Top 20 Largest Cities In The United States
Want to know the largest cities in the United States? According to the World Population Review, the population of the United States is approximately 330 million people, who live in 50 states, the most populous being California, with almost 40 million inhabitants.
The most populous city in the US is still New York, with more than 8 million people. Want to know which are the 20 largest cities in the United States? Check out:
1. New York (New York): the most populous city
Population: 8,323,338
Area: 778 km²
Demographic density (inhab / km²): 10,699
First on our list of the largest cities in the United States is New York which is located at the edge of the Hudson River, New York is one of the most famous and important cities in the world. A financial center, cultural center, and meeting point for different ethnicities, religions, and lifestyles.
New York is known for its famous skyscrapers, gigantic Central Park, traditional bohemian zones (Greenwich Village), cultural scene (Broadway), and finances (Times Square). Some call the Big Apple the capital of the world.
2. Los Angeles (California)
Population: 4,015,936
Area: 1,215 km²
Demographic density (inhab / km²): 3,306
Situated on a huge plain between the mountains and the Pacific, Los Angeles is a very peculiar city. Starting with the fact that the people who live there depend a lot on the car to move along the city’s highways.
It is also a very uneven city: on the one hand, it is the entertainment capital, where Hollywood stars live; on the other hand, it is one of the cities with the largest number of homeless people in the whole country.
3. Chicago (Illinois)
Population: 2,694,236
Area: 589 km²
Demographic density (inhab / km²): 4,575
The largest metropolis in the Midwest is impressive for its natural beauty (we are talking about Lake Michigan) and for its gigantic skyscrapers it houses some of the largest buildings in the world.
Despite the gigantism, Chicago is the only city on this list that lost a population of -0.12% between 2019 and 2020.
4. Houston (Texas)
Population: 2,340,888
Area: 1,658 km²
Demographic density (inhab / km²): 1,412
Houston is also one of the largest cities in the United States and it is the largest city in the southern US in terms of population and it has huge size. New York, Chicago, and Seattle combined to fit in there! Houston is a city with a young population and is very diverse in ethnic terms: 37% are of Hispanic descent and 17% are African American.
5. Phoenix (Arizona)
Population: 1,703,078
Area: 1,341 km²
Demographic density (inhab / km²): 1,270
Phoenix has a very special look. The city is located in the middle of the Sonora Desert, which stretches from the southwest of the USA to the northwest of Mexico.
Do you know those huge cacti that appear in the drawing of the Road Runner? They are called saguaros and are one of the characteristic elements of the Arizona landscape.
6. Philadelphia (Pennsylvania)
Population: 1,591,800
Area: 348 km²
Demographic density (inhab / km²): 4,577
Do you know where the name Philadelphia comes from? In Greek, it means “brotherly love”. Another thing to note about Philadelphia is that in the last decade of the 18th century it was the capital of the USA.
Another important historical fact: Philadelphia is one of the most important buildings in the USA, Independence Hall, where Independence was declared and the United States Constitution was discussed and approved.
7. San Antonio (Texas)
Population: 1,578,027
Area: 1,256 km²
Demographic density (inhab / km²): 1,256
Located just 240 km from the border with Mexico, San Antonio has very strong marks of Mexican culture. Suffice it to say that the city was once Mexican territory and the majority of its population is of Hispanic descent.
The largest Mexican market outside of Mexico is there: it is Market Square, where tourists can find handicrafts, clothing, and typical foods.
Read Also: The 10 Most Beautiful Cities In The United States
8. San Diego (California)
Population: 1,447,100
Area: 844 km²
Demographic density (inhab / km²): 1,715
Located in Southern California, already close to the border with Mexico, San Diego is a city known for its port (one of the best natural ports in the world), its pleasant climate, and its natural beauty. Just from the beach, it’s 112 km!
9. Dallas (Texas)
Population: 1,382,267
Area: 880 km²
Demographic density (inhab / km²): 1,571
Dallas was once the city of cotton and oil. Today it is a city dedicated to commerce, services, and various industrial activities. Together with Forth Worth, it forms a huge megalopolis, a cultural and economic center in the northern region of the state of Texas.
10. San José (California)
Population: 1,033,673
Area: 461 km²
Demographic density (inhab / km²): 2,245
We just talked about the technological pole which is the 10th largest city in the United States. Now it’s time to talk about the capital of Silicon Valley, a region of the USA that is home to high-tech industries like Apple and Facebook. Hardware manufacturing, and software production – are some of the vocations of the most technological city.
11. Austin (Texas)
Population: 988,218
Area: 829 km²
Demographic density (inhab / km²): 1,193
The state of Texas has large cities. And Austin, the capital, is only the fourth largest. But Austin is not just the state’s political capital. For some years, the city has attracted attention as an important center of technology, housing the headquarters and research centers of important companies in the field.
The technological vocation earned the city the nickname Silicon Hill, a reference to the largest technological pole in the world, located in Silicon Valley.
12. Fort Worth (Texas)
Population: 932,116
Area: 895 km²
Demographic density (inhab / km²): 1,041
A modern city, home to several companies, and one of the best places in the USA to do business. At the same time, Fort Worth thrives on its historic heritage, with museums and historic sites dedicated to the preservation of country culture. There even exists a Cowboy Hall of Fame.
13. Jacksonville (Florida): the largest city in area
Population: 926,371
Area: 1,936 km²
Demographic density (inhab / km²): 479
If the criterion were based on area, Jacksonville would be the largest city on this list. There are 1,936 km² (by way of comparison, the municipality of São Paulo, the largest in Latin America, has an area of just over 1,500 km²).
So much space makes Jacksonville a city with a very low population density – which is great for those who don’t enjoy large agglomerations.
Read Also: The 20 Most Populous Cities In The World
14. Columbus (Ohio)
Population: 922,223
Area: 568 km²
Demographic density (inhab / km²): 1,624
The 2nd most populous city in the Midwest (just behind Chicago), the capital of Ohio is named after America’s “discoverer”, Christopher Columbus.
Currently, in the midst of the revisionist wave that has spread around the world, the name of the city has been the subject of heated discussions. It may be that soon the 14th largest American city will no longer have that name.
15. Charlotte (North Carolina)
Population: 905,318
Area: 796 km²
Demographic density (inhab / km²): 1,138
Another city that is growing at a fast pace is Charlotte, which gained more than 160,000 inhabitants between 2019 and 2020. Its name is due to Queen Charlotte, wife of George III, who occupied the throne of Britain in the late 18th century. Hence the nickname “City of the Queen”.
16. San Francisco (California)
Population: 896,047
Area: 121 km²
Demographic density (inhab / km²): 7,376
San Francisco is famous for its innovative and cosmopolitan character. The city is the cradle of the American counter-culture of the 1960s and the struggle of homosexuals for rights.
It is known for its steep slopes and incredible sights, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, which connects the city to Sausalito, in the metropolitan region.
17. Indianapolis (Indiana)
Population: 875,929
Area: 936 km²
Demographic density (inhab / km²): 935
In addition to the oval circuit where the Indy 500 takes place, the capital of the state of Indiana has many other interesting things.
Like Washington DC, it is a planned city, with great tourist attractions (such as museums and markets) and excellent options for enjoying Midwestern cuisine. In addition, Indianapolis has one of the lowest demographic densities in the United States – which means there is plenty of room there.
18. Seattle (Washington)
Population: 783,137
Area: 217 km²
Demographic density (inhab / km²): 3,606
Seattle is the port of the state of Washington (not to be confused with the capital). It is the commercial and financial center of the Pacific Northwest region.
Among the 20 cities on this list, Seattle is the fastest-growing. The city’s population grew at a rate of more than 28% between 2019 and 2020 and has added more growth in 2021. If it continues to do so, in the coming years it should move higher in positions in this ranking.
19. Denver (Colorado)
Population: 734,134
Area: 397 km²
Demographic density (inhab / km²): 1,849
Located at the foot of the Rockies, Denver has breathtaking scenery, as well as a very characteristic blue sky.
The city is located at more than 1,600 meters above sea level and was founded due to mining activity in the middle of the 19th century. Yes, there was a lot of gold where the city of Denver is today.
20. Washington DC
Population: 720,687
Area: 158 km²
Demographic density (inhab / km²): 4,552
The 20th of the largest cities in the United States is the popular Washington DC, Washington is located in a separate district, called the District of Columbia (DC). It is the capital of the United States and its name is a tribute to the first American president.
