Largest US Cities by Population 2025

Major Cities and Population Milestones

The United States, which is home to a population of 300 million people, has 12 cities with populations exceeding 1 million. The largest city in the US is New York City, with 8.4M residents. Los Angeles (3.9M) and Chicago (2.7M) follow, and southern cities Houston (2.4M) 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 2025, there are 359 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 359, California contains the most, with 0 cities, while Texas has 0 and Florida has 0.

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 experienced the highest growth rate at 8.05%. The fastest growing cities in the US are predominantly found in the south, with notable concentrations in Texas, Florida, and Arizona.

Jackson holds the distinction of being the fastest-shrinking city in the US, with a population decline of -2.04%. Of the cities shrinking by more than 1% per year, a majority of them are located in California.

Population Density of U.S. Cities

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

• Anchorage 169
• Suffolk 264
• Buckeye 303

Cities with the highest population density include:

• New York City 27,999
• Jersey City 20,717
• Paterson 19,107