US cities by population
New York, NY had the highest population of 3223 cities in 2021, at 8.45 million. Josephine, TX had the lowest, at 4,569. The median was 24,287 and the figure for the United States was 332.1 million. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.
Top 40 cities, 2021
Full ranking
| Rank | Cities | 2021 | Change on 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | 8,447,958 | -3.5% |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | 3,831,478 | -1.7% |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | 2,705,934 | -1.3% |
| 4 | Houston, TX | 2,291,811 | -0.3% |
| 5 | Phoenix, AZ | 1,624,582 | +0.8% |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | 1,590,224 | -0.7% |
| 7 | San Antonio, TX | 1,453,435 | +1.1% |
| 8 | San Diego, CA | 1,371,244 | -0.8% |
| 9 | Dallas, TX | 1,290,763 | -1% |
| 10 | San Jose, CA | 981,769 | -2.8% |
| 11 | Austin, TX | 966,501 | +0.5% |
| 12 | Jacksonville, FL | 957,718 | +0.6% |
| 13 | Fort Worth, TX | 938,082 | +1.6% |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | 902,800 | -0.4% |
| 15 | Charlotte, NC | 882,504 | +0.9% |
| 16 | Indianapolis, IN | 882,165 | -0.6% |
| 17 | San Francisco, CA | 816,169 | -6.7% |
| 18 | Seattle, WA | 733,750 | -0.9% |
| 19 | Denver, CO | 712,156 | -0.8% |
| 20 | Oklahoma City, OK | 688,604 | +0.8% |
| 21 | El Paso, TX | 678,522 | -0.1% |
| 22 | Nashville, TN | 676,133 | -2% |
| 23 | Boston, MA | 659,884 | -1.5% |
| 24 | Las Vegas, NV | 651,865 | +0.6% |
| 25 | Portland, OR | 642,866 | -1.6% |
| 26 | Detroit, MI | 635,046 | -0.5% |
| 27 | Louisville, KY | 627,582 | -0.7% |
| 28 | Memphis, TN | 622,541 | -0.9% |
| 29 | Baltimore, MD | 576,503 | -1.2% |
| 30 | Milwaukee, WI | 566,535 | -1.8% |
| 31 | Albuquerque, NM | 563,387 | -0.2% |
| 32 | Fresno, CA | 544,016 | +0.2% |
| 33 | Tucson, AZ | 541,311 | -0.2% |
| 34 | Sacramento, CA | 525,571 | -0% |
| 35 | Mesa, AZ | 509,281 | +0.7% |
| 36 | Kansas City, MO | 509,175 | +0.2% |
| 37 | Atlanta, GA | 493,261 | -1.4% |
| 38 | Omaha, NE | 488,812 | -0.8% |
| 39 | Colorado Springs, CO | 484,135 | +0.6% |
| 40 | Raleigh, NC | 471,981 | +1.2% |
| 41 | Virginia Beach, VA | 458,644 | -0.2% |
| 42 | Long Beach, CA | 455,224 | -2.2% |
| 43 | Miami, FL | 442,275 | -0.1% |
| 44 | Oakland, CA | 437,373 | -0.9% |
| 45 | Minneapolis, MN | 424,963 | -1.3% |
| 46 | Tulsa, OK | 412,983 | -0.2% |
| 47 | Bakersfield, CA | 409,522 | +1.1% |
| 48 | Wichita, KS | 396,834 | -0.3% |
| 49 | Tampa, FL | 393,838 | +1.3% |
| 50 | Arlington, TX | 393,551 | -0.2% |
| 51 | Aurora, CO | 390,508 | +1% |
| 52 | New Orleans, LA | 377,506 | -1.5% |
| 53 | Cleveland, OH | 365,394 | -1.8% |
| 54 | Honolulu, HI | 346,662 | -0.5% |
| 55 | Anaheim, CA | 344,858 | -0.5% |
| 56 | Henderson, NV | 321,960 | +1.1% |
| 57 | Stockton, CA | 321,542 | +0.2% |
| 58 | Lexington, KY | 320,450 | -0.7% |
| 59 | Corpus Christi, TX | 318,180 | -0% |
| 60 | Riverside, CA | 313,966 | -0.5% |
| 61 | Santa Ana, CA | 311,060 | -0.1% |
| 62 | Orlando, FL | 310,354 | +0.7% |
| 63 | Cincinnati, OH | 308,610 | -0.3% |
| 64 | St. Paul, MN | 307,633 | -1.1% |
| 65 | Newark, NJ | 307,435 | -1% |
| 66 | Pittsburgh, PA | 305,343 | +0.8% |
| 67 | Irvine, CA | 303,444 | -1.6% |
| 68 | Greensboro, NC | 297,879 | +0.7% |
| 69 | St. Louis, MO | 293,553 | -2.2% |
| 70 | Lincoln, NE | 291,790 | -0% |
| 71 | Anchorage, AK | 288,923 | -0.7% |
| 72 | Plano, TX | 288,912 | +0.9% |
| 73 | Durham, NC | 286,599 | +1.7% |
| 74 | Jersey City, NJ | 285,162 | -2.3% |
| 75 | Chandler, AZ | 279,591 | +0.8% |
| 76 | Buffalo, NY | 277,593 | -0.1% |
| 77 | Chula Vista, CA | 275,748 | -0% |
| 78 | Gilbert, AZ | 274,374 | +1.8% |
| 79 | Madison, WI | 271,089 | -1.4% |
| 80 | North Las Vegas, NV | 271,070 | +3.8% |
| 81 | Reno, NV | 270,124 | +1.9% |
| 82 | Toledo, OH | 268,747 | -0.6% |
| 83 | Fort Wayne, IN | 266,262 | +0.7% |
| 84 | Lubbock, TX | 261,274 | +1.2% |
| 85 | St. Petersburg, FL | 259,823 | +0.2% |
| 86 | Laredo, TX | 255,675 | +0.1% |
| 87 | Irving, TX | 254,513 | -0.9% |
| 88 | Chesapeake, VA | 251,846 | +0.9% |
| 89 | Winston-Salem, NC | 250,449 | +0.5% |
| 90 | Glendale, AZ | 249,790 | +0.4% |
| 91 | Garland, TX | 244,368 | -0.8% |
| 92 | Scottsdale, AZ | 242,639 | +0.3% |
| 93 | Boise City, ID | 238,202 | +0.9% |
| 94 | Norfolk, VA | 235,091 | -1.2% |
| 95 | Spokane, WA | 230,488 | +0.6% |
| 96 | Santa Clarita, CA | 229,818 | -1.1% |
| 97 | Fremont, CA | 227,976 | -1.1% |
| 98 | Richmond, VA | 227,229 | +0.1% |
| 99 | Baton Rouge, LA | 224,013 | -0.9% |
| 100 | Hialeah, FL | 220,961 | -0.7% |
| 101 | San Bernardino, CA | 220,520 | -0.7% |
| 102 | Tacoma, WA | 220,357 | +0.1% |
| 103 | Huntsville, AL | 218,727 | +1.1% |
| 104 | Modesto, CA | 218,688 | -0% |
| 105 | Port St. Lucie, FL | 217,881 | +5.4% |
| 106 | Des Moines, IA | 212,434 | -0.6% |
| 107 | Fontana, CA | 212,415 | +1.6% |
| 108 | Fayetteville, NC | 212,223 | +0.7% |
| 109 | Frisco, TX | 211,127 | +4.1% |
| 110 | Moreno Valley, CA | 210,881 | +1% |
| 111 | Rochester, NY | 210,255 | -0.2% |
| 112 | Yonkers, NY | 210,137 | -0.4% |
| 113 | Worcester, MA | 205,694 | +1.6% |
| 114 | Columbus, GA | 205,164 | -0.9% |
| 115 | Mobile, AL | 204,803 | -0.8% |
| 116 | Cape Coral, FL | 204,080 | +4.4% |
| 117 | McKinney, TX | 203,569 | +3.1% |
| 118 | Little Rock, AR | 202,253 | -0.2% |
| 119 | Oxnard, CA | 201,801 | -0% |
| 120 | Salt Lake City, UT | 201,169 | +0.2% |
| 121 | Augusta, GA | 201,040 | -0.5% |
| 122 | Amarillo, TX | 200,863 | +0.2% |
| 123 | Tallahassee, FL | 200,283 | +1.2% |
| 124 | Overland Park, KS | 199,098 | +0.6% |
| 125 | Montgomery, AL | 198,395 | -0.8% |
| 126 | Grand Rapids, MI | 197,753 | -0.5% |
| 127 | Birmingham, AL | 197,660 | -1.3% |
| 128 | Grand Prairie, TX | 197,300 | +0.6% |
| 129 | Sioux Falls, SD | 196,826 | +1.7% |
| 130 | Huntington Beach, CA | 196,505 | -1% |
| 131 | Peoria, AZ | 194,886 | +1.5% |
| 132 | Vancouver, WA | 193,467 | +1.2% |
| 133 | Knoxville, TN | 192,154 | +0.5% |
| 134 | Glendale, CA | 192,000 | -2% |
| 135 | Providence, RI | 190,134 | -0.3% |
| 136 | Akron, OH | 188,696 | -0.8% |
| 137 | Brownsville, TX | 187,322 | +0.4% |
| 138 | Newport News, VA | 184,659 | -0.7% |
| 139 | Tempe, AZ | 184,597 | -0.4% |
| 140 | Shreveport, LA | 183,328 | -1.9% |
| 141 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 181,946 | -0.4% |
| 142 | Chattanooga, TN | 181,896 | -0.2% |
| 143 | Eugene, OR | 180,220 | +0.9% |
| 144 | Aurora, IL | 179,458 | -0.4% |
| 145 | Salem, OR | 178,280 | +1.3% |
| 146 | Ontario, CA | 178,221 | +1.4% |
| 147 | Elk Grove, CA | 178,011 | +0.8% |
| 148 | Santa Rosa, CA | 177,374 | -0.3% |
| 149 | Cary, NC | 176,907 | +1.2% |
| 150 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | 175,309 | +0.4% |
| 151 | Oceanside, CA | 173,046 | -0.6% |
| 152 | Clarksville, TN | 170,879 | +2% |
| 153 | Garden Grove, CA | 170,677 | -0.7% |
| 154 | Lancaster, CA | 170,052 | -1.8% |
| 155 | Pembroke Pines, FL | 169,640 | -0.8% |
| 156 | Fort Collins, CO | 169,303 | -0.4% |
| 157 | Springfield, MO | 169,248 | +0.1% |
| 158 | Palmdale, CA | 165,566 | -2% |
| 159 | Salinas, CA | 162,695 | -0.4% |
| 160 | Corona, CA | 159,226 | +1.1% |
| 161 | Hayward, CA | 158,361 | -2.7% |
| 162 | Paterson, NJ | 158,074 | -0.8% |
| 163 | Lakewood, CO | 157,164 | +0.6% |
| 164 | Killeen, TX | 157,135 | +2.2% |
| 165 | Murfreesboro, TN | 156,433 | +1.7% |
| 166 | Macon, GA | 156,161 | -0.6% |
| 167 | Alexandria, VA | 155,116 | -2.5% |
| 168 | Springfield, MA | 154,922 | -0.2% |
| 169 | Kansas City, KS | 154,842 | -0.9% |
| 170 | Roseville, CA | 152,538 | +2.7% |
| 171 | Hollywood, FL | 152,505 | -0.2% |
| 172 | Sunnyvale, CA | 152,475 | -1.8% |
| 173 | Charleston, SC | 152,328 | +0.7% |
| 174 | Joliet, IL | 150,803 | +0.3% |
| 175 | Escondido, CA | 150,171 | -0.5% |
| 176 | Surprise, AZ | 149,570 | +3.6% |
| 177 | Jackson, MS | 149,528 | -2.3% |
| 178 | Naperville, IL | 149,510 | +0.1% |
| 179 | Bellevue, WA | 149,440 | -1.5% |
| 180 | Pasadena, TX | 148,750 | -1.8% |
| 181 | Bridgeport, CT | 148,162 | +0.3% |
| 182 | Rockford, IL | 147,911 | -0.6% |
| 183 | Mesquite, TX | 147,704 | -1.3% |
| 184 | Denton, TX | 147,288 | +4.4% |
| 185 | Pomona, CA | 147,024 | -2.6% |
| 186 | Savannah, GA | 146,726 | -0.5% |
| 187 | Syracuse, NY | 145,645 | -1.7% |
| 188 | Gainesville, FL | 144,056 | +1.2% |
| 189 | McAllen, TX | 143,739 | +0.9% |
| 190 | Torrance, CA | 143,265 | -2.2% |
| 191 | Olathe, KS | 142,981 | +1% |
| 192 | Thornton, CO | 142,827 | +0.5% |
| 193 | Visalia, CA | 142,777 | +0.7% |
| 194 | Waco, TX | 142,397 | +1.3% |
| 195 | Fullerton, CA | 140,359 | -2.2% |
| 196 | West Valley City, UT | 139,194 | -0.6% |
| 197 | Orange, CA | 138,673 | -0.6% |
| 198 | Warren, MI | 138,355 | -0.6% |
| 199 | Hampton, VA | 137,771 | +0.4% |
| 200 | Cedar Rapids, IA | 137,117 | -0.5% |
| 201 | Pasadena, CA | 137,066 | -1.6% |
| 202 | Stamford, CT | 136,851 | +1% |
| 203 | Dayton, OH | 136,785 | -0.5% |
| 204 | Columbia, SC | 136,059 | +0.1% |
| 205 | Victorville, CA | 136,028 | +1% |
| 206 | Elizabeth, NJ | 135,424 | -0.9% |
| 207 | Miramar, FL | 135,372 | +0.6% |
| 208 | New Haven, CT | 134,118 | +3.7% |
| 209 | Kent, WA | 133,966 | -1% |
| 210 | Carrollton, TX | 133,629 | 0% |
| 211 | Sterling Heights, MI | 133,217 | -0.7% |
| 212 | Coral Springs, FL | 133,133 | -0.8% |
| 213 | Midland, TX | 131,981 | -1% |
| 214 | Fargo, ND | 129,472 | +2.8% |
| 215 | Norman, OK | 129,103 | +0.7% |
| 216 | Santa Clara, CA | 128,641 | 0% |
| 217 | Athens, GA | 127,928 | +0.5% |
| 218 | Pearland, TX | 127,838 | 0% |
| 219 | Columbia, MO | 127,373 | +0.8% |
| 220 | Lewisville, TX | 127,246 | +0.7% |
| 221 | Topeka, KS | 126,179 | -0.2% |
| 222 | Thousand Oaks, CA | 126,120 | -0.5% |
| 223 | Meridian, ID | 125,896 | +5.3% |
| 224 | Abilene, TX | 125,883 | +0.6% |
| 225 | Simi Valley, CA | 125,834 | -0.4% |
| 226 | Allentown, PA | 125,777 | +0.1% |
| 227 | Vallejo, CA | 124,881 | -0.8% |
| 228 | Concord, CA | 124,392 | -0.7% |
| 229 | Round Rock, TX | 124,130 | +3% |
| 230 | Arvada, CO | 123,538 | -0.7% |
| 231 | Clovis, CA | 123,322 | +2.1% |
| 232 | Palm Bay, FL | 122,976 | +2.3% |
| 233 | College Station, TX | 122,619 | +1.5% |
| 234 | Independence, MO | 122,202 | -0.5% |
| 235 | Rochester, MN | 121,808 | +0.2% |
| 236 | Lafayette, LA | 121,536 | +0.1% |
| 237 | Hartford, CT | 120,803 | +0.3% |
| 238 | Fairfield, CA | 120,033 | +0.1% |
| 239 | Ann Arbor, MI | 119,534 | -3.4% |
| 240 | Richardson, TX | 118,127 | -1% |
| 241 | Wilmington, NC | 118,026 | +1.8% |
| 242 | West Palm Beach, FL | 117,964 | +0.4% |
| 243 | Lowell, MA | 117,874 | +1.8% |
| 244 | Billings, MT | 117,751 | +0.5% |
| 245 | North Charleston, SC | 117,663 | +1.8% |
| 246 | Lakeland, FL | 117,420 | +3.1% |
| 247 | Clearwater, FL | 117,079 | -0.1% |
| 248 | West Jordan, UT | 116,588 | -0.4% |
| 249 | Evansville, IN | 116,556 | -0.7% |
| 250 | Broken Arrow, OK | 116,350 | +2.1% |
Other periods
About this ranking
Resident population. Spain and the EU: 1 January, with Spanish figures from the official municipal register (Padrón). Norway: Statistics Norway, 1 January. United States: Census Bureau population estimates for 1 July. United Kingdom regions and local authorities: Office for National Statistics estimates for 30 June. Other countries and the World: World Bank mid-year estimates, which count all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.
The World Bank series exists for every country, so use it (through compare) to rank countries on one basis.
Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.
How to cite
U.S. Census Bureau. Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.Use this data in your AI agent
Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:
Rank US cities by population using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"population","level":"municipality","within":"United States","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=population&level=municipality&within=United%20States&limit=10Questions
Which city has the highest population?
New York, NY, with 8.45 million in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Which city has the lowest population?
Josephine, TX, with 4,569 in 2021.
Where does this ranking come from?
Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals). Retrieved 2026-10-12.