The table below lists the largest 50 cities in the United States based on population and rank for the years 1990, 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2012.
| 7/1/2012 population estimate | 4/1/2010 census population | 7/1/2005 population estimate | 4/1/2000 census population | 4/1/1990 census population | Numeric population change 1990–2000 | Percent population change 1990–2000 | Size rank 1990 | Size rank 2000 | Size rank 2010 | Size rank 2012 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, N.Y. | 8,336,697 | 8,175,133 | 8,143,197 | 8,008,278 | 7,322,564 | 685,714 | 9.4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Los Angeles, Calif. | 3,857,799 | 3,792,621 | 3,844,829 | 3,694,820 | 3,485,398 | 209,422 | 6.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Chicago, Ill. | 2,714,856 | 2,695,598 | 2,842,518 | 2,896,016 | 2,783,726 | 112,290 | 4.0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Houston, Tex. | 2,160,821 | 2,100,263 | 2,016,582 | 1,953,631 | 1,630,553 | 323,078 | 19.8 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Philadelphia, Pa. | 1,547,607 | 1,526,006 | 1,463,281 | 1,517,550 | 1,585,577 | –68,027 | –4.3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Phoenix, Ariz. | 1,488,750 | 1,445,632 | 1,461,575 | 1,321,045 | 983,403 | 337,642 | 34.3 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| San Antonio, Tex. | 1,382,951 | 1,327,407 | 1,256,509 | 1,144,646 | 935,933 | 208,713 | 22.3 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 |
| San Diego, Calif. | 1,338,348 | 1,307,402 | 1,255,540 | 1,223,400 | 1,110,549 | 112,851 | 10.2 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 |
| Dallas, Tex. | 1,241,162 | 1,197,816 | 1,213,825 | 1,188,580 | 1,006,877 | 181,703 | 18.0 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 |
| San Jose, Calif. | 982,765 | 945,942 | 912,332 | 894,943 | 782,248 | 112,695 | 14.4 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 |
| Austin, Tex. | 842,592 | 790,390 | 690,252 | 656,562 | 465,622 | 190,940 | 41.0 | 25 | 16 | 14 | 11 |
| Jacksonville, Fla. | 836,507 | 821,784 | 782,623 | 735,617 | 635,230 | 100,387 | 15.8 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 12 |
| Indianapolis, Ind. | 834,852 | 820,445 | 784,118 | 781,870 | 741,952 | 49,974 | 6.7 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 |
| San Francisco, Calif. | 825,863 | 805,235 | 739,426 | 776,733 | 723,959 | 52,774 | 7.3 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 |
| Columbus, Ohio | 809,798 | 787,033 | 730,657 | 711,470 | 632,910 | 78,560 | 12.4 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| Fort Worth, Tex. | 777,992 | 741,206 | 624,067 | 534,694 | 447,619 | 87,075 | 19.5 | 29 | 27 | 16 | 16 |
| Charlotte, N.C. | 775,202 | 731,424 | 610,949 | 540,828 | 395,934 | 144,894 | 36.6 | 33 | 26 | 17 | 17 |
| Detroit, Mich. | 701,475 | 713,777 | 886,671 | 951,270 | 1,027,974 | –76,704 | –7.5 | 7 | 10 | 18 | 18 |
| El Paso, Tex. | 672,538 | 649,121 | 598,590 | 563,662 | 515,342 | 48,320 | 9.4 | 22 | 23 | 19 | 19 |
| Memphis, Tenn. | 655,155 | 646,889 | 672,277 | 650,100 | 610,337 | 39,763 | 6.5 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 |
| Boston, Mass. | 636,479 | 617,594 | 559,034 | 589,141 | 574,283 | 14,858 | 2.6 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 21 |
| Seattle, Wash. | 634,535 | 608,660 | 573,911 | 563,374 | 516,259 | 47,115 | 9.1 | 21 | 24 | 23 | 22 |
| Denver, Colo. | 634,265 | 600,158 | 557,917 | 554,636 | 467,610 | 87,026 | 18.6 | 28 | 25 | 26 | 23 |
| Washington, DC | 632,323 | 601,723 | 550,521 | 572,059 | 606,900 | –34,841 | –5.7 | 19 | 21 | 24 | 24 |
| Nashville-Davidson, Tenn.1 | 624,496 | 601,222 | 549,110 | 545,524 | 510,784 | 59,107 | 11.6 | 26 | 22 | 25 | 25 |
| Baltimore, Md. | 621,342 | 620,961 | 635,815 | 651,154 | 736,014 | –84,860 | –11.5 | 12 | 17 | 21 | 26 |
| Louisville-Jefferson County, Ky.2 | 605,110 | 597,337 | 556,429 | 256,231 | 269,063 | 12,832 | –4.8 | 58 | 67 | 27 | 27 |
| Portland, Ore. | 603,106 | 583,776 | 533,427 | 529,121 | 437,319 | 91,802 | 21.0 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 28 |
| Oklahoma City, Okla. | 599,199 | 579,999 | 531,324 | 506,132 | 444,719 | 61,413 | 13.8 | 30 | 29 | 31 | 29 |
| Milwaukee, Wis. | 598,916 | 594,833 | 578,887 | 596,974 | 628,088 | –31,114 | –5.0 | 17 | 19 | 28 | 30 |
| Las Vegas, Nev. | 596,424 | 583,756 | 545,147 | 478,434 | 258,295 | 220,139 | 85.2 | 63 | 32 | 30 | 31 |
| Albuquerque, N.M. | 555,417 | 545,852 | 494,236 | 448,607 | 384,736 | 63,871 | 16.6 | 40 | 35 | 32 | 32 |
| Tucson, Ariz. | 524,295 | 520,116 | 515,526 | 486,699 | 405,390 | 81,309 | 20.1 | 34 | 32 | 33 | 33 |
| Fresno, Calif. | 505,882 | 494,665 | 461,116 | 427,652 | 354,202 | 73,450 | 20.7 | 48 | 37 | 34 | 34 |
| Sacramento, Calif. | 475,516 | 466,488 | 456,441 | 407,018 | 369,365 | 37,653 | 10.2 | 37 | 40 | 35 | 35 |
| Long Beach, Calif. | 467,892 | 462,257 | 474,014 | 461,522 | 429,433 | 32,089 | 7.5 | 32 | 34 | 36 | 36 |
| Kansas City, Mo. | 464,310 | 459,787 | 444,965 | 441,545 | 435,146 | 6,399 | 1.5 | 31 | 36 | 37 | 37 |
| Mesa, Ariz. | 452,084 | 439,041 | 442,780 | 396,375 | 288,091 | 108,284 | 37.6 | 53 | 42 | 38 | 38 |
| Virginia Beach, Va. | 447,021 | 437,994 | 438,415 | 425,257 | 393,069 | 32,188 | 8.2 | 39 | 38 | 39 | 39 |
| Atlanta, Ga. | 443,775 | 420,003 | 470,688 | 416,474 | 394,017 | 22,457 | 5.7 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 40 |
| Colorado Springs, Colo. | 431,834 | 416,427 | 369,815 | 360,890 | 281,140 | 79,750 | 28.4 | 54 | 48 | 41 | 41 |
| Raleigh, N.C. | 423,179 | 403,892 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 43 | 42 |
| Omaha, Nebr. | 421,570 | 408,958 | 414,521 | 390,007 | 335,795 | 54,212 | 16.1 | 47 | 44 | 42 | 43 |
| Miami, Fla. | 413,892 | 399,457 | 386,417 | 362,470 | 358,548 | 3,922 | 1.1 | 46 | 47 | 44 | 44 |
| Oakland, Calif. | 400,740 | 390,724 | 395,274 | 399,484 | 372,242 | 27,242 | 7.3 | 35 | 41 | 47 | 45 |
| Tulsa, Okla. | 393,987 | 391,906 | 382,457 | 393,049 | 367,302 | 25,747 | 7.0 | 44 | 43 | 46 | 46 |
| Minneapolis, Minn. | 392,880 | 382,578 | 372,811 | 382,618 | 368,383 | 14,235 | 3.9 | 43 | 45 | 48 | 47 |
| Cleveland, Ohio | 390,928 | 396,815 | 452,208 | 478,403 | 505,616 | –27,213 | –5.4 | 23 | 33 | 45 | 48 |
| Wichita, Kans. | 385,577 | 382,368 | 353,823 | 344,284 | – | – | – | – | 50 | 49 | 49 |
| Arlington, Tex. | 375,600 | 365,438 | 362,805 | 332,969 | 261,721 | 71,248 | 27.2 | 62 | 54 | 50 | 50 |
1. Nashville-Davidson city is consolidated with Davidson County.
2. Louisville and Jefferson County merged in Jan. 2003. Figures prior to 2003 are for Louisville city only.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Web: www.census.gov . For 1900–2005 population estimates, see Population of the 20 Largest U.S. Cities, 1900–2010.
