Guide to the largest cities in the US by size and population
by Pilar Dujan | October 11, 2023
The United States of America is the third largest country in the world in terms of size and population. It’s the primary tourist center in the world: it’s where most tourists go to and come from. It's no wonder considering the amazing range of places to visit in USA.
How many cities are in the US? There are 19,495 cities registered, but only 10 have populations bigger than 1 million! Most don’t even surpass 5000.
Here you will discover the largest cities in US. They are divided by size and population, and you may be surprised to see the differences between these two lists.
Remember that you need to have an approved ESTA visa to be able to enter the US. You can apply easily and 100% on www.visagov.com.
Most populated cities in the US
One could think that the largest US cities are also the most dangerous cities in the US, but that’s a mistake: they are the biggest economic and cultural centers in the country.
This is a list of the biggest cities in US in terms of population (the most populated cities in US):
- New York, New York: 18,937,000
- Los Angeles, California: 12,534,000
- Chicago, Illinois: 8,937,000
- Houston, Texas: 6,707,000
- Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas: 6,574,000
- Miami, Florida: 6,265,000
- Atlanta, Georgia: 6,106,000
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 5,785,000
- Washington, D.C.: 5,490,000
- Phoenix, Arizona: 4,717,000
Largest cities in the US by size
In most countries, the most populated cities are also the biggest. In a country with the size of the US, it could be surprising to see that this rule isn’t followed.
For example, the 3 largest cities in the US by size are in Alaska, a huge state with very low amounts of population.
Discover the largest cities in US, but only measuring their size:
- Sitka, Alaska: 7433,266 km² (2.870 square miles)
- Juneau, Alaska: 6995,558 km² (2.701 square miles)
- Wrangell, Alaska: 6583,75 km² (2.542 square miles)
- Anchorage, Alaska: 4413,34 km² (1704 square miles)
- Jacksonville, Florida: 1934,72 km² (747 square miles)
- Anaconda, Montana: 1903,64 km² (735 square miles)
- Butte, Montana: 1854,43 km² (716 square miles)
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: 1572,12 km² (607 square miles)
- Houston, Texas: 1551,4 km² (599 square miles)
- Phoenix, Arizona: 1336,43 km² (516 square miles)
US map with cities
To match each city with its location, you can use this map to find the largest cities in US.
Pilar Dujan
I’m originally from Argentina, now based in Spain. I’m a writer and Visagov’s Press Officer, which allows me to put my expertise in visa and travel-related matters to the test.
My two roles help me bring forth content that is comprehensive and helpful, always keeping in mind my goal of assisting tourists in putting together the holiday they dream of.
If you’d like to meet, you can find me on LinkedIn.
