Interstate 515.
 * Ivanpah Dry Lake based on Ivanpah Dry Lake, Nevada.
 * Ivanpah race track based on Ivanpah Dry Lake, Nevada.
 * Jack Rabbit Springs based on Jackrabbit Spring within Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada.
 * Jacobstown bungalow based on Mount Charleston Lodge & Cabins in Mount Charleston, Nevada.
 * Jacobstown lodge based on the former The Resort on Mount Charleston in Mount Charleston, Nevada.
 * Jacobstown based on Mount Charleston, Nevada.
 * Jean based on Jean, Nevada.
 * Jean Sky Diving based on Jean Airport Sport Aviation Center in Jean, Nevada.
 * Knob Hill Mine based on Knob Hill Spring in Clark County, Nevada.
 * Lake Las Vegas based on Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, Nevada.
 * Lake Mead based on Lake Mead, Nevada.
 * Las Vegas Bay Campground based on Las Vegas Bay Campground.
 * Las Vegas Boulevard station based on Las Vegas Monorail.
 * Las Vegas Dunes based on Las Vegas Dunes Recreation Lands, close to Nellis Air Force Base.
 * Lucky 38 cocktail lounge based on the Top of the World Restaurant at the Stratosphere Las Vegas.
 * Lucky 38 based on the Stratosphere Las Vegas and former Landmark Hotel and Casino.
 * Lucky Jim mine based on Lucky Jim Camp, Nevada.
 * Malpais based on Malpais Flattop Mesa in Mohave County, Arizona.
 * Malpais Legionaire Camp based on Malpais Flattop Mesa in Mohave County, Arizona.
 * Mesquite Mountains camp site based on Mesquite Spring Campground in Inyo County, California.
 * Mesquite Mountains crater based on Colosseum Mine, Nevada.
 * Michael Angelo's workshop based on Neon Boneyard Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada.
 * Mojave Outpost based on Mountain Pass, California.
 * Mojave Wasteland based on Mojave Desert in the southwest United States.
 * Morning Star Cavern based on Morning Star Mine, California.
 * Mountain Springs based Mountain Springs, Nevada.
 * Mount Charleston based on Mount Charleston and Charleston Peak.
 * Mummy Mountain based on Mummy Mountain in Clark County, Nevada.
 * Nellis Air Force Base based on Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nevada.
 * Nellis array based on the solar panel array at Nellis Air Force Base.
 * Nellis Boomer museum based on United States Air Force Thunderbirds Museum at Nellis Air Force Base.
 * Nellis hangars based on hangars at Nellis Air Force Base.
 * Nelson based on Nelson, Nevada.
 * Nevada Highway Patrol station based on Nevada Highway Patrol Station in Jean, Nevada.
 * Nevada State Route 157 based on Nevada State Route 157.
 * Nevada State Route 159 based on Nevada State Route 159.
 * Nevada State Route 160 based on Nevada State Route 160.
 * Nevada State Route 161 based on Nevada State Route 161.
 * Nevada State Route 164 based on Nevada State Route 164.
 * Nevada State Route 562 based on Nevada State Route 562.
 * Nevada State Route 564 based on Nevada State Route 564.
 * Nevada State Route 594 based on Nevada State Route 594.
 * New Vegas medical clinic based on Operation Hope Medical Clinic in Las Vegas, Nevada.
 * New Vegas Strip based on Las Vegas Strip in Nevada.
 * New Vegas based on Las Vegas, Nevada.
 * Nipton General Store based on Nipton Trading Post in Nipton, California.
 * Nipton Hotel based on Hotel California in Nipton, California.
 * Nipton based on Nipton, California.
 * Nopah cave based on Nopah Range in Inyo County, California.
 * North Vegas Square based on The Courtyard Homeless Resource Plaza in North Las Vegas, Nevada.
 * Novac based on Shan-Gri-La Prehistoric Park in Henderson, Nevada, the Claude Bell's Dinosaurs, and the World's Tallest Thermometer in Baker, California.
 * Old Mormon Fort based on Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park in Las Vegas, Nevada.
 * Old nuclear test site based on Nevada Test Site in Nye County, Nevada.
 * Powder Gangers camps based on Jean Conservation Camp in Jean, Nevada.
 * Primm based on Primm, Nevada.
 * Prospector Saloon based on the Pioneer Saloon in Goodsprings, Nevada.
 * Quarry Junction based on the Sloan Limestone Quarry in Sloan, Nevada.
 * Red Rock Canyon based on Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area near Las Vegas, Nevada.
 * REPCONN headquarters based on the former PEPCON Chemical Plant in Henderson, Nevada.
 * REPCONN test site checkpoint based on LORAN-C transmitter near Searchlight, Nevada, Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex near Barstow, California, and the former PEPCON Chemical Plant in Henderson, Nevada.
 * REPCONN test site based on LORAN-C transmitter near Searchlight, Nevada, Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex near Barstow, California, and the former PEPCON Chemical Plant in Henderson, Nevada.
 * Ripley based on the community of Ripley, part of Sandy Valley, Nevada.
 * Sandy Valley based on Sandy Valley, Nevada.
 * Searchlight Airport based on Searchlight Airport, Nevada.
 * Searchlight east church based on Searchlight Community Church in Searchlight, Nevada.
 * Searchlight fire station based on Clark County Fire Station 75 in Searchlight, Nevada.
 * Searchlight police station based on Searchlight Justice Court in Searchlight, Nevada.
 * Searchlight west church based on Searchlight Christian Academy in Searchlight, Nevada.
 * Silver Rush based on Golden Nugget Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
 * Sloan based on Sloan, Nevada.
 * Spring Mt. Ranch State Park based on Spring Mountain Ranch State Park in Cottonwood Valley, Nevada.
 * Spring Mountains Recreation Area based on Spring Mountains National Recreation Area.
 * California State Route 127 based on California State Route 127.
 * Summerlin based on Summerlin, Nevada.
 * Sunset Sarsaparilla headquarters based on the Coca Cola Store in Las Vegas, Nevada.
 * Techatticup mine based on Techatticup Mine, Nevada.
 * The Devil's Gullet based on Devils Hole within Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada.
 * The Devil's Throat based on Devils Throat at Gold Butte National Monument.
 * The Fort based on Fortification Hill in Mohave County, Arizona.
 * The Tops based on the former Sands Hotel and Casino, replaced by The Venetian on the Las Vegas Strip.
 * Tribal village based on Lovell Canyon Campground, Spring Mountains in Clark County, Nevada.
 * Ultra-Luxe based on the Bellagio and Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip.
 * Valley of Fire based on Valley of Fire State Park.
 * Vault 19 based on 41-E Blue Diamond Mine in Blue Diamond, Nevada.
 * Vault 34 based on Frenchman's Mine in Las Vegas, Nevada.
 * Vikki and Vance Casino based on Whiskey Pete's Hotel and Casino in Primm, Nevada.
 * Walking Box Cavern based on Walking Box Ranch near Searchlight, Nevada.
 * Westside based on Historic West Las Vegas, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
 * Yangtze Memorial based on Mount Soledad Memorial in La Jolla, California.
 * Yucca Mountain based on Yucca Mountain in Nye County, Nevada.
 * Zapp's Neon Signs based on Neon Boneyard Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada.

California

 * Anaheim based on Anaheim, California.
 * Anza-Borrego based on Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in northeastern San Diego County, California.
 * Baja based on Baja California Peninsula.
 * Boneyard based on Los Angeles, California.
 * Broken Hills based on Broken Hills, Nevada.
 * Dayglow based on San Diego, California.
 * Desperado based on Golden Nugget Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada and Eldorado Casino in Reno, Nevada.
 * Hollywood based on Hollywood in Los Angeles, California.
 * I-80 based on Interstate 80.
 * Irvine based on Irvine, California.
 * Klamath based on Klamath Falls, Oregon.
 * Klamath Canyon based on Klamath National Forest.
 * Lake Isabella based on Lake Isabella.
 * Mariposa Military Base based on Fort Ord near Monterey Bay, California.
 * Modoc based on Modoc National Forest in Modoc County, California.
 * Navarro based on Navarro, California.
 * Necropolis based on Bakersfield, California.
 * New Reno based on Reno, Nevada.
 * Oak Creek based on Oak Creek, Inyo County, California.
 * One Pine based on Lone Pine, California.
 * Owens Lake based on Owens Lake, Inyo County, California.
 * Owens River based on Owens River, Inyo County, California.
 * Redding based on Redding, California.
 * Redding mining camp based on Morning Star and Kokoweef mines in the Ivanpah Mountains.
 * Sac-Town based on Sacramento, California.
 * San Luis Reservoir based on San Luis Reservoir.
 * San Francisco based on San Francisco, California.
 * San Onofre based on San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.
 * Sierra Army Depot based on Sierra Army Depot in Herlong, California.
 * Sierra Nevada based on Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.
 * Virgin Street based on Virginia Street in New Reno, Nevada.

Texas

 * Carbon based on Carbon, Texas.
 * El Paso based on El Paso, Texas.
 * Galveston based on Galveston, Texas.
 * Plano based on Plano, Texas.

International

 * Forbidden City based on Forbidden City, China.
 * Gobi Desert based on Gobi Desert, China.
 * Hidalgo based on Hidalgo, Mexico.
 * Hidalgo Ranch based on Hidalgo, Mexico.
 * Long Branch Arsenal based on Long Branch Arsenal in Toronto, Canada.
 * Mexico City based on Mexico City.
 * Nanjing based on Nanjing, China.
 * Okinawa based on Okinawa, Japan.
 * Puebla based on Puebla, Mexico.
 * Rub' al Khali based on the Rub' al Khali of the Arabian Desert.
 * Rome based on Rome.
 * Veracruz based on Veracruz, Mexico.