Population size shapes everything from job availability to public infrastructure. These are the 50 largest cities in the US, ranging from sprawling metro centers to fast-growing Sun Belt hubs. Larger cities generally offer more diverse job markets but also face higher housing costs and longer commutes.
| # | City | Population | Median Rent | Median Income | Home Value | Unemployment | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | 8,516,202 | $1,779 | $79,713 | $751,700 | 7.7% | 8,516,202 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | 3,857,897 | $1,879 | $80,366 | $879,500 | 7.9% | 3,857,897 |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | 2,707,648 | $1,380 | $75,134 | $315,200 | 7.9% | 2,707,648 |
| 4 | Houston, TX | 2,300,419 | $1,313 | $62,894 | $253,400 | 6.7% | 2,300,419 |
| 5 | Phoenix, AZ | 1,624,832 | $1,458 | $77,041 | $381,900 | 5.1% | 1,624,832 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | 1,582,432 | $1,323 | $60,698 | $232,400 | 8.4% | 1,582,432 |
| 7 | San Antonio, TX | 1,458,954 | $1,258 | $62,917 | $219,700 | 5.7% | 1,458,954 |
| 8 | San Diego, CA | 1,385,061 | $2,223 | $104,321 | $848,500 | 5.6% | 1,385,061 |
| 9 | Dallas, TX | 1,299,553 | $1,403 | $67,760 | $295,300 | 4.9% | 1,299,553 |
| 10 | San Jose, CA | 990,054 | $2,617 | $141,565 | $1,187,800 | 4.7% | 990,054 |
| 11 | Austin, TX | 967,862 | $1,655 | $91,461 | $512,700 | 4.5% | 967,862 |
| 12 | Jacksonville, FL | 961,739 | $1,375 | $66,981 | $266,100 | 4.5% | 961,739 |
| 13 | Fort Worth, TX | 941,311 | $1,412 | $76,602 | $277,300 | 4.9% | 941,311 |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | 906,480 | $1,224 | $65,327 | $234,500 | 5.1% | 906,480 |
| 15 | Charlotte, NC | 886,283 | $1,504 | $78,438 | $351,500 | 4.4% | 886,283 |
| 16 | Indianapolis city (balance), IN | 882,043 | $1,112 | $62,995 | $207,000 | 5.2% | 882,043 |
| 17 | San Francisco, CA | 836,321 | $2,419 | $141,446 | $1,380,500 | 5.6% | 836,321 |
| 18 | Seattle, WA | 741,440 | $1,998 | $121,984 | $912,100 | 4.2% | 741,440 |
| 19 | Denver, CO | 713,734 | $1,770 | $91,681 | $586,700 | 4.6% | 713,734 |
| 20 | Oklahoma City, OK | 688,693 | $1,083 | $66,702 | $215,100 | 4.6% | 688,693 |
| 21 | Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN | 684,298 | $1,486 | $75,197 | $383,100 | 4.6% | 684,298 |
| 22 | El Paso, TX | 678,147 | $1,041 | $58,734 | $171,700 | 6.0% | 678,147 |
| 23 | Washington, DC | 672,079 | $1,900 | $106,287 | $724,600 | 6.4% | 672,079 |
| 24 | Boston, MA | 663,972 | $2,093 | $94,755 | $710,400 | 6.0% | 663,972 |
| 25 | Las Vegas, NV | 650,873 | $1,456 | $70,723 | $395,300 | 7.1% | 650,873 |
| 26 | Portland, OR | 642,715 | $1,596 | $88,792 | $557,600 | 5.5% | 642,715 |
| 27 | Detroit, MI | 636,644 | $1,034 | $39,575 | $76,800 | 14.1% | 636,644 |
| 28 | Memphis, TN | 629,063 | $1,123 | $51,211 | $157,100 | 8.2% | 629,063 |
| 29 | Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY | 627,210 | $1,069 | $64,731 | $221,500 | 5.0% | 627,210 |
| 30 | Baltimore, MD | 577,193 | $1,290 | $59,623 | $219,300 | 6.5% | 577,193 |
| 31 | Milwaukee, WI | 569,756 | $1,033 | $51,888 | $172,000 | 5.9% | 569,756 |
| 32 | Albuquerque, NM | 562,488 | $1,085 | $65,604 | $266,700 | 5.3% | 562,488 |
| 33 | Fresno, CA | 543,615 | $1,324 | $66,804 | $348,500 | 8.6% | 543,615 |
| 34 | Tucson, AZ | 543,348 | $1,079 | $54,546 | $242,200 | 6.2% | 543,348 |
| 35 | Sacramento, CA | 524,802 | $1,694 | $83,753 | $484,600 | 6.1% | 524,802 |
| 36 | Kansas City, MO | 508,233 | $1,186 | $67,449 | $227,000 | 4.7% | 508,233 |
| 37 | Mesa, AZ | 507,478 | $1,478 | $78,779 | $364,300 | 4.6% | 507,478 |
| 38 | Atlanta, GA | 499,287 | $1,617 | $81,938 | $420,600 | 5.9% | 499,287 |
| 39 | Omaha, NE | 488,197 | $1,150 | $72,708 | $230,100 | 4.2% | 488,197 |
| 40 | Colorado Springs, CO | 483,099 | $1,562 | $83,198 | $420,700 | 5.3% | 483,099 |
| 41 | Raleigh, NC | 470,763 | $1,468 | $82,424 | $377,800 | 4.5% | 470,763 |
| 42 | Long Beach, CA | 458,491 | $1,803 | $83,969 | $762,200 | 6.4% | 458,491 |
| 43 | Virginia Beach, VA | 457,066 | $1,649 | $90,685 | $366,300 | 3.9% | 457,066 |
| 44 | Miami, FL | 446,663 | $1,657 | $59,390 | $475,200 | 4.9% | 446,663 |
| 45 | Oakland, CA | 438,072 | $1,917 | $97,369 | $924,700 | 6.0% | 438,072 |
| 46 | Minneapolis, MN | 426,845 | $1,329 | $80,269 | $345,600 | 5.6% | 426,845 |
| 47 | Tulsa, OK | 412,322 | $998 | $58,407 | $189,600 | 6.1% | 412,322 |
| 48 | Bakersfield, CA | 408,366 | $1,371 | $77,397 | $347,300 | 7.0% | 408,366 |
| 49 | Wichita, KS | 396,488 | $960 | $63,072 | $179,500 | 5.6% | 396,488 |
| 50 | Arlington, TX | 394,769 | $1,389 | $73,519 | $276,400 | 5.7% | 394,769 |
Key Takeaways
- New York, NY ranks #1 with a population of 8,516,202.
- The top 5 cities are: New York, NY; Los Angeles, CA; Chicago, IL; Houston, TX; Phoenix, AZ.
- The gap between #1 (8,516,202) and #50 (394,769) shows significant variation even within the top 50.
- Median household income in the top-ranked city is $79,713, with a population of 8,516,202.
Methodology
Rankings based on US Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. All cities with valid data and populations above 25,000 are included. Rent-to-income ratio is calculated as (median gross rent x 12) / median household income. Data reflects the most recent available estimates.