List of most populous cities in the United States by decade


This list tracks and ranks the population of the top 10 largest cities and other urban places in the United States by decade, as reported by each decennial United States Census, starting with the 1790 Census. For 1790 through 1990, tables are taken from the U.S Census Bureau's "Population of the 100 Largest Cities and Other Urban Places in the United States: 1790 to 1990." For year 2000 rankings, data from the Census Bureau's tally of "Cities with 100,000 or More Population Ranked by Selected Subject" is used. The 2010 rankings are based on the 2010 census results.
The Census Bureau's definition of an "urban place" has included a variety of designations, including city, town, township, village, borough, and municipality. The top 10 urban areas in 1790 consisted of various places designated as cities, towns and townships. The top 10 urban areas in 2010 are all separate incorporated places.
This list generally refers only to the population of individual urban places within their defined limits at the time of the indicated census. Some of these places have since been annexed or merged into other cities. Other places may have expanded their borders due to such annexation or consolidation. For example, after the 1898 consolidation of New York City, the Census Bureau has defined all the boroughs within its city limits as one "urban place". Similarly, Philadelphia's population has included the census counts within both the former urban areas of Northern Liberties, Pennsylvania and Southwark, Pennsylvania ever since Philadelphia's 1854 consolidation.

1790

When the United States first became a sovereign country in 1776, Philadelphia was its most populous city. By the time the first U.S. census count was completed in 1790, New York City had already grown to be 14% more populous than Philadelphia. Note that, in 1790, New York City consisted of the entire island of Manhattan and that Philadelphia only included the most central neighborhoods of the city.
RankCityStatePopulation
1New YorkNew York33,131 New York has ranked as the city with the highest population in every census count.
2PhiladelphiaPennsylvania28,522 Prior to 1854, the City of Philadelphia only governed the oldest parts of the city, now referred to as Center City.
3BostonMassachusetts18,320Listed as a town in the 1790 census; presently a city.
4CharlestonSouth Carolina16,359
5BaltimoreMaryland13,503Existed as a town at the time; now an independent city.
6Northern Liberties DistrictPennsylvania9,913A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854.
7SalemMassachusetts7,921Listed as a town in the 1790 census; presently a city.
8NewportRhode Island6,716Listed as a town in the 1790 census; presently a city. Only appearance in the top 10.
9ProvidenceRhode Island6,380Listed as a town in the 1790 census; presently a city.
10MarbleheadMassachusetts5,661Still a town as of 6/26/2020. Only appearance in the top 10.
10SouthwarkPennsylvania5,661A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854.

The total population of these 11 cities was 152,087.

1800

RankCityStatePopulationNotes
1New YorkNew York60,514
2PhiladelphiaPennsylvania41,220
3BaltimoreMaryland26,514
4BostonMassachusetts24,937Listed as a town.
5CharlestonSouth Carolina18,824
6Northern LibertiesPennsylvania10,718A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854.
7SouthwarkPennsylvania9,621A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854.
8SalemMassachusetts9,457Listed as a town. Today, Salem is a city.
9ProvidenceRhode Island7,614Listed as a town. Last appearance in the top 10.
10NorfolkVirginia6,926Only appearance in the top 10, and only appearance of a city in Virginia in the top 10. Listed as a borough. Now an independent city.

The total population of these 10 cities was 216,346.

1810

RankCityStatePopulationNotes
1New YorkNew York96,373
2PhiladelphiaPennsylvania53,722
3BaltimoreMaryland46,555
4BostonMassachusetts33,787
5CharlestonSouth Carolina24,711
6Northern LibertiesPennsylvania19,874A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854.
7New OrleansTerritory of Orleans17,242First entry in the top 10 list not located in one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
8SouthwarkPennsylvania13,707A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854.
9SalemMassachusetts12,613Listed as a town.
10AlbanyNew York10,762First appearance in the top 10, and first city in Upstate New York to make the top 10.

The total population of these 10 cities was 329,346.

1820

RankCityStatePopulationNotes
1New YorkNew York123,706First city in the US to surpass 100,000.
2PhiladelphiaPennsylvania63,802
3BaltimoreMaryland62,738
4BostonMassachusetts43,298
5New OrleansLouisiana27,176Booming trade post bought through the Louisiana Purchase.
6CharlestonSouth Carolina24,780
7Northern LibertiesPennsylvania19,678A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854.
8SouthwarkPennsylvania14,713A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854.
9WashingtonDistrict of Columbia13,247First appearance of the new capital in the top 10. Would disappear from the list by next census and not reappear on top 10 until 1950.
10SalemMassachusetts12,731Last appearance in the top 10. Listed as a town.

The total population of these 10 cities was 405,869. Last time Massachusetts has two cities in the top ten.

1830

RankCityStatePopulationNotes
1New YorkNew York202,300First city in the US to surpass 200,000.
2BaltimoreMaryland80,800Baltimore is the second city to rank number two.
3PhiladelphiaPennsylvania80,462
4BostonMassachusetts61,392
5Louisiana46,082
6CharlestonSouth Carolina30,289
7Northern LibertiesPennsylvania28,872A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854.
8CincinnatiOhio24,831Listed as a town. First appearance on top 10 from a Midwestern state.
9AlbanyNew York24,209
10SouthwarkPennsylvania20,581A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854.. Last appearance in top 10.

The total population of these 10 cities was 599,927.

1840

RankCityStatePopulationNotes
1New YorkNew York312,710First city in the US to surpass 300,000.
2BaltimoreMaryland102,313Second city in the US, after New York, to surpass 100,000.
3Louisiana102,193New Orleans' rapid growth shows the increasing importance of Mississippi River trade.
4PhiladelphiaPennsylvania93,665
5BostonMassachusetts93,383
6CincinnatiOhio46,338Listed as a town.
7BrooklynNew York36,233At this time, Brooklyn was a city.
8Northern LibertiesPennsylvania34,474A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. Last appearance in top 10.
9AlbanyNew York33,721
10CharlestonSouth Carolina29,261Last appearance in top 10.

The total population of these 10 cities was 884,291.

1850

By 1850, the United States was in the midst of the First Industrial Revolution.
RankCityStatePopulationNotes
1New YorkNew York515,547First city in the US to surpass 500,000.
2BaltimoreMaryland169,054
3BostonMassachusetts136,881
4PhiladelphiaPennsylvania121,376
5Louisiana116,375
6CincinnatiOhio115,435
7BrooklynNew York96,838
8St. LouisMissouri77,860First Top 10 appearance of any city west of the Mississippi River.
9Spring GardenPennsylvania58,894Now a neighborhood of Philadelphia. Only appearance in the top 10. Last census where Spring Garden was an independent city.
10AlbanyNew York50,763Last appearance in top 10.

The total population of these 10 cities was 1,459,023.

1860

1860 was the eve of the American Civil War. This was the eighth United States Census. This is the first census where the Northeast does not hold a supermajority of the top ten largest cities.
RankCityStatePopulationNotes
1New YorkNew York813,669
2PhiladelphiaPennsylvania565,529The large jump in population between the seventh and eighth censuses is due to the 1854 Act of Consolidation, which greatly expanded the City of Philadelphia to be coterminous with Philadelphia County, and abolished all other local governments in the county. The "Philadelphia" prior to 1854 is present-day Center City.
3BrooklynNew York266,661
4BaltimoreMaryland212,418
5BostonMassachusetts177,840
6Louisiana168,675
7CincinnatiOhio161,044
8St. LouisMissouri160,773
9ChicagoIllinois112,172First appearance in top 10. In the previous census, it was the 24th largest American city with a population of 29,963. At one point, Chicago would be the world's fastest growing city.
10BuffaloNew York81,129First appearance in top 10. Would not re-appear until 1900.

The total population of these 10 cities was 2,719,910.

1870

This was the ninth United States Census. This is the first census where the Northeast does not hold a simple majority of the top ten largest cities.
RankCityStatePopulationNotes
1New YorkNew York942,292Included present day Manhattan only.
2PhiladelphiaPennsylvania674,022
3BrooklynNew York396,099
4St. LouisMissouri310,864
The 1870 St. Louis Census total may have been slightly boosted by fraud.
5ChicagoIllinois298,977Census was taken one year before the Great Chicago Fire, which burned down a large portion of the city.
6BaltimoreMaryland267,354
7BostonMassachusetts250,526
8CincinnatiOhio216,239
9New OrleansLouisiana191,418
10San FranciscoCalifornia149,473First West Coast city in top 10. Its population boom began after 1848 with the Gold Rush and continued with silver discoveries such as the Comstock Lode in 1859.

The total population of these 10 cities was 3,697,264.

1880

RankCityStatePopulationNotes
1New YorkNew York1,206,299First city in the US to reach 1 million. Included present day Manhattan and Bronx only.
2PhiladelphiaPennsylvania847,170
3BrooklynNew York566,663
4ChicagoIllinois503,185Great Chicago Fire destroyed approximately one-third of the city in 1871, yet the city still experienced extreme growth by this census count.
5BostonMassachusetts362,839
6St. LouisMissouri350,518The city of St. Louis seceded from St. Louis County in 1876. The population of St. Louis City and St. Louis County during the Census was ~386,000
7BaltimoreMaryland332,313
8CincinnatiOhio255,139
9San FranciscoCalifornia233,959
10New OrleansLouisiana216,090Last appearance in top 10.

The total population of these 10 cities was 4,874,175.

1890

The 1890 Census was the Eleventh. Four Midwest cities occupied the top ten spots, with two cities from Ohio in the top ten for the first time.
RankCityStatePopulationNotes
1New YorkNew York1,515,301This is the last census before New York was consolidated into The Five Boroughs.
2ChicagoIllinois1,109,850Second city in the US to reach 1 million. Chicago overtakes Philadelphia as the nation's second most populous city and likely becomes the second city in the nation to surpass the 1 million mark.
3PhiladelphiaPennsylvania1,046,964Third city in the US to reach 1 million.
4BrooklynNew York806,343This is the last census where the City of Brooklyn is independent. It would be absorbed into New York City.
5St. LouisMissouri451,770
6BostonMassachusetts448,477
7BaltimoreMaryland434,439
8San FranciscoCalifornia298,997
9CincinnatiOhio296,908
10ClevelandOhio261,353First appearance in top 10.

The total population of these 10 cities was 6,660,402.

1900

The 1900 Census was the Twelfth.
RankCityStatePopulationNotes
1New YorkNew York3,437,202First city in the US to surpass 3 million residents. This is the first census after the creation of the Five Boroughs.
2ChicagoIllinois1,698,575
3PhiladelphiaPennsylvania1,293,697
4St. LouisMissouri575,238
5BostonMassachusetts560,892
6BaltimoreMaryland508,957
7ClevelandOhio391,768
8BuffaloNew York352,387First appearance since 1860.
9San FranciscoCalifornia342,782Last appearance in top 10. Last census before earthquake and fire.
10CincinnatiOhio325,902Last appearance in the top 10.

The total population of these 10 cities was 9,487,400.

1910

The 1910 Census was the Thirteenth.
RankCityStatePopulationNotes
1New YorkNew York4,766,883Manhattan reached its historical high of over 2.3 million and Brooklyn had 1,634,351. However, the other three boroughs began to grow rapidly as the Interborough Rapid Transit system expanded. First city to reach 4 million.
2ChicagoIllinois2,185,283Second city in the U.S. to reach 2 million.
3PhiladelphiaPennsylvania1,549,008
4St. LouisMissouri687,029
5BostonMassachusetts670,585
6ClevelandOhio560,663
7BaltimoreMaryland558,485
8PittsburghPennsylvania533,905First appearance in top 10.
9DetroitMichigan465,766First appearance in top 10.
10BuffaloNew York423,715Last appearance in top 10.

The total population of these 10 cities was 12,401,322.

1920

The 1920 Census was the Fourteenth. Only time three midwestern cities occupy the top five.
RankCityStatePopulationNotes
1New YorkNew York5,620,048First and only city in the US to surpass 5 million. Brooklyn passes 2 million with 2,018,356
2ChicagoIllinois2,701,705
3PhiladelphiaPennsylvania1,823,779
4DetroitMichigan993,069The rise of the automobile industry in the Detroit area propelled its growth substantially between 1910 and 1920, doubling its population in only 10 years.
5ClevelandOhio796,841Only census where Cleveland makes the top 5.
6St. LouisMissouri772,897
7BostonMassachusetts748,060
8BaltimoreMaryland733,826
9PittsburghPennsylvania588,343
10Los AngelesCalifornia576,673First appearance in top 10.

The total population of these 10 cities was 15,355,250.

1930

The 1930 Census was the Fifteenth.
RankCityStatePopulationNotes
1New YorkNew York6,930,446First city in the U.S. to surpass 6 million. Brooklyn accounts for 2,560,401 of the total.
2ChicagoIllinois3,376,438Second city in the U.S. to surpass 3 million.
3PhiladelphiaPennsylvania1,950,961
4DetroitMichigan1,568,662Fourth city in the U.S. to surpass 1 million.
5Los AngelesCalifornia1,238,048Fifth city in the U.S. to surpass 1 million. First West Coast city to make the top 5.
6ClevelandOhio900,429
7St. LouisMissouri821,960
8BaltimoreMaryland804,874
9BostonMassachusetts781,188
10PittsburghPennsylvania669,817

The total population of these 10 cities was 19,042,823.

1940

Four of the ten cities here would have their first ever population drop in 1940. Though slight, they would presage a precipitous decline that started in 1950. The 1940 Census was the Sixteenth.
#CityStatePopulationNotes
1New YorkNew York7,454,995First city in the US to surpass 7 million.
2ChicagoIllinois3,396,808
3PhiladelphiaPennsylvania1,931,334First ever population drop for Philadelphia.
4DetroitMichigan1,623,452
5Los AngelesCalifornia1,504,277
6ClevelandOhio878,336First ever population drop for Cleveland.
7BaltimoreMaryland859,100
8St. LouisMissouri816,048First ever population drop for St. Louis.
9BostonMassachusetts770,816First ever population drop for Boston.
10PittsburghPennsylvania671,659Last appearance in top 10.

The total population of these 10 cities was 19,909,825.

1950

1950 was a watershed year for many cities in the United States. Many cities in the country peaked in population, and began a slow decline caused by suburbanization associated with pollution, congestion, and increased crime rates in inner cities, while the improved infrastructure of the Eisenhower Interstate System more easily facilitated car commutes and white flight of the white middle class. The G.I. Bill made available low interest loans for returning World War II veterans seeking more commodious housing in the suburbs. Although populations within city limits dropped in many American cities, the metropolitan populations of most cities continued to increase greatly.
RankCityStatePopulationNotes
1New YorkNew York7,891,957Brooklyn accounts for 2,738,175 of this total and Queens 1,550,849
2ChicagoIllinois3,620,962Population peaked this census.
3PhiladelphiaPennsylvania2,071,605Population peaked this census.
4Los AngelesCalifornia1,970,358Los Angeles is one of the few cities to have nearly continuous growth since 1950.
5DetroitMichigan1,849,568Population peaked this census. To date, Detroit is the only city in the United States to have a population grow beyond 1 million and then fall below that figure.
6BaltimoreMaryland949,708Population peaked this census.
7ClevelandOhio914,808Population peaked this census.
8St. LouisMissouri856,796Population peaked this census.
9WashingtonDistrict of Columbia802,178Population peaked this census. Re-appearance in the top 10.
10BostonMassachusetts801,444Population peaked this census. Last appearance in top 10.

The total population of these 10 cities was 21,809,384.

1960

The 1960 Census was the Eighteenth. This was the first census to show a decline in the combined total population of top ten cities, with 766,495 fewer people than 1950 Census' top ten cities.
RankCityStatePopulationNotes
1New YorkNew York7,781,984First ever population drop for New York City.
2ChicagoIllinois3,550,404First ever population drop for Chicago.
3Los AngelesCalifornia2,479,015Los Angeles overtakes Philadelphia to become the nation's third-largest city.
4PhiladelphiaPennsylvania2,002,512After 60 years as the nation's third-largest city, Philadelphia drops to the fourth spot on the list.
5DetroitMichigan1,670,144First ever population drop for Detroit.
6BaltimoreMaryland939,024First ever population drop for Baltimore.
7HoustonTexas938,219First appearance in the top 10.
8ClevelandOhio876,050
9WashingtonDistrict of Columbia783,956First ever population drop for Washington.
10St. LouisMissouri750,026Last appearance in the top 10.

The total population of these 10 cities was 20,982,889.

1970

The 1970 Census was the Nineteenth.
RankCityStatePopulationNotes
1New YorkNew York7,894,862
2ChicagoIllinois3,366,957
3Los AngelesCalifornia2,816,061
4PhiladelphiaPennsylvania1,948,609
5DetroitMichigan1,511,482
6HoustonTexas1,232,802Sixth city in the U.S. surpass 1 million. First city in the South, or in Texas to surpass 1 million.
7BaltimoreMaryland905,759
8DallasTexas844,401First appearance in the top 10.
9WashingtonDistrict of Columbia756,510Last appearance in the top 10.
10ClevelandOhio750,903Last appearance in the top 10. Cleveland is notably less dense in this census than in 1920.

The total population of these 10 cities was 22,028,346.

1980

By 1980, the trends towards suburbanization started in the 1950s continued. This was the second census to show a decline in the combined total population of the top ten cities, with 1,142,003 fewer people than the 1970 Census' top ten cities. This is the first census in which half of the top ten cities are in the Sun Belt, specifically the West South Central and South Western area of the country.
RankCityStatePopulationNotes
1New YorkNew York7,071,639New York City experiences the largest loss of people within a city in American history when it loses approximately 823,000 people in only a ten-year span. The city government experienced severe financial strains and near bankruptcy during the 1970s, until it was bailed out by the federal government.
2ChicagoIllinois3,005,072
3Los AngelesCalifornia2,966,850
4PhiladelphiaPennsylvania1,688,210
5HoustonTexas1,595,138Houston becomes the first Texas city to reach the top 5.
6DetroitMichigan1,203,339
7DallasTexas904,078
8San DiegoCalifornia875,538First appearance in the top 10.
9PhoenixArizona789,704First appearance in the top 10. First city in the Mountain West to reach the top 10.
10BaltimoreMaryland786,775Last appearance in the top 10.

The total population of these 10 cities was 20,886,343.

1990

The 1990 Census was the Twenty-first. Continued trends of western cities' growth and Northeastern cities' contraction now place a majority of the top ten cities in the western portion of the Sun Belt, a regional concentration not seen since Northeastern cities dominated the top of the first seven censuses.
RankCityStatePopulationNotes
1New YorkNew York7,322,564New York City gained population during the 1980s after heavy losses in the 1970s.
2Los AngelesCalifornia3,485,398Los Angeles becomes the nation's second largest city. Third U.S. city, and first on west coast to surpass 3 million.
3ChicagoIllinois2,783,726After nearly 100 years as the nation's second largest city, Chicago is surpassed by Los Angeles and becomes the third largest city.
4HoustonTexas1,630,553Houston overtakes Philadelphia to become the nation's fourth largest city.
5PhiladelphiaPennsylvania1,585,577
6San DiegoCalifornia1,110,549Second city in California to surpass 1 million.
7DetroitMichigan1,027,974
8DallasTexas1,006,877Second city in Texas to surpass 1 million.
9PhoenixArizona992,551
10San AntonioTexas935,933First appearance in top 10.

The total population of these 10 cities was 21,872,554.

2000

The 2000 Census was the 22nd in U.S. history.
RankCityStatePopulationNotes
1New YorkNew York8,008,278First city in the US to surpass 8 million
2Los AngelesCalifornia3,694,820
3ChicagoIllinois2,896,016Chicago experienced population gain during the 1990s.
4HoustonTexas1,953,631
5PhiladelphiaPennsylvania1,517,550
6PhoenixArizona1,321,045First city in Arizona and only state capital to surpass 1 million.
7San DiegoCalifornia1,223,400
8DallasTexas1,188,580
9San AntonioTexas1,144,646Third city in Texas to surpass 1 million.
10DetroitMichigan951,270First city ever to drop back under 1 million; last appearance in top 10.

The total population of these 10 cities was 23,899,236.

2010

Seven of the country's ten largest cities in 2010 were located in the Sun Belt region of the south and west, all of which have far lower population density than their earlier top-ranking counterparts. A different ranking is evident when considering U.S. metro area populations which count both city and suburban populations.
RankCityStatePopulationNotes
1New YorkNew York8,175,133
2Los AngelesCalifornia3,792,621
3ChicagoIllinois2,695,598
4HoustonTexas2,099,451First city in the South or Texas to surpass 2 million.
5PhiladelphiaPennsylvania1,526,006First population gain since 1950.
6PhoenixArizona1,445,632As of 2017, Phoenix grew greater than Philadelphia making Phoenix #5 and Philadelphia #6.
7San AntonioTexas1,327,407San Antonio's rapid growth causes it to overtake Dallas as Texas' second-largest city.
8San DiegoCalifornia1,307,402
9DallasTexas1,197,816
10San JoseCalifornia945,942First appearance in the top 10.

The total population of these 10 cities was 24,513,008.