Largest US Cities by Population 2024

Growth and Density of U.S. Cities

Major Cities and Population Milestones

The United States, which is home to a population of 300 million people, has 9 cities with populations exceeding 1 million. The largest city in the US is New York City, with 8.1M residents. Los Angeles (3.8M) and Chicago (2.6M) follow, and southern cities Houston (2.3M) and Phoenix (1.7M) round out the top five. The 2020 Census revealed 10 US cities with populations exceeding 1 million, but recent population shifts have reduced this number to 9 as San Jose's population has dipped below the million-resident threshold.

As of 2024, there are 350 cities in the US with over 100,000 people. This is an increase from a total of 337 in 2020, and 287 in 2010. Of the 350, California contains the most, with 74 cities, while Texas has 44 and Florida has 30.

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Incorporated Places in the United States

The United States Census Bureau designates populated regions of the country as 'incorporated places.' An incorporated place in the United States includes cities, towns, townships, villages and boroughs. The list above also includes a number of census-designated places (CDPs).

Growth and Decline of U.S. Cities

Among cities with populations exceeding 100,000, Georgetown, Texas experienced the highest growth rate at 9.54%. The fastest growing cities in the US are predominantly found in the south, with notable concentrations in Texas, Florida, and Arizona.

San Francisco, California holds the distinction of being the fastest-shrinking city in the US, with a population decline of -2.54%. Of the cities shrinking by more than 1% per year, a majority of them are located in California.

Population Density of U.S. Cities

Note: Population density is a measure of how many people live in a specific area, usually calculated as the number of people per square mile or square kilometer. A higher population density means more people live close together, while a lower density means people are more spread out.

Of US cities with populations exceeding 100,000 the following have the lowest population densities:

• Anchorage 167
• Suffolk 257
• Buckeye 289

Cities with the highest population density include:

• New York City 26,950
• Jersey City 19,769
• Paterson 18,483