Twelve U.S. cities now have more than a million residents, after Jacksonville and Austin passed the mark. New York is still more than twice the size of Los Angeles, but the fastest growth among big cities is in the South: Fort Worth grew almost 12% between 2020 and 2025 and became the 10th-largest city in the country. This page ranks the 30 largest cities using the Census Bureau’s July 2025 estimates, released in May 2026.
The 30 largest U.S. cities
Select a column heading to sort. States with a StatesAtlas guide are linked.
| 1 | New York | New York | 8,584,629 | 8,804,190 | −2.5% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Los Angeles | California | 3,869,089 | 3,898,747 | −0.8% |
| 3 | Chicago | Illinois | 2,731,585 | 2,746,388 | −0.5% |
| 4 | Houston | Texas | 2,397,315 | 2,304,580 | +4.0% |
| 5 | Phoenix | Arizona | 1,665,481 | 1,608,139 | +3.6% |
| 6 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1,574,281 | 1,603,797 | −1.8% |
| 7 | San Antonio | Texas | 1,548,422 | 1,434,625 | +7.9% |
| 8 | San Diego | California | 1,406,106 | 1,386,932 | +1.4% |
| 9 | Dallas | Texas | 1,329,491 | 1,304,379 | +1.9% |
| 10 | Fort Worth | Texas | 1,028,117 | 918,915 | +11.9% |
| 11 | Jacksonville | Florida | 1,017,689 | 949,611 | +7.2% |
| 12 | Austin | Texas | 1,002,632 | 961,855 | +4.2% |
| 13 | San Jose | California | 989,814 | 1,013,240 | −2.3% |
| 14 | Charlotte | North Carolina | 964,784 | 874,579 | +10.3% |
| 15 | Columbus | Ohio | 938,396 | 905,748 | +3.6% |
| 16 | Indianapolis | Indiana | 901,116 | 887,642 | +1.5% |
| 17 | San Francisco | California | 826,079 | 873,965 | −5.5% |
| 18 | Seattle | Washington | 784,777 | 737,015 | +6.5% |
| 19 | Denver | Colorado | 740,613 | 715,522 | +3.5% |
| 20 | Nashville | Tennessee | 721,074 | 689,447 | +4.6% |
| 21 | Oklahoma City | Oklahoma | 719,849 | 681,054 | +5.7% |
| 22 | Washington | District of Columbia | 693,645 | 689,545 | +0.6% |
| 23 | El Paso | Texas | 683,012 | 678,815 | +0.6% |
| 24 | Las Vegas | Nevada | 679,817 | 641,903 | +5.9% |
| 25 | Boston | Massachusetts | 672,973 | 675,647 | −0.4% |
| 26 | Detroit | Michigan | 649,095 | 639,111 | +1.6% |
| 27 | Louisville | Kentucky | 641,962 | 633,045 | +1.4% |
| 28 | Portland | Oregon | 635,109 | 652,503 | −2.7% |
| 29 | Memphis | Tennessee | 609,647 | 633,104 | −3.7% |
| 30 | Baltimore | Maryland | 569,997 | 585,708 | −2.7% |
Population within city limits. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates for cities and towns, released May 14, 2026, and the 2020 Census.
Who is growing and who is shrinking
Fastest growth since 2020
- Fort Worth, Texas: +11.9%, adding more than 19,000 residents in the year to July 2025 alone
- Charlotte, North Carolina: +10.3%
- San Antonio, Texas: +7.9%
- Jacksonville, Florida: +7.2%
- Seattle, Washington: +6.5%
Largest declines since 2020
- San Francisco, California: −5.5%
- Memphis, Tennessee: −3.7%
- Baltimore, Maryland: −2.7%
- Portland, Oregon: −2.7%
- New York, New York: −2.5%
Several cities that lost residents early in the decade, including New York and Chicago, have regained some of them in more recent years. The changes above compare 2025 with the 2020 Census, so they include the pandemic-era losses.
Local taxes in big cities
Where you live inside a state can change your taxes as much as which state you choose. Some large cities levy their own income or wage tax, and local sales taxes vary.
| City | City income or wage tax | Combined sales tax |
|---|---|---|
| New York City | 3.078% to 3.876% for residents, on top of state tax | 8.875% |
| Philadelphia | 3.735% for residents, 3.425% for nonresidents who work there | 8% |
| Pittsburgh | 3% earned income tax for residents | 7% |
| Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin | None, and no state income tax | 8.25% |
| Jacksonville | None, and no state income tax | 7.5% |
Rates in effect in November 2026. See each state’s tax guide for details and sources.
Largest cities by state
Each state guide lists that state’s largest cities:
- California: Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento
- Florida: Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Port St. Lucie
- New York: New York City, Buffalo, Yonkers, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany
- Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Reading, Erie, Scranton
- Texas: Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, El Paso
City limits versus metro areas
These figures count only people living inside each city’s legal boundaries, which vary a lot in size. Jacksonville covers almost all of Duval County, about 750 square miles, while Miami covers about 36 square miles, so Jacksonville ranks far higher by city population even though the Miami metro area is much larger. For comparing regions, metro-area figures are usually more meaningful.
Frequently asked questions
What is the largest city in the United States?
New York City, with an estimated 8,584,629 residents on July 1, 2025, followed by Los Angeles (3,869,089) and Chicago (2,731,585).
How many U.S. cities have more than a million people?
Twelve as of July 2025: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas, Fort Worth, Jacksonville and Austin.
Which big city is growing the fastest?
Among the 30 largest, Fort Worth, Texas, grew the most between 2020 and 2025, by 11.9%.
When are new city population estimates released?
The Census Bureau publishes city and town estimates each May, for July 1 of the previous year. The next release, for July 2026, is expected in May 2027.
Last updated: November 6, 2026.