My Local Biz Reviews: Population of the 20 Largest U.S. Cities, 1900–2005

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Population of the 20 Largest U.S. Cities, 1900–2005

The table below lists the largest 20 cities in the United States based on population for select years between 1900 to 2005.

1900 1920 1940

Rank Place Population Place Population Place Population

1. New York, N.Y. 3,437,202 New York, N.Y. 5,620,048 New York, N.Y. 7,454,995

2. Chicago, Ill. 1,698,575 Chicago, Ill. 2,701,705 Chicago, Ill. 3,396,808

3. Philadelphia, Pa. 1,293,697 Philadelphia, Pa. 1,823,779 Philadelphia, Pa. 1,931,334

4. St. Louis, Mo. 575,238 Detroit, Mich. 993,078 Detroit, Mich. 1,623,452

5. Boston, Mass. 560,892 Cleveland, Ohio 796,841 Los Angeles, Calif. 1,504,277

6. Baltimore, Md. 508,957 St. Louis, Mo. 772,897 Cleveland, Ohio 878,336

7. Cleveland, Ohio 381,768 Boston, Mass. 748,060 Baltimore, Md. 859,100

8. Buffalo, N.Y. 352,387 Baltimore, Md. 733,826 St. Louis, Mo. 816,048

9. San Francisco, Calif. 342,782 Pittsburgh, Pa. 588,343 Boston, Mass. 770,816

10. Cincinnati, Ohio 325,902 Los Angeles, Calif. 576,673 Pittsburgh, Pa. 671,659

11. Pittsburgh, Pa. 321,616 Buffalo, N.Y. 506,775 Washington, DC 663,091

12. New Orleans, La. 287,104 San Francisco, Calif. 506,676 San Francisco, Calif. 634,536

13. Detroit, Mich. 285,704 Milwaukee, Wis. 457,147 Milwaukee, Wis. 587,472

14. Milwaukee, Wis. 285,315 Washington, DC 437,571 Buffalo, N.Y. 575,901

15. Washington, DC 278,718 Newark, N.J. 414,524 New Orleans, La. 494,537

16. Newark, N.J. 246,070 Cincinnati, Ohio 401,247 Minneapolis, Minn. 492,370

17. Jersey City, N.J. 206,433 New Orleans, La. 387,219 Cincinnati, Ohio 455,610

18. Louisville, Ky. 204,731 Minneapolis, Minn. 380,582 Newark, N.J. 429,760

19. Minneapolis, Minn. 202,718 Kansas City, Mo. 324,410 Kansas City, Mo. 399,178

20. Providence, R.I. 175,597 Seattle, Wash. 315,312 Indianapolis, Ind. 386,972

1960 1980 2005¹

Rank Place Population Place Population Place Population

1. New York, N.Y. 7,781,984 New York, N.Y. 7,071,639 New York, N.Y. 8,143,197

2. Chicago, Ill. 3,550,404 Chicago, Ill. 3,005,072 Los Angeles, Calif. 3,844,829

3. Los Angeles, Calif. 2,479,015 Los Angeles, Calif. 2,966,850 Chicago, Ill. 2,842,518

4. Philadelphia, Pa. 2,002,512 Philadelphia, Pa. 1,688,210 Houston, Tex. 2,016,582

5. Detroit, Mich. 1,670,144 Houston, Tex, 1,595,138 Philadelphia, Pa. 1,463,281

6. Baltimore, Md. 939,024 Detroit, Mich. 1,203,339 Phoenix, Ariz. 1,461,575

7. Houston, Tex. 938,219 Dallas, Tex. 904,078 San Antonio, Tex. 1,256,509

8. Cleveland, Ohio 876,050 San Diego, Calif. 875,538 San Diego, Calif. 1,255,540

9. Washington, DC 763,956 Phoenix, Ariz. 789,704 Dallas, Tex. 1,213,825

10. St. Louis, Mo. 750,026 Baltimore, Md. 786,775 San Jose, Calif. 912,332

11. Milwaukee, Wis. 741,324 San Antonio, Tex. 785,880 Detroit, Mich. 886,671

12. San Francisco, Calif. 740,316 Indianapolis, Ind. 700,807 Indianapolis, Ind. 784,118

13. Boston, Mass. 697,197 San Francisco, Calif. 678,974 Jacksonville, Fla. 782,623

14. Dallas, Tex. 679,684 Memphis, Tenn. 646,356 San Francisco, Calif. 739,426

15. New Orleans, La. 627,525 Washington, DC 638,333 Columbus, Ohio 730,657

16. Pittsburgh, Pa. 604,332 Milwaukee, Wis. 636,212 Austin, Tex. 690,252

17. San Antonio, Tex. 587,718 San Jose, Calif. 629,442 Memphis, Tenn. 672,277

18. San Diego, Calif. 573,224 Cleveland, Ohio 573,822 Baltimore, Md. 635,815

19. Seattle, Wash. 557,087 Columbus, Ohio 564,871 Fort Worth, Tex. 624,067

20. Buffalo, N.Y. 532,759 Boston, Mass. 562,994 Charlotte, N.C. 610,949

1. Populations for 1900–1980 are Census figures. 2005 figures are population estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau. For 2000 Census figures, see Top 50 Cities in the U.S. by Population and Rank, 1990, 2000, and 2005.

Information Please® Database, © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Top 50 Cities in the U.S. by Population and Rank U.S. Cities Metropolitan Areas with Population of 5,000,000 or More

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	1900	1920	1940
Rank	Place	Population	Place	Population	Place	Population
1.	New York, N.Y.	3,437,202	New York, N.Y.	5,620,048	New York, N.Y.	7,454,995
2.	Chicago, Ill.	1,698,575	Chicago, Ill.	2,701,705	Chicago, Ill.	3,396,808
3.	Philadelphia, Pa.	1,293,697	Philadelphia, Pa.	1,823,779	Philadelphia, Pa.	1,931,334
4.	St. Louis, Mo.	575,238	Detroit, Mich.	993,078	Detroit, Mich.	1,623,452
5.	Boston, Mass.	560,892	Cleveland, Ohio	796,841	Los Angeles, Calif.	1,504,277
6.	Baltimore, Md.	508,957	St. Louis, Mo.	772,897	Cleveland, Ohio	878,336
7.	Cleveland, Ohio	381,768	Boston, Mass.	748,060	Baltimore, Md.	859,100
8.	Buffalo, N.Y.	352,387	Baltimore, Md.	733,826	St. Louis, Mo.	816,048
9.	San Francisco, Calif.	342,782	Pittsburgh, Pa.	588,343	Boston, Mass.	770,816
10.	Cincinnati, Ohio	325,902	Los Angeles, Calif.	576,673	Pittsburgh, Pa.	671,659
11.	Pittsburgh, Pa.	321,616	Buffalo, N.Y.	506,775	Washington, DC	663,091
12.	New Orleans, La.	287,104	San Francisco, Calif.	506,676	San Francisco, Calif.	634,536
13.	Detroit, Mich.	285,704	Milwaukee, Wis.	457,147	Milwaukee, Wis.	587,472
14.	Milwaukee, Wis.	285,315	Washington, DC	437,571	Buffalo, N.Y.	575,901
15.	Washington, DC	278,718	Newark, N.J.	414,524	New Orleans, La.	494,537
16.	Newark, N.J.	246,070	Cincinnati, Ohio	401,247	Minneapolis, Minn.	492,370
17.	Jersey City, N.J.	206,433	New Orleans, La.	387,219	Cincinnati, Ohio	455,610
18.	Louisville, Ky.	204,731	Minneapolis, Minn.	380,582	Newark, N.J.	429,760
19.	Minneapolis, Minn.	202,718	Kansas City, Mo.	324,410	Kansas City, Mo.	399,178
20.	Providence, R.I.	175,597	Seattle, Wash.	315,312	Indianapolis, Ind.	386,972

	1960	1980	2005¹
Rank	Place	Population	Place	Population	Place	Population
1.	New York, N.Y.	7,781,984	New York, N.Y.	7,071,639	New York, N.Y.	8,143,197
2.	Chicago, Ill.	3,550,404	Chicago, Ill.	3,005,072	Los Angeles, Calif.	3,844,829
3.	Los Angeles, Calif.	2,479,015	Los Angeles, Calif.	2,966,850	Chicago, Ill.	2,842,518
4.	Philadelphia, Pa.	2,002,512	Philadelphia, Pa.	1,688,210	Houston, Tex.	2,016,582
5.	Detroit, Mich.	1,670,144	Houston, Tex,	1,595,138	Philadelphia, Pa.	1,463,281
6.	Baltimore, Md.	939,024	Detroit, Mich.	1,203,339	Phoenix, Ariz.	1,461,575
7.	Houston, Tex.	938,219	Dallas, Tex.	904,078	San Antonio, Tex.	1,256,509
8.	Cleveland, Ohio	876,050	San Diego, Calif.	875,538	San Diego, Calif.	1,255,540
9.	Washington, DC	763,956	Phoenix, Ariz.	789,704	Dallas, Tex.	1,213,825
10.	St. Louis, Mo.	750,026	Baltimore, Md.	786,775	San Jose, Calif.	912,332
11.	Milwaukee, Wis.	741,324	San Antonio, Tex.	785,880	Detroit, Mich.	886,671
12.	San Francisco, Calif.	740,316	Indianapolis, Ind.	700,807	Indianapolis, Ind.	784,118
13.	Boston, Mass.	697,197	San Francisco, Calif.	678,974	Jacksonville, Fla.	782,623
14.	Dallas, Tex.	679,684	Memphis, Tenn.	646,356	San Francisco, Calif.	739,426
15.	New Orleans, La.	627,525	Washington, DC	638,333	Columbus, Ohio	730,657
16.	Pittsburgh, Pa.	604,332	Milwaukee, Wis.	636,212	Austin, Tex.	690,252
17.	San Antonio, Tex.	587,718	San Jose, Calif.	629,442	Memphis, Tenn.	672,277
18.	San Diego, Calif.	573,224	Cleveland, Ohio	573,822	Baltimore, Md.	635,815
19.	Seattle, Wash.	557,087	Columbus, Ohio	564,871	Fort Worth, Tex.	624,067
20.	Buffalo, N.Y.	532,759	Boston, Mass.	562,994	Charlotte, N.C.	610,949