Southern United States
Major cities
Table:
Rank

City

State

Population
(2018 est.)[185]

1

Houston

TX

2,325,502

2

San Antonio

TX

1,532,233

3

Dallas

TX

1,345,047

4

Austin

TX

964,254

5

Jacksonville

FL

903,889

6

Fort Worth

TX

895,008

7

Charlotte

NC

872,498

8

Washington

DC

702,455

9

El Paso

TX

682,669

10

Nashville

TN

669,053

11

Memphis

TN

650,618

12

Oklahoma City

OK

649,021

13

Louisville

KY

620,118

14

Baltimore

MD

602,495

15

Atlanta

GA

498,044

16

Miami

FL

470,914

17

Raleigh

NC

469,298

18

Virginia Beach

VA

450,189

19

Tulsa

OK

400,669

20

Arlington

TX

398,112

Using the tabular data and the context paragraphs listed.

Respond to the question below: What is the nickname of the city ranked # 17 ? Respond with the correct answer (omit explanations) in JSON format as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Base your answer solely on the given information.

Houston ( /ˈhjuːstən/ ( listen ) HEW-stən ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas , fourth most populous city in the United States , most populous city in the Southern United States , as well as the sixth most populous in North America , with an estimated 2018 population of 2,325,502 . Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico , it is the seat of Harris County and the principal city of the Greater Houston metropolitan area , which is the fifth most populous metropolitan statistical area in the United States and the second most populous in Texas after the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex , with a population of 6,997,384 in 2018 . Comprising a total area of 637.4 square miles ( 1,651 km2 ) , Houston is the eighth most expansive city in the United States ( including consolidated city-counties ) . It is the largest city in the United States by total area , whose government is not consolidated with that of a county , parish or borough . Though primarily in Harris County , small portions of the city extend into Fort Bend and Montgomery counties , bordering other principal communities of Greater Houston such as Sugar Land and The Woodlands . The city of Houston was founded by land investors on August 30 , 1836 , at the confluence of Buffalo Bayou and White Oak Bayou ( a point now known as Allen 's Landing ) and incorporated as a city on June 5 , 1837 . The city is named after former General Sam Houston , who was president of the Republic of Texas and had won Texas ' independence from Mexico at the Battle of San Jacinto 25 miles ( 40 km ) east of Allen 's Landing . After briefly serving as the capital of the Texas Republic in the late 1830s , Houston grew steadily into a regional trading center for the remainder of the 19th century . The arrival of the 20th century saw a convergence of economic factors which fueled rapid growth in Houston , including a burgeoning port and railroad industry , the decline of Galveston as Texas ' primary port following a devastating 1900 hurricane , the subsequent construction of the Houston Ship Channel , and the Texas oil boom . In the mid-20th century , Houston 's economy diversified as it became home to the Texas Medical Center - the world 's largest concentration of healthcare and research institutions - and NASA 's Johnson Space Center , where the Mission Control Center is located . Houston 's economy since the late 19th century has a broad industrial base in energy , manufacturing , aeronautics , and transportation . Leading in healthcare sectors and building oilfield equipment , Houston has the second most Fortune 500 headquarters of any U.S. municipality within its city limits ( after New York City ) .
Texas ( /ˈtɛksəs/ , locally /ˈtɛksɪz/ ; Spanish : Texas or Tejas , pronounced [ ˈtexas ] ( listen ) ) is the second largest state in the United States by area ( after Alaska ) and population ( after California ) . Located in the South Central region , Texas shares borders with the states of Louisiana to the east , Arkansas to the northeast , Oklahoma to the north , New Mexico to the west , and the Mexican states of Chihuahua , Coahuila , Nuevo León , and Tamaulipas to the southwest , and has a coastline with the Gulf of Mexico to the southeast . Houston is the most populous city in Texas and the fourth largest in the U.S. , while San Antonio is the second-most populous in the state and seventh largest in the U.S. Dallas-Fort Worth and Greater Houston are the fourth and fifth largest metropolitan statistical areas in the country , respectively . Other major cities include Austin , the second-most populous state capital in the U.S. , and El Paso . Texas is nicknamed the Lone Star State for its former status as an independent republic , and as a reminder of the state 's struggle for independence from Mexico . The Lone Star can be found on the Texas state flag and on the Texas state seal . The origin of Texas 's name is from the word taysha , which means friends in the Caddo language . Due to its size and geologic features such as the Balcones Fault , Texas contains diverse landscapes common to both the U.S. Southern and Southwestern regions . Although Texas is popularly associated with the U.S. southwestern deserts , less than 10% of Texas 's land area is desert . Most of the population centers are in areas of former prairies , grasslands , forests , and the coastline . Traveling from east to west , one can observe terrain that ranges from coastal swamps and piney woods , to rolling plains and rugged hills , and finally the desert and mountains of the Big Bend . The term six flags over Texas [ note 1 ] refers to several nations that have ruled over the territory .
San Antonio ( /ˌsæn ænˈtoʊnioʊ/ ; from Spanish , Saint Anthony , Spanish pronunciation : [ sa.n‿anˈto.njo ] ) , officially the City of San Antonio , is the seventh-most populous city in the United States , and the second-most populous city in both Texas and the Southern United States , with more than 1.5 million residents . Founded as a Spanish mission and colonial outpost in 1718 , the city became the first chartered civil settlement in present-day Texas in 1731 . The area was still part of the Spanish Empire , and later of the Mexican Republic . It is the state 's oldest municipality , having celebrated its 300th anniversary on May 1 , 2018 . The city 's deep history is contrasted with its rapid growth over the past few decades . It was the fastest-growing of the top ten largest cities in the United States from 2000 to 2010 , and the second from 1990 to 2000 . Straddling the regional divide between South and Central Texas , San Antonio anchors the southwestern corner of an urban megaregion colloquially known as the Texas Triangle . The Greater San Antonio and Greater Austin areas are separated from each other by 80 miles along Interstate 35 between which lie the city of New Braunfels , Texas . San Antonio serves as the seat of Bexar County ; San Antonio is the center of the San Antonio-New Braunfels metropolitan statistical area . Commonly called Greater San Antonio , the metro area has a population of 2,473,974 based on the 2017 U.S. census estimate , making it the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the United States and third-largest in Texas . San Antonio was named by a 1691 Spanish expedition for Saint Anthony of Padua , whose feast day is June 13 . The city contains five 18th-century Spanish frontier missions , including The Alamo and San Antonio Missions National Historical Park , which together were designated UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2015 .
Dallas ( /ˈdæləs/ ) is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the largest city and seat of Dallas County , with portions extending into Collin , Denton , Kaufman and Rockwall counties . With an estimated 2018 population of 1,345,076 , it is the ninth most-populous city in the U.S. and third in Texas after Houston and San Antonio . Located in North Texas , the city of Dallas is the main core of the largest metropolitan area in the Southern United States and the largest inland metropolitan area in the U.S. that lacks any navigable link to the sea . [ a ] It is the most populous city in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex , the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country at 7.5 million people . Dallas and nearby Fort Worth were initially developed due to the construction of major railroad lines through the area allowing access to cotton , cattle and later oil in North and East Texas . The construction of the Interstate Highway System reinforced Dallas 's prominence as a transportation hub , with four major interstate highways converging in the city and a fifth interstate loop around it . Dallas then developed as a strong industrial and financial center and a major inland port , due to the convergence of major railroad lines , interstate highways and the construction of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport , one of the largest and busiest airports in the world . In addition , Dallas has DART ( Dallas Area Rapid Transit ) with different colored train lines that transport throughout the metroplex . Dominant sectors of its diverse economy include defense , financial services , information technology , telecommunications , and transportation . Dallas is home to 9 Fortune 500 companies within the city limits . The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex hosts additional Fortune 500 companies , including American Airlines ( Fort Worth ) and ExxonMobil ( Irving ) . Over 41 colleges and universities are located within its metropolitan area , which is the most of any metropolitan area in Texas .
Austin ( UK : /ˈɒstɪn , ˈɔːstɪn/ , US : /ˈɔːstən/ ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas , as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County , with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties . It is the 11th-most populous city in the United States , the fourth-most-populous city in Texas , and the second-most-populous state capital city ( after Phoenix , Arizona ) . It is also the fastest growing large city in the United States and the southernmost state capital in the contiguous United States . As of the U.S. Census Bureau 's July 1 , 2018 estimate , Austin had a population of 964,254 , up from 790,491 at the 2010 census . The city is the cultural and economic center of the Austin-Round Rock metropolitan statistical area , which had an estimated population of 2,168,316 as of July 1 , 2018 [ update ] . Located in Central Texas within the greater Texas Hill Country , it is home to numerous lakes , rivers , and waterways , including Lady Bird Lake and Lake Travis on the Colorado River , Barton Springs , McKinney Falls , and Lake Walter E. Long . U.S. News & World Report named Austin the No . 1 place to live in the U.S. for 2017 and 2018 . In 2016 , Forbes ranked Austin No . 1 on its Cities of the Future list , then in 2017 placed the city at that same position on its list for the Next Biggest Boom Town in the U.S. Also in 2017 , Forbes awarded the South River City neighborhood of Austin its # 2 ranking for Best Cities and Neighborhoods for Millennials . WalletHub named Austin the # 6 best place in the country to live for 2017 . The FBI ranked Austin as the # 2 safest major city in the U.S. for 2012 .
Jacksonville is the most populous city in Florida as well as the southeastern United States , and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States . It is the seat of Duval County , with which the city government consolidated in 1968 . Consolidation gave Jacksonville its great size and placed most of its metropolitan population within the city limits . As of 2018 , Jacksonville 's population was estimated to be 903,889 . The Jacksonville metropolitan area has a population of 1,523,615 and is the fourth largest metropolitan area in Florida . Jacksonville is centered on the banks of the St. Johns River in the First Coast region of northeast Florida , about 25 miles ( 40 km ) south of the Georgia state line and 328 miles ( 528 km ) north of Miami . The Jacksonville Beaches communities are along the adjacent Atlantic coast . The area was originally inhabited by the Timucua people , and in 1564 was the site of the French colony of Fort Caroline , one of the earliest European settlements in what is now the continental United States . Under British rule , a settlement grew at the narrow point in the river where cattle crossed , known as Wacca Pilatka to the Seminole and the Cow Ford to the British . A platted town was established there in 1822 , a year after the United States gained Florida from Spain ; it was named after Andrew Jackson , the first military governor of the Florida Territory and seventh President of the United States . Harbor improvements since the late 19th century have made Jacksonville a major military and civilian deep-water port . Its riverine location facilitates Naval Station Mayport , Naval Air Station Jacksonville , the U.S. Marine Corps Blount Island Command , and the Port of Jacksonville , Florida 's third largest seaport .
Florida ( /ˈflɒrɪdə/ ( listen ) , Spanish pronunciation : [ floˈɾiða ] ) is the southernmost contiguous state in the United States . The state is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico , to the northwest by Alabama , to the north by Georgia , to the east by the Atlantic Ocean , and to the south by the Straits of Florida . Florida is the 22nd-most extensive ( 65,755 sq mi or 170,300 km2 ) , the 3rd-most populous ( 21,477,737 inhabitants ) , and the 8th-most densely populated ( 384.3/sq mi or 148.4/km2 ) of the U.S. states . Jacksonville is the most populous municipality in the state and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States . The Miami metropolitan area is Florida 's most populous urban area , with its capital being Tallahassee . Florida 's $ 1.0 trillion economy is the fourth largest in the United States . If it were a country , Florida would be the 16th largest economy in the world , and the 58th most populous as of 2018 [ update ] . In 2017 , Florida 's per capita personal income was $ 47,684 , ranking 26th in the nation . The unemployment rate in September 2018 was 3.5% and ranked as the 18th in the United States . Florida exports nearly $ 55 billion in goods made in the state , the 8th highest among all states . The Miami Metropolitan Area is by far the largest urban economy in Florida and the 12th largest in the United States with a GDP of $ 345 billion as of 2017 [ update ] . This is more than twice the number of the next metro area , the Tampa Bay Area , which has a GDP of $ 145 billion .
Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States . It is the county seat of Tarrant County , covering nearly 350 square miles ( 910 km2 ) into three other counties : Denton , Parker , and Wise . According to the 2018 census estimates , Fort Worth 's population was 898,919 . Fort Worth is the second-largest city in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area , which is the 4th most populous metropolitan area in the United States . The city of Fort Worth was established in 1849 as an army outpost on a bluff overlooking the Trinity River . Fort Worth has historically been a center of the longhorn cattle trade . It still embraces its Western heritage and traditional architecture and design . USS Fort Worth ( LCS-3 ) is the first ship of the United States Navy named after the city . Fort Worth is home to the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and several world-class museums designed by internationally known contemporary architects . The Kimbell Art Museum , considered to have one of the best art collections in Texas , is housed in what is widely regarded as one of the outstanding architectural achievements of the modern era . The museum was designed by the American architect Louis Kahn , with an addition designed by world-renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano opening November 2013 . Also of note is the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth , designed by Tadao Ando .
Charlotte ( /ˈʃɑːrlət/ ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina . Located in the Piedmont , it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County . In 2018 , the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population was 872,498 , making it the 16th-most populous city in the United States . The city is the cultural , economic , and transportation center of the Charlotte metropolitan area , whose population ranks 23rd in the U.S. , and had a population of 2,569,213 , in 2018 . The Charlotte metropolitan area is part of a sixteen-county market region or combined statistical area with a 2018 census-estimated population of 2,728,933 . Between 2004 and 2014 , Charlotte was ranked as the country 's fastest-growing metro area , with 888,000 new residents . Based on U.S. Census data from 2005 to 2015 , Charlotte tops the U.S. in millennial population growth . It is the second-largest city in the southeastern United States , just behind Jacksonville , Florida . It is the third-fastest-growing major city in the United States . It is listed as a gamma global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network . Residents are referred to as Charlotteans . Charlotte is home to the corporate headquarters of Bank of America , Truist Financial , and the east coast operations of Wells Fargo , which along with other financial institutions has made it the second-largest banking center in the United States since 1995 .
North Carolina ( /ˌkærəˈlaɪnə/ ( listen ) ) is a U.S. state located in the southeastern region of the United States . North Carolina is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the 50 United States . It is bordered by Virginia to the north , the Atlantic Ocean to the east , Georgia and South Carolina to the south , and Tennessee to the west . Raleigh is the state 's capital and Charlotte is its largest city . The Charlotte metropolitan area , with an estimated population of 2,569,213 in 2018 , is the most populous metropolitan area in North Carolina , the 23rd-most populous in the United States , and the largest banking center in the nation after New York City . The Raleigh metropolitan area is the second-largest metropolitan area in the state , with an estimated population of 1,362,540 in 2018 , and is home to the largest research park in the United States , Research Triangle Park . North Carolina was established as a royal colony in 1729 and is one of the original Thirteen Colonies . North Carolina is named in honor of King Charles I of England who first formed the English colony , with Carolus being Latin for Charles . On November 21 , 1789 , North Carolina became the 12th state to ratify the United States Constitution . In the run-up to the American Civil War , North Carolina declared its secession from the Union on May 20 , 1861 , becoming the last of eleven states to join the Confederate States . Following the Civil War , the state was restored to the Union on June 25 , 1868 . On December 17 , 1903 , Orville and Wilbur Wright successfully piloted the world 's first controlled , sustained flight of a powered , heavier-than-air aircraft at Kill Devil Hills in North Carolina 's Outer Banks .
Washington , D.C. , ( /ˈwɑːʃɪŋtən ˌdiːˈsiː/ ) formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as D.C. , Washington , or The District , is the capital of the United States . Founded after the American Revolution as the seat of government of the newly independent country , Washington was named after George Washington , the first president of the United States and a Founding Father . As the seat of the United States federal government and several international organizations , Washington is an important world political capital . The city , located on the Potomac River bordering Maryland and Virginia , is one of the most visited cities in the world , with more than 20 million tourists annually . The signing of the Residence Act on July 16 , 1790 , approved the creation of a capital district located along the Potomac River on the country 's East Coast . The U.S. Constitution provided for a federal district under the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. Congress , and the District is therefore not a part of any U.S. state . The states of Maryland and Virginia each donated land to form the federal district , which included the pre-existing settlements of Georgetown and Alexandria . The City of Washington was founded in 1791 to serve as the new national capital . In 1846 , Congress returned the land originally ceded by Virginia , including the city of Alexandria ; in 1871 , it created a single municipal government for the remaining portion of the District . Washington had an estimated population of 702,455 as of July 2018 [ update ] , making it the 20th most populous city in the United States . Commuters from the surrounding Maryland and Virginia suburbs raise the city 's daytime population to more than one million during the workweek . Washington 's metropolitan area , the country 's sixth largest ( including parts of Maryland , Virginia and West Virginia ) , had a 2017 estimated population of 6.2 million residents .
El Paso ( /ɛl ˈpæsoʊ/ ; from Spanish , the pass ) is a city and the county seat of El Paso County , Texas , United States , in the far western part of the state . The 2018 population estimate for the city from the U.S. Census was 682,669 , making it the 22nd largest city in the United States . Its metropolitan statistical area ( MSA ) covers all of El Paso and Hudspeth counties in Texas , and has a population of 840,758 . El Paso stands on the Rio Grande across the Mexico-United States border from Ciudad Juárez , the most populous city in the Mexican state of Chihuahua with 1.4 million people . Las Cruces , in the neighboring U.S. state of New Mexico , has a population of 215,579 . On the U.S. side , the El Paso metropolitan area forms part of the larger El Paso-Las Cruces CSA , with a population of 1,060,397 . Bi-nationally , these three cities form a combined international metropolitan area sometimes referred to as the Paso del Norte or the Borderplex . The region of 2.5 million people constitutes the largest bilingual and binational work force in the Western Hemisphere . The city is home to three publicly traded companies , and former Western Refining , now Andeavor . as well as home to the Medical Center of the Americas , the only medical research and care provider complex in West Texas and Southern New Mexico , and the University of Texas at El Paso , the city 's primary university . The city hosts the annual Sun Bowl college football post-season game , the second oldest bowl game in the country . El Paso has a strong federal and military presence .
Nashville is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Tennessee . The city is the county seat of Davidson County and is located on the Cumberland River . The city 's population ranks 24th in the U.S. Named for Francis Nash , a general of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War , the city was founded in 1779 . The city grew quickly due to its strategic location as a port on the Cumberland River and , in the 19th century , a railroad center . Nashville seceded with Tennessee during the American Civil War ; in 1862 it was the first state capital in the Confederacy to fall to Union troops . After the war , the city reclaimed its position and developed a manufacturing base . Since 1963 , Nashville has had a consolidated city-county government , which includes six smaller municipalities in a two-tier system . The city is governed by a mayor , a vice-mayor , and a 40-member metropolitan council ; 35 of the members are elected from single-member districts , while the other five are elected at-large . Reflecting the city 's position in state government , Nashville is home to the Tennessee Supreme Court 's courthouse for Middle Tennessee , one of the three divisions . Nashville is a center for the music , healthcare , publishing , private prison , banking , and transportation industries . It is home to numerous colleges and universities , such as Tennessee State University , Vanderbilt University , Belmont University , Fisk University , Trevecca Nazarene University , and Lipscomb University . Entities with headquarters in the city include Asurion , Bridgestone Americas , Captain D 's , CoreCivic , Dollar General , Hospital Corporation of America , LifeWay Christian Resources , Logan 's Roadhouse , and Ryman Hospitality Properties .
Tennessee ( /ˌtɛnəˈsiː/ ( listen ) , locally /ˈtɛnəsi/ ; Cherokee : ᏔᎾᏏ , romanized : Tanasi ) is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States . Tennessee is the 36th largest and the 16th most populous of the 50 United States . Tennessee is bordered by eight states , with Kentucky to the north , Virginia to the northeast , North Carolina to the east , Georgia , Alabama , and Mississippi to the south , Arkansas to the west , and Missouri to the northwest . The Appalachian Mountains dominate the eastern part of the state , and the Mississippi River forms the state 's western border . Nashville is the state 's capital and largest city , with a 2017 population of 667,560 and a 2017 metro population of 1,903,045 . Tennessee 's second largest city is Memphis , which had a population of 652,236 in 2017 . The state of Tennessee is rooted in the Watauga Association , a 1772 frontier pact generally regarded as the first constitutional government west of the Appalachians . What is now Tennessee was initially part of North Carolina , and later part of the Southwest Territory . Tennessee was admitted to the Union as the 16th state on June 1 , 1796 . Tennessee was the last state to leave the Union and join the Confederacy at the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861 . Occupied by Union forces from 1862 , it was the first state to be readmitted to the Union at the end of the war . Tennessee furnished more soldiers for the Confederate Army than any other state besides Virginia , and more soldiers for the Union Army than the rest of the Confederacy combined .
Memphis is a city located along the Mississippi River in southwestern Shelby County , Tennessee , United States . The 2018 city population was 650,618 , making Memphis the largest city on the Mississippi River , the second most populous city in Tennessee , as well as the 26th largest city in the United States . Greater Memphis is the 42nd largest metropolitan area in the United States , with a population of 1,348,260 in 2017 . The city is the anchor of West Tennessee and the greater Mid-South region , which includes portions of neighboring Arkansas and Mississippi . Memphis is the seat of Shelby County , the most populous county in Tennessee . As one of the more historic and culturally significant cities of the southern United States , the city features a wide variety of landscapes and distinct neighborhoods . The first European explorer to visit the area of present-day Memphis was Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto in 1541 with his expedition into the New World . The high Chickasaw Bluffs protecting the location from the waters of the Mississippi would then be contested between the Spanish , French , and the English as Memphis took shape . Modern Memphis was founded in 1819 by three prominent Americans : John Overton , James Winchester , and future president Andrew Jackson . Memphis grew into one of the largest cities of the Antebellum South as a market for agricultural goods , natural resources like lumber , and the American slave trade . After the American Civil War and the end of slavery , the city experienced even faster growth into the 20th century as it became among the largest world markets for cotton and lumber . Home to Tennessee 's largest African-American population , Memphis played a prominent role in the American civil rights movement and was the site of Dr. Martin Luther King , Jr. 's 1968 assassination .
Oklahoma City ( /oʊkləˌhoʊmə -/ ) , often shortened to OKC , is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma . The county seat of Oklahoma County , the city ranks 27th among United States cities in population . The population grew following the 2010 Census , with the population estimated to have increased to 649,021 as of July 2018 . The Oklahoma City metropolitan area had a population of 1,396,445 , and the Oklahoma City-Shawnee Combined Statistical Area had a population of 1,469,124 residents , making it Oklahoma 's largest municipality and metropolitan area by population . Oklahoma City 's city limits extend somewhat into Canadian , Cleveland , and Pottawatomie counties , though much of those areas outside the core Oklahoma County area are suburban tracts or protected rural zones ( watershed ) . The city ranks as the eighth-largest city in the United States by total area when including consolidated city-counties ; it is the second largest city in the United States by total area , following Houston , when not including consolidated cities . Lying in the Great Plains region , Oklahoma City has one of the world 's largest livestock markets . Oil , natural gas , petroleum products and related industries are the largest sector of the local economy . The city is in the middle of an active oil field and oil derricks dot the capitol grounds . The federal government employs large numbers of workers at Tinker Air Force Base and the United States Department of Transportation 's Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center ( these two sites house several offices of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Department 's Enterprise Service Center , respectively ) . Oklahoma City is on the I-35 Corridor , which is one of the primary travel corridors south into neighboring Texas and Mexico and north towards Wichita and Kansas City . Located in the state 's Frontier Country region , the city 's northeast section lies in an ecological region known as the Cross Timbers .
Oklahoma ( /ˌoʊkləˈhoʊmə/ ( listen ) ; Cherokee : ᎣᎦᎳᎰᎹ , ogalahoma ; Choctaw : Oklahumma ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States , bordered by the state of Texas on the south and west , Kansas on the north , Missouri on the northeast , Arkansas on the east , New Mexico on the west , and Colorado on the northwest . It is the 20th-most extensive and the 28th-most populous of the 50 United States . Its residents are known as Oklahomans ( or colloquially , Okies ) , and its capital and largest city is Oklahoma City . The state 's name is derived from the Choctaw words okla and humma , meaning red people . It is also known informally by its nickname , The Sooner State , in reference to the non-Native settlers who staked their claims on land before the official opening date of lands in the western Oklahoma Territory or before the Indian Appropriations Act of 1889 , which increased European-American settlement in the eastern Indian Territory . Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory were merged into the State of Oklahoma when it became the 46th state to enter the union on November 16 , 1907 . With ancient mountain ranges , prairie , mesas , and eastern forests , most of Oklahoma lies in the Great Plains , Cross Timbers , and the U.S . Interior Highlands , all regions prone to severe weather . Oklahoma is on a confluence of three major American cultural regions and historically served as a route for cattle drives , a destination for Southern settlers , and a government-sanctioned territory for Native Americans . More than 25 Native American languages are spoken in Oklahoma . A major producer of natural gas , oil , and agricultural products , Oklahoma relies on an economic base of aviation , energy , telecommunications , and biotechnology . Both Oklahoma City and Tulsa serve as Oklahoma 's primary economic anchors , with nearly two-thirds of Oklahomans living within their metropolitan statistical areas .
Louisville ( US : /ˈluːəvəl/ ( listen ) LOO-ə-vəl , /ˈluːivɪl/ ( listen ) LOO-ee-vil , /ˈlʊvəl/ ( listen ) LUUV-əl , UK : /ˈluːivɪl/ ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 29th most-populous city in the United States . [ d ] It is one of two cities in Kentucky designated as first-class , the other being Lexington , the state 's second-largest city . [ e ] Louisville is the historical seat and , since 2003 , the nominal seat of Jefferson County , on the Indiana border . Named after King Louis XVI of France , Louisville was founded in 1778 by George Rogers Clark , making it one of the oldest cities west of the Appalachians . With nearby Falls of the Ohio as the only major obstruction to river traffic between the upper Ohio River and the Gulf of Mexico , the settlement first grew as a portage site . It was the founding city of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad , which grew into a 6,000-mile ( 9,700 km ) system across 13 states . Today , the city is known as the home of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali , the Kentucky Derby , Kentucky Fried Chicken ( KFC ) , the University of Louisville and its Cardinals , Louisville Slugger baseball bats , and three of Kentucky 's six Fortune 500 companies : Humana , Kindred Healthcare , and Yum ! Brands . Muhammad Ali International Airport , Louisville 's main commercial airport , hosts UPS 's worldwide hub . Since 2003 , Louisville 's borders have been the same as those of Jefferson County , after a city-county merger . The official name of this consolidated city-county government is the Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government , abbreviated to Louisville Metro . Despite the merger and renaming , the term Jefferson County continues to be used in some contexts in reference to Louisville Metro , particularly including the incorporated cities outside the balance which make up Louisville proper .
Kentucky ( UK : /kɛnˈtʌki/ ken-TUK-ee , US : /kən-/ ( listen ) kən- ) , officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky , is a state located in the Southern United States . Although styled as the State of Kentucky in the law creating it , ( because in Kentucky 's first constitution , the term state was used ) , Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth ( the others being Virginia , Pennsylvania , and Massachusetts ) . Originally a part of Virginia , in 1792 Kentucky split from it and became the 15th state to join the Union . Kentucky is the 37th most extensive and the 26th most populous of the 50 United States . Kentucky is known as the Bluegrass State , a nickname based on the bluegrass , a species of grass found in many of its pastures . One of the major regions in Kentucky is the Bluegrass Region in central Kentucky , which houses its two largest cities , Louisville and Lexington . It is a land with diverse environments and abundant resources , including the world 's longest cave system , Mammoth Cave National Park , one of the greatest lengths of navigable waterways and streams in the contiguous United States , and the two largest man-made lakes east of the Mississippi River . Kentucky is also known for horse racing , bourbon , moonshine , coal , My Old Kentucky Home historic state park , automobile manufacturing , tobacco , bluegrass music , college basketball , Kentucky Fried Chicken , and the Kentucky colonel .
Baltimore ( /ˈbɔːltɪmɔːr/ BAWL-tim-or , locally : /ˈbɔːlmər/ ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland , as well as the 30th most populous city in the United States , with a population of 602,495 in 2018 and also the largest such independent city in the country . Baltimore was established by the Constitution of Maryland as an independent city in 1729 . As of 2017 , the population of the Baltimore metropolitan area was estimated to be just under 2.802 million , making it the 21st largest metropolitan area in the country . Baltimore is located about 40 miles ( 64 km ) northeast of Washington , D.C. , making it a principal city in the Washington-Baltimore combined statistical area ( CSA ) , the fourth-largest CSA in the nation , with a calculated 2018 population of 9,797,063 . The city 's Inner Harbor was once the second leading port of entry for immigrants to the United States . In addition , Baltimore was a major manufacturing center . After a decline in major manufacturing , heavy industry , and restructuring of the rail industry , Baltimore has shifted to a service-oriented economy . Johns Hopkins Hospital ( founded 1889 ) and Johns Hopkins University ( founded 1876 ) are the city 's top two employers . With hundreds of identified districts , Baltimore has been dubbed a city of neighborhoods . Famous residents have included writers Edgar Allan Poe , Edith Hamilton , Frederick Douglass , W.E.B . Du Bois , Ogden Nash , Gertrude Stein , F. Scott Fitzgerald , Dashiell Hammett , Upton Sinclair , Tom Clancy , Ta-Nehisi Coates , and H. L. Mencken ; musicians James Eubie Blake , Billie Holiday , Cab Calloway , Tori Amos , Frank Zappa , Tupac Shakur , Dan Deacon , Robbie Basho , Bill Frisell , Philip Glass , Cass Elliot , and Ric Ocasek ; actors and filmmakers John Waters , Barry Levinson , Divine , David Hasselhoff , Don Messick , John Kassir , Jada Pinkett Smith , and Mo'Nique ; artist Jeff Koons ; baseball player Babe Ruth ; swimmer Michael Phelps ; radio host Ira Glass ; television host Mike Rowe ; Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall ; Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi ; and United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson . During the War of 1812 , Francis Scott Key wrote The Star-Spangled Banner in Baltimore after the bombardment of Fort McHenry .
Maryland ( US : /ˈmɛrələnd/ ( listen ) MERR-ə-lənd ) [ a ] is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the eastern United States , bordering Virginia , West Virginia , and the District of Columbia to its south and west ; Pennsylvania to its north ; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to its east . The state 's largest city is Baltimore , and its capital is Annapolis . Among its occasional nicknames are Old Line State , the Free State , and the Chesapeake Bay State . It is named after the English queen Henrietta Maria , known in England as Queen Mary , who was the wife of King Charles I. Sixteen of Maryland 's twenty-three counties , as well as the city of Baltimore , border the tidal waters of the Chesapeake Bay estuary and its many tributaries , which combined total more than 4,000 miles of shoreline . Although one of the smallest states in the U.S. , it features a variety of climates and topographical features that have earned it the moniker of America in Miniature . In a similar vein , Maryland 's geography , culture , and history combine elements of the Mid-Atlantic , Northeastern , and South Atlantic regions of the country . Before its coastline was explored by Europeans in the 16th century , Maryland was inhabited by several groups of Native Americans , mostly by the Algonquin , and to a lesser degree by the Iroquois and Sioux . As one of the original Thirteen Colonies of Great Britain , Maryland was founded by George Calvert , a Catholic convert who sought to provide a religious haven for Catholics persecuted in England . In 1632 , Charles I of England granted Calvert a colonial charter , naming the colony after his wife , Queen Mary ( Henrietta Maria of France ) . Unlike the Pilgrims and Puritans , who rejected Catholicism in their settlements , Calvert envisioned a colony where people of different religious sects would coexist under the principle of toleration . Accordingly , in 1649 the Maryland General Assembly passed an Act Concerning Religion , which enshrined this principle by penalizing anyone who reproached a fellow Marylander based on religious affiliation . Nevertheless , religious strife was common in the early years , and Catholics remained a minority , albeit in greater numbers than in any other English colony .
Atlanta ( /ætˈlæntə/ ) is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia . With an estimated 2018 population of 498,044 , it is also the 37th most-populous city in the United States . The city serves as the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area , home to 5.9 million people and the ninth largest metropolitan area in the nation . Atlanta is the seat of Fulton County , the most populous county in Georgia . Portions of the city extend eastward into neighboring DeKalb County . Atlanta was originally founded as the terminus of a major state-sponsored railroad . With rapid expansion , however , it soon became the convergence point among multiple railroads , spurring its rapid growth . The city 's name derives from that of the Western and Atlantic Railroad 's local depot , signifying the town 's growing reputation as a transportation hub . During the American Civil War , the city was almost entirely burned to the ground in General William T. Sherman 's famous March to the Sea . However , the city rose from its ashes and quickly became a national center of commerce and the unofficial capital of the New South . During the 1950s and 1960s , Atlanta became a major organizing center of the civil rights movement , with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. , Ralph David Abernathy , and many other locals playing major roles in the movement 's leadership . During the modern era , Atlanta has attained international prominence as a major air transportation hub , with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport being the world 's busiest airport by passenger traffic since 1998 .
Georgia ( /ˈdʒɔːrdʒə/ ) is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States . Georgia is the 24th largest in area and 8th-most populous of the 50 United States . Georgia is bordered to the north by Tennessee and North Carolina , to the northeast by South Carolina , to the southeast by the Atlantic Ocean , to the south by Florida , and to the west by Alabama . Its 2019 estimated population was 10,617,423 , according to the U.S. Census Bureau . Atlanta , a beta ( + ) global city , is both the state 's capital and its largest city . The Atlanta metropolitan area , with an estimated population of 5.9 million people in 2018 , is the 9th most populous metropolitan area in the United States and contains about 56% of the entire state population . Founded in 1733 as a British colony , Georgia was the last and southernmost of the original Thirteen Colonies to be established . Named after King George II of Great Britain , the Colony of Georgia covered the area from South Carolina south to Spanish Florida and west to French Louisiana at the Mississippi River . On January 2 , 1788 , Georgia became the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution . From 1802 to 1804 , western Georgia was split to form the Mississippi Territory , which later was admitted as the U.S. states of Alabama and Mississippi . Georgia declared its secession from the Union on January 19 , 1861 , and was one of the original seven Confederate States . Following the Civil War , it was the last state to be restored to the Union , on July 15 , 1870 .
Miami , officially the City of Miami , is the seat of Miami-Dade County , and the cultural , economic and financial center of South Florida in the United States . The city covers an area of about 56 square miles ( 150 km2 ) between the Everglades to the west and Biscayne Bay to the east . Miami is the sixth most densely populated major city in the United States with an estimated 2018 population of 470,914 . The Miami metropolitan area is home to 6.1 million people , the second-most populous in the southeastern United States and the seventh-largest in the nation . The city has the third tallest skyline in the U.S. with over 300 high-rises , 55 of which exceed 490 ft ( 149 m ) . Miami is a major center and leader in finance , commerce , culture , media , entertainment , the arts , and international trade . The metro area is by far the largest urban economy in Florida and the 12th largest in the United States , with a GDP of $ 344.9 billion as of 2017 . In 2018 , Miami was classified as an Alpha level global city by the GaWC . In 2019 , Miami ranked seventh in the United States and 31st among global cities in terms of business activity , human capital , information exchange , cultural experience , and political engagement . According to a 2018 UBS study of 77 world cities , the city was ranked as the third-richest in the United States and the eighth-richest in the world in terms of purchasing power . Miami is nicknamed the Capital of Latin America and is the largest city with a Cuban-American plurality . Greater Downtown Miami has one of the largest concentrations of international banks in the United States , and is home to many large national and international companies .
Raleigh ( /ˈrɑːli/ ; RAH-lee ) is the capital of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States . Raleigh is the second-largest city in the state , after Charlotte . Raleigh is known as the City of Oaks for its many oak trees , which line the streets in the heart of the city . The city covers a land area of 142.8 square miles ( 370 km2 ) . The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city 's population as 469,298 as of July 1 , 2018 . It is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country . The city of Raleigh is named after Sir Walter Raleigh , who established the lost Roanoke Colony in present-day Dare County . Raleigh is home to North Carolina State University ( NCSU ) and is part of Research Triangle Park ( RTP ) , together with Durham ( home of Duke University and North Carolina Central University ) and Chapel Hill ( home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ) . The Triangle nickname originated after the 1959 creation of the Research Triangle Park , located in Durham and Wake counties , among the three cities and their universities . The Research Triangle region encompasses the U.S. Census Bureau 's Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Combined Statistical Area ( CSA ) , which had an estimated population of 2,037,430 in 2013 . The Raleigh metropolitan statistical area had an estimated population of 1,214,516 in 2013 . Most of Raleigh is located within Wake County , with a very small portion extending into Durham County .
Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States . As of the 2010 census , the population was 437,994 ; in 2018 , it was estimated to be 450,138 . Although mostly suburban in character , it is the most populous city in Virginia and the 44th most populous city in the nation . Located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay , Virginia Beach is included in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area . This area , known as America 's First Region , also includes the independent cities of Chesapeake , Hampton , Newport News , Norfolk , Portsmouth , and Suffolk , as well as other smaller cities , counties , and towns of Hampton Roads . Virginia Beach is a resort city with miles of beaches and hundreds of hotels , motels , and restaurants along its oceanfront . Every year the city hosts the East Coast Surfing Championships as well as the North American Sand Soccer Championship , a beach soccer tournament . It is also home to several state parks , several long-protected beach areas , three military bases , a number of large corporations , Virginia Wesleyan University and Regent University , International headquarters and site of the television broadcast studios for Pat Robertson 's Christian Broadcasting Network ( CBN ) , Edgar Cayce 's Association for Research and Enlightenment , and numerous historic sites . Near the point where the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean meet , Cape Henry was the site of the first landing of the English colonists , who eventually settled in Jamestown , on April 26 , 1607 . The city is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as having the longest pleasure beach in the world . It is located at the southern end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel , the longest bridge-tunnel complex in the world .
Virginia ( /vərˈdʒɪniə/ ( listen ) ) , officially the Commonwealth of Virginia , is a state in the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States located between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains . The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are shaped by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay , which provide habitat for much of its flora and fauna . The capital of the Commonwealth is Richmond ; Virginia Beach is the most populous city , and Fairfax County is the most populous political subdivision . The Commonwealth 's estimated population as of 2018 [ update ] is over 8.5 million . The area 's history begins with several indigenous groups , including the Powhatan . In 1607 the London Company established the Colony of Virginia as the first permanent English colony in the New World . Virginia 's state nickname , the Old Dominion , is a reference to this status . Slave labor and the land acquired from displaced Native American tribes each played a significant role in the colony 's early politics and plantation economy . Virginia was one of the 13 Colonies in the American Revolution . In the American Civil War , Virginia 's Secession Convention resolved to join the Confederacy , and Virginia 's First Wheeling Convention resolved to remain in the Union ; that led to the creation of West Virginia . Although the Commonwealth was under one-party rule for nearly a century following Reconstruction , both major national parties are competitive in modern Virginia . The Virginia General Assembly is the oldest continuous law-making body in the New World .
Tulsa /ˈtʌlsə/ is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 45th-most populous city in the United States . As of July 2018 [ update ] , the population was 403,035 , an increase of 11,129 since the 2010 Census . It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area , a region with 991,005 residents in the MSA and 1,251,172 in the CSA . The city serves as the county seat of Tulsa County , the most densely populated county in Oklahoma , with urban development extending into Osage , Rogers , and Wagoner counties . Tulsa was settled between 1828 and 1836 by the Lochapoka Band of Creek Native American tribe . For most of the 20th century , the city held the nickname Oil Capital of the World and played a major role as one of the most important hubs for the American oil industry . Historically , a robust energy sector fueled Tulsa 's economy ; however , today the city has diversified and leading sectors include finance , aviation , telecommunications and technology . Two institutions of higher education within the city have sports teams at the NCAA Division I level , Oral Roberts University and the University of Tulsa . It is situated on the Arkansas River between the Osage Hills and the foothills of the Ozark Mountains in northeast Oklahoma , a region of the state known as Green Country . Considered the cultural and arts center of Oklahoma , Tulsa houses two art museums , full-time professional opera and ballet companies , and one of the nation 's largest concentrations of art deco architecture . The city has been called one of America 's most livable large cities by Partners for Livable Communities , Forbes , and Relocate America . FDi Magazine in 2009 ranked the city no .
Arlington is a city in the U.S. state of Texas , located in Tarrant County . It is part of the Mid-Cities region of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area , approximately 12 miles ( 19 km ) east of downtown Fort Worth and 20 miles ( 32 km ) west of downtown Dallas . According to the U.S. Census Bureau 's estimate , the city had a population of 398,112 in 2018 , making it the second-largest city in the county ( after Fort Worth ) and the third-largest in the metropolitan area . Arlington is the forty-eighth-most populous city in the United States , the seventh-most populous city in the state of Texas , and the largest city in the state that is not a county seat . Arlington is home to the University of Texas at Arlington , a major urban research university , the Arlington Assembly plant used by General Motors , the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region IV , Texas Health Resources , American Mensa , and D. R. Horton . Additionally , Arlington hosts the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field , the Dallas Cowboys at AT & T Stadium , the Dallas Wings at College Park Center , the International Bowling Campus ( which houses the United States Bowling Congress , International Bowling Museum and the International Bowling Hall of Fame ) , and the theme parks Six Flags Over Texas ( the original Six Flags ) and Hurricane Harbor . Arlington borders Kennedale , Grand Prairie , Mansfield and Fort Worth , and surrounds the smaller communities of Dalworthington Gardens and Pantego .