# 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 declared independence 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 (though Philadelphia still had the larger metropolitan population in 1790). 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.
| Rank | City | State | Population | |
| 1 | New York | New York | 33,131 (includes rural areas of Manhattan) | New York has ranked as the city with the highest population in every census count. |
| 2 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 28,522 (excludes urban neighborhoods outside city proper) | Prior to 1854, the City of Philadelphia only governed the oldest parts of the city, now referred to as Center City. |
| 3 | Boston | Massachusetts | 18,320 | Listed as a town in the 1790 census; now a city since 1822 and is the capital of Massachusetts since 1632. |
| 4 | Charleston | South Carolina | 16,359 | |
| 5 | Baltimore | Maryland | 13,503 | Existed as a town during the time; now an independent city. |
| 6 | Northern Liberties District | Pennsylvania | 9,913 | A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. |
| 7 | Salem | Massachusetts | 7,921 | Listed as a town in the 1790 census; now a city. |
| 8 | Newport | Rhode Island | 6,716 | Listed as a town in the 1790 census; now a city. Only appearance in the top 10. |
| 9 | Providence | Rhode Island | 6,380 | Listed as a town in the 1790 census; now a city. |
| 10 | Marblehead | Massachusetts | 5,661 | Still a town. Only appearance in the top 10. |
| 10 | Southwark | Pennsylvania | 5,661 | A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. |
The total population of these 11 cities was 152,087.

## 1800

Rankings based on population data from the second United States census.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 60,514 | |
| 2 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 41,220 | (Present-day Center City.) |
| 3 | Baltimore | Maryland | 26,514 | |
| 4 | Boston | Massachusetts | 24,937 | Listed as a town and still the capital of Massachusetts, would become a city in 1822. |
| 5 | Charleston | South Carolina | 18,824 | |
| 6 | Northern Liberties | Pennsylvania | 10,718 | A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. |
| 7 | Southwark | Pennsylvania | 9,621 | A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. |
| 8 | Salem | Massachusetts | 9,457 | Listed as a town. Today, Salem is a city. |
| 9 | Providence | Rhode Island | 7,614 | Listed as a town. Last appearance in the top 10. |
| 10 | Norfolk | Virginia | 6,926 | Only 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

Rankings based on population data from the third United States census.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 96,373 | |
| 2 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 53,722 | (Present-day Center City.) |
| 3 | Baltimore | Maryland | 46,555 | |
| 4 | Boston | Massachusetts | 33,787 | |
| 5 | Charleston | South Carolina | 24,711 | |
| 6 | Northern Liberties | Pennsylvania | 19,874 | A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. |
| 7 | New Orleans | Territory of Orleans | 17,242 | First entry in the top 10 list not located in one of the original Thirteen Colonies. |
| 8 | Southwark | Pennsylvania | 13,707 | A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. |
| 9 | Salem | Massachusetts | 12,613 | Listed as a town. |
| 10 | Albany | New York | 10,762 | First 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

Rankings based on population data drawn the fourth United States Census.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 123,706 | First city in the US to surpass 100,000. |
| 2 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 63,802 | (Present-day Center City.) |
| 3 | Baltimore | Maryland | 62,738 | |
| 4 | Boston | Massachusetts | 43,298 | |
| 5 | New Orleans | Louisiana | 27,176 | Booming trade post, bought through the Louisiana Purchase. |
| 6 | Charleston | South Carolina | 24,780 | |
| 7 | Northern Liberties | Pennsylvania | 19,678 | A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. |
| 8 | Southwark | Pennsylvania | 14,713 | A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. |
| 9 | Washington | District of Columbia | 13,247 | First 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. |
| 10 | Salem | Massachusetts | 12,731 | Last 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

Rankings based on population data from the fifth United States Census.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 202,300 | First city in the US to surpass 200,000. |
| 2 | Baltimore | Maryland | 80,800 | Baltimore is the second city to rank number two. |
| 3 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 80,462 | (Present-day Center City.) |
| 4 | Boston | Massachusetts | 61,392 | |
| 5 | New Orleans | Louisiana | 46,082 | |
| 6 | Charleston | South Carolina | 30,289 | |
| 7 | Northern Liberties | Pennsylvania | 28,872 | A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. |
| 8 | Cincinnati | Ohio | 24,831 | Listed as a town. First Midwestern city in top 10. |
| 9 | Albany | New York | 24,209 | |
| 10 | Southwark | Pennsylvania | 20,581 | A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. Last appearance in top 10. |
The total population of these 10 cities was 599,927.

## 1840

Rankings based on data drawn from the sixth United States census.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 312,710 | First city in the US to surpass 300,000. |
| 2 | Baltimore | Maryland | 102,313 | Second city in the US, after New York, to surpass 100,000. |
| 3 | New Orleans | Louisiana | 102,193 | New Orleans' rapid growth shows the increasing importance of Mississippi River trade before the advent of the railroad. |
| 4 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 93,665 | (Present-day Center City.) |
| 5 | Boston | Massachusetts | 93,383 | |
| 6 | Cincinnati | Ohio | 46,338 | Listed as a town. |
| 7 | Brooklyn | New York | 36,233 | At this time, Brooklyn was a city. |
| 8 | Northern Liberties | Pennsylvania | 34,474 | A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. Last appearance in top 10. |
| 9 | Albany | New York | 33,721 | |
| 10 | Charleston | South Carolina | 29,261 | Last appearance in top 10. First ever population drop for Charleston. |
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. Rankings based on population data compiled in the seventh United States census.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 515,547 | First city in the US to surpass 400,000 and 500,000. |
| 2 | Baltimore | Maryland | 169,054 | |
| 3 | Boston | Massachusetts | 136,881 | |
| 4 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 121,376 | (Present-day Center City.) |
| 5 | New Orleans | Louisiana | 116,375 | |
| 6 | Cincinnati | Ohio | 115,435 | |
| 7 | Brooklyn | New York | 96,838 | |
| 8 | St. Louis | Missouri | 77,860 | First Top 10 appearance of any city west of the Mississippi River. |
| 9 | Spring Garden | Pennsylvania | 58,894 | Now a neighborhood of Philadelphia. Only appearance in the top 10. Last census where Spring Garden was an independent city. |
| 10 | Albany | New York | 50,763 | Last appearance in top 10. |
The total population of these 10 cities was 1,459,023.

## 1860

Rankings based on data drawn from the eighth United States census, the last national decennial census conducted before the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861. This is the first census where the Northeast does not hold a supermajority of the top ten largest cities.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 813,669 | First city in the US to surpass 600,000, 700,000, and 800,000. |
| 2 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 565,529 | The 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. |
| 3 | Brooklyn | New York | 266,661 | |
| 4 | Baltimore | Maryland | 212,418 | |
| 5 | Boston | Massachusetts | 177,840 | |
| 6 | New Orleans | Louisiana | 168,675 | |
| 7 | Cincinnati | Ohio | 161,044 | |
| 8 | St. Louis | Missouri | 160,773 | |
| 9 | Chicago | Illinois | 112,172 | First 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. |
| 10 | Buffalo | New York | 81,129 | First 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 (briefly returns to 6 in the 1910 census). This is also the first census in which every city in the top 10 has a population of over 100,000.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 942,292 | First city in the US to surpass 900,000. Included present-day Manhattan only. |
| 2 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 674,022 | |
| 3 | Brooklyn | New York | 396,099 | |
| 4 | St. Louis | Missouri | 310,864 | The 1870 St. Louis Census total may have been slightly boosted by fraud. |
| 5 | Chicago | Illinois | 298,977 | Census was taken one year before the Great Chicago Fire, which burned down a large portion of the city. |
| 6 | Baltimore | Maryland | 267,354 | |
| 7 | Boston | Massachusetts | 250,526 | |
| 8 | Cincinnati | Ohio | 216,239 | |
| 9 | New Orleans | Louisiana | 191,418 | |
| 10 | San Francisco | California | 149,473 | First 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 first transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869. |
The total population of these 10 cities was 3,697,264.

## 1880

This was the tenth United States census.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 1,206,299 | First city in the US to reach 1 million+ population milestone. Municipal boundaries encompassed present-day Manhattan and the West Bronx only. |
| 2 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 847,170 | |
| 3 | Brooklyn | New York | 566,663 | |
| 4 | Chicago | Illinois | 503,185 | The Great Chicago Fire destroyed approximately one-third of the city in 1871, yet the city still experienced extreme growth by this census count. |
| 5 | Boston | Massachusetts | 362,839 | |
| 6 | St. Louis | Missouri | 350,518 | The 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. |
| 7 | Baltimore | Maryland | 332,313 | |
| 8 | Cincinnati | Ohio | 255,139 | |
| 9 | San Francisco | California | 233,959 | |
| 10 | New Orleans | Louisiana | 216,090 | Last 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.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 1,515,301 | This is the last census before New York was consolidated into its present-day Five Boroughs municipal arrangement (therefore the figure is that of New York County, which at the time consisted of Manhattan Island and the western part of what later would become The Bronx). |
| 2 | Chicago | Illinois | 1,109,850 | Third city in the US to reach 1 million. Chicago overtakes Philadelphia as the nation's second most populous city shortly after they both pass the 1 million mark. |
| 3 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1,046,964 | Second city in the US to reach 1 million. |
| 4 | Brooklyn | New York | 806,343 | This is the last census where the City of Brooklyn is counted as an independent city. Brooklyn would be politically absorbed into New York City in 1898 and have its population counted as a component of the latter city's figure from the Twelfth census onward. |
| 5 | St. Louis | Missouri | 451,770 | |
| 6 | Boston | Massachusetts | 448,477 | |
| 7 | Baltimore | Maryland | 434,439 | |
| 8 | San Francisco | California | 298,997 | |
| 9 | Cincinnati | Ohio | 296,908 | |
| 10 | Cleveland | Ohio | 261,353 | First appearance in top 10. |
The total population of these 10 cities was 6,660,402.

## 1900

The 1900 census was the twelfth.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 3,437,202 | First city in the US to surpass 3 million residents. This is the first census after the creation of the Five Boroughs. |
| 2 | Chicago | Illinois | 1,698,575 | |
| 3 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1,293,697 | |
| 4 | St. Louis | Missouri | 575,238 | |
| 5 | Boston | Massachusetts | 560,892 | |
| 6 | Baltimore | Maryland | 508,957 | |
| 7 | Cleveland | Ohio | 391,768 | |
| 8 | Buffalo | New York | 352,387 | First appearance since 1860. |
| 9 | San Francisco | California | 342,782 | Last appearance in top 10. Last census before earthquake and fire. |
| 10 | Cincinnati | Ohio | 325,902 | Last appearance in the top 10. |
The total population of these 10 cities was 9,487,400.

## 1910

The 1910 census was the thirteenth.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 4,766,883 | First and only city in the US to surpass 4 million residents. Manhattan reached its historical high of over 2.3 million while Brooklyn had 1,634,351. However, the other three less populated boroughs began to grow rapidly as a result of then-recent transportation improvements, including the expansion of the NYC subway system into the city's formerly rural hinterland and the opening of new East River and Harlem River crossings, which provided a demographic escape valve for Manhattan and Brooklyn's densely populated tenement districts. |
| 2 | Chicago | Illinois | 2,185,283 | Second city in the U.S. to reach 2 million. |
| 3 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1,549,008 | |
| 4 | St. Louis | Missouri | 687,029 | |
| 5 | Boston | Massachusetts | 670,585 | |
| 6 | Cleveland | Ohio | 560,663 | |
| 7 | Baltimore | Maryland | 558,485 | |
| 8 | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | 533,905 | First appearance in top 10. |
| 9 | Detroit | Michigan | 465,766 | First appearance in top 10. |
| 10 | Buffalo | New York | 423,715 | Last 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.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 5,620,048 | First and only city in the US to surpass 5 million residents. Brooklyn passes 2 million with 2,018,356 of this total. |
| 2 | Chicago | Illinois | 2,701,705 | |
| 3 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1,823,779 | |
| 4 | Detroit | Michigan | 993,069 | The rise of the automobile industry in the Detroit area propelled its growth substantially between 1910 and 1920, doubling its population in only 10 years. |
| 5 | Cleveland | Ohio | 796,841 | Only census where Cleveland makes the top 5. |
| 6 | St. Louis | Missouri | 772,897 | |
| 7 | Boston | Massachusetts | 748,060 | |
| 8 | Baltimore | Maryland | 733,826 | |
| 9 | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | 588,343 | |
| 10 | Los Angeles | California | 576,673 | First appearance in top 10. |
The total population of these 10 cities was 15,355,250.

## 1930

The 1930 census was the fifteenth.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 6,930,446 | First and only city in the US to surpass 6 million residents. Brooklyn accounts for 2,560,401 of the total. |
| 2 | Chicago | Illinois | 3,376,438 | Second city in the U.S. to surpass 3 million. |
| 3 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1,950,961 | |
| 4 | Detroit | Michigan | 1,568,662 | Fourth city in the U.S. to surpass 1 million. |
| 5 | Los Angeles | California | 1,238,048 | Fifth city in the U.S. (and first in California) to surpass 1 million. First West Coast city to make the top 5. |
| 6 | Cleveland | Ohio | 900,429 | |
| 7 | St. Louis | Missouri | 821,960 | |
| 8 | Baltimore | Maryland | 804,874 | |
| 9 | Boston | Massachusetts | 781,188 | |
| 10 | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | 669,817 | |
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. This is also the first census in which the total population of the 10 largest cities combined increased by less than 10% from the last census, 10 years ago (<1% per year).
| # | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 7,454,995 | First and only city in the US to surpass 7 million residents. |
| 2 | Chicago | Illinois | 3,396,808 | |
| 3 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1,931,334 | First ever population drop for Philadelphia. |
| 4 | Detroit | Michigan | 1,623,452 | |
| 5 | Los Angeles | California | 1,504,277 | |
| 6 | Cleveland | Ohio | 878,336 | First ever population drop for Cleveland. |
| 7 | Baltimore | Maryland | 859,100 | |
| 8 | St. Louis | Missouri | 816,048 | First ever population drop for St. Louis. |
| 9 | Boston | Massachusetts | 770,816 | First ever population drop for Boston. |
| 10 | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | 671,659 | Last 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, but started a slow decline caused by suburbanization associated with pollution, congestion, and increased crime rates in urban centers, 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. Of the eighteen most populous cities in the 1950 census, fifteen have declined in population as of the 2020 census, with the exceptions of New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Although populations within city limits dropped in many American cities, the metropolitan populations of most cities continued to increase greatly. The 1950 census was the seventeenth.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 7,891,957 | Brooklyn accounts for 2,738,175 of this total and Queens 1,550,849. |
| 2 | Chicago | Illinois | 3,620,962 | Population peaked this census. |
| 3 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 2,071,605 | Population peaked this census. Third city in the U.S. to surpass 2 million. |
| 4 | Los Angeles | California | 1,970,358 | Los Angeles is one of the few cities to have nearly continuous growth since 1950. |
| 5 | Detroit | Michigan | 1,849,568 | Population 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. |
| 6 | Baltimore | Maryland | 949,708 | Population peaked this census. |
| 7 | Cleveland | Ohio | 914,808 | Population peaked this census. |
| 8 | St. Louis | Missouri | 856,796 | Population peaked this census. |
| 9 | Washington | District of Columbia | 802,178 | Population peaked this census. Re-appearance in the top 10 (last in 1820). |
| 10 | Boston | Massachusetts | 801,444 | Population 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 (see also 1980) to show a decline in the combined total population of top ten cities, with 826,495 ( 3.8%) fewer people than the 1950 Census' top ten cities.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 7,781,984 | First ever population drop for New York City. |
| 2 | Chicago | Illinois | 3,550,404 | First ever population drop for Chicago. |
| 3 | Los Angeles | California | 2,479,015 | Los Angeles overtakes Philadelphia to become the nation's third-largest city. Fourth city in the U.S. (and first in California) to surpass 2 million. |
| 4 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 2,002,512 | After 60 years as the nation's third-largest city, Philadelphia drops to the fourth spot on the list. |
| 5 | Detroit | Michigan | 1,670,144 | First ever population drop for Detroit. |
| 6 | Baltimore | Maryland | 939,024 | First ever population drop for Baltimore. |
| 7 | Houston | Texas | 938,219 | First appearance for a Texan city in the top 10. |
| 8 | Cleveland | Ohio | 876,050 | |
| 9 | Washington | District of Columbia | 783,956 | First ever population drop for Washington. |
| 10 | St. Louis | Missouri | 750,026 | Last appearance in the top 10. |
The total population of these 10 cities was 20,982,889.

## 1970

The 1970 census was the nineteenth.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 7,894,862 | |
| 2 | Chicago | Illinois | 3,366,957 | |
| 3 | Los Angeles | California | 2,816,061 | |
| 4 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1,948,609 | |
| 5 | Detroit | Michigan | 1,511,482 | |
| 6 | Houston | Texas | 1,232,802 | Sixth city in the U.S. (and first in the South, or in Texas) to surpass 1 million. |
| 7 | Baltimore | Maryland | 905,759 | |
| 8 | Dallas | Texas | 844,401 | First appearance in the top 10. |
| 9 | Washington | District of Columbia | 756,510 | Last appearance in the top 10. |
| 10 | Cleveland | Ohio | 750,903 | Last 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 population trends of urban decline and suburbanization that started in the 1950s were at their peak. This was the second census (see also 1960) to show a decline in the combined total population of the top ten cities, with 1,142,003 (5.2%) fewer people than the 1970 Census' top ten cities, mostly due to the large drop in population of New York City. 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. The 1980 census was the twentieth.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 7,071,639 | New York City experienced the largest total population drop by a city up to this point in American history, recording 820,000 fewer people in 1980 than ten years before. The city government was crippled by severe financial strains and near bankruptcy as a result of its declining tax base during the 1970s, until being bailed out by the federal government later that decade. |
| 2 | Chicago | Illinois | 3,005,072 | |
| 3 | Los Angeles | California | 2,966,850 | |
| 4 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1,688,210 | |
| 5 | Houston | Texas | 1,595,138 | Houston becomes the first (and to date, the only) Texas city to reach the top 5. |
| 6 | Detroit | Michigan | 1,203,339 | |
| 7 | Dallas | Texas | 904,078 | |
| 8 | San Diego | California | 875,538 | First appearance in the top 10. |
| 9 | Phoenix | Arizona | 789,704 | First appearance in the top 10. First (and to date, the only) city in the Mountain West to reach the top 10. |
| 10 | Baltimore | Maryland | 786,775 | Last 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.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 7,322,564 | New York City gained population during the 1980s after heavy losses in the 1970s. |
| 2 | Los Angeles | California | 3,485,398 | Los Angeles becomes the nation's second largest city in 1982. Third U.S. city (and first on the American West Coast, or in California) to surpass 3 million. |
| 3 | Chicago | Illinois | 2,783,726 | After nearly 100 years as the nation's second largest city, Chicago is surpassed by Los Angeles in 1982 and becomes the third largest city. |
| 4 | Houston | Texas | 1,630,553 | Houston overtakes Philadelphia to become the nation's fourth largest city. |
| 5 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1,585,577 | |
| 6 | San Diego | California | 1,110,549 | Seventh city in the U.S. (and second in California) to surpass 1 million. |
| 7 | Detroit | Michigan | 1,027,974 | Last census to have a population of over 1 million. |
| 8 | Dallas | Texas | 1,006,877 | Eighth city in the U.S. (and second in the South, or in Texas) to surpass 1 million. |
| 9 | Phoenix | Arizona | 992,551 | |
| 10 | San Antonio | Texas | 935,933 | First 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.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 8,008,278 | First and only city in the US to surpass 8 million residents. |
| 2 | Los Angeles | California | 3,694,820 | |
| 3 | Chicago | Illinois | 2,896,016 | Chicago experienced population gain during the 1990s. |
| 4 | Houston | Texas | 1,953,631 | |
| 5 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1,517,550 | |
| 6 | Phoenix | Arizona | 1,321,045 | Ninth city in the U.S. (and first and only in the Mountain West) to surpass 1 million, as well as the only Arizona city and only state capital to do so too. |
| 7 | San Diego | California | 1,223,400 | |
| 8 | Dallas | Texas | 1,188,580 | |
| 9 | San Antonio | Texas | 1,144,646 | 10th city in the U.S. (and third in the South, or in Texas) to surpass 1 million. |
| 10 | Detroit | Michigan | 951,270 | First (and to date, the only) 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. The 2010 census was the twenty-third.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 8,175,133 | |
| 2 | Los Angeles | California | 3,792,621 | |
| 3 | Chicago | Illinois | 2,695,598 | |
| 4 | Houston | Texas | 2,099,451 | Fifth city in the U.S. (and first in the South, or in Texas) to surpass 2 million. |
| 5 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1,526,006 | First population gain since 1950. |
| 6 | Phoenix | Arizona | 1,445,632 | Phoenix briefly experienced population decline during the recession but rebounded slowly. |
| 7 | San Antonio | Texas | 1,327,407 | San Antonio overtakes Dallas as Texas' second-largest city. |
| 8 | San Diego | California | 1,307,402 | |
| 9 | Dallas | Texas | 1,197,816 | |
| 10 | San Jose | California | 945,942 | First appearance in the top 10. |
The total population of these 10 cities was 24,513,008.

## 2020

2020 is the first census in which all ten of the largest cities have populations of over one million. It is also the first census since 1940 in which no cities entered or left the top ten, and the first census since 1950 in which all ten cities gained population. This was the twenty-fourth census.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 8,804,190 | |
| 2 | Los Angeles | California | 3,898,747 | |
| 3 | Chicago | Illinois | 2,746,388 | |
| 4 | Houston | Texas | 2,304,580 | |
| 5 | Phoenix | Arizona | 1,608,139 | Phoenix overtakes Philadelphia as the nation's 5th largest city, and becomes the first city in the Mountain West to reach the top 5. |
| 6 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1,603,797 | For the first time, Philadelphia drops out of the top 5. |
| 7 | San Antonio | Texas | 1,434,625 | |
| 8 | San Diego | California | 1,386,932 | |
| 9 | Dallas | Texas | 1,304,379 | |
| 10 | San Jose | California | 1,013,240 | 11th city in the U.S. (and third in California) to surpass 1 million. |
The total population of these 10 cities was 26,105,017.

## Totals

| Year | Total population | Change |
| 1790 | 152,087 | NA |
| 1800 | 216,346 | 42.25% |
| 1810 | 329,346 | 52.23% |
| 1820 | 405,869 | 23.23% |
| 1830 | 599,927 | 47.81% |
| 1840 | 884,291 | 47.40% |
| 1850 | 1,459,023 | 64.99% |
| 1860 | 2,719,910 | 86.42% |
| 1870 | 3,697,264 | 35.93% |
| 1880 | 4,874,175 | 31.83% |
| 1890 | 6,660,402 | 36.65% |
| 1900 | 9,487,400 | 42.44% |
| 1910 | 12,401,322 | 30.71% |
| 1920 | 15,355,250 | 23.82% |
| 1930 | 19,042,823 | 24.02% |
| 1940 | 19,909,825 | 4.55% |
| 1950 | 21,809,384 | 9.54% |
| 1960 | 20,982,889 | -3.79% |
| 1970 | 22,028,346 | 4.98% |
| 1980 | 20,886,343 | -5.18% |
| 1990 | 21,872,554 | 4.72% |
| 2000 | 23,899,236 | 9.27% |
| 2010 | 24,513,008 | 2.57% |
| 2020 | 26,105,017 | 6.49% |