Which of These Biggest US Cities Would You Live In?

24/7 Wall St. Insights

In a post-pandemic society, our big cities have struggled to regain ground lost during the throes of COVID-19.
The most populous area in the United States remains New York-Jersey City-Newark, NY-NJ, with a population of 19,426,449.

Some of America’s largest cities are also the nation’s fastest-growing cities, with Raleigh, North Carolina, Fort Worth, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia growing the fastest of any other cities in the United States. Between 2022 and 2023, Atlanta grew 2.4%. However, this isn’t true across the board, with some big cities seeing a decline in growth. For example, Philadelphia (-1.0%) and New York (-0.9%) each saw a decrease in population in the same timeframe. The nation as a whole grew by 0.5% in 2023, gaining more than 1.6 million people. And more states saw an increase in populations since the pandemic began in early 2020.

An “urban area” is defined as “densely developed residential, commercial, and other nonresidential areas” and houses up to 80% of the US population. Based on 2020 census data, the urban population increased by 6.4% between 2010 and 2020. The growth in population certainly impacts the number of people who live within a given square mile or population density. The census data shows the average population density increased from 2,343 to 2,553 in a 10-year span.

The most populous area in the United States remains New York-Jersey City-Newark, NY-NJ, with a population of 19,426,449. Los Angeles and Chicago follow, and these three together have remained the most populated in the country since the 1950 Census. The fastest-growing urban area in America is Austin, Texas, with a growth rate of 32.8%. Austin is an example of an area that has changed from rural to urban. Populations can be redefined based on outward expansion to encompass communities that previously existed outside of the city. Austin increased its rate of land area change by 18.5% during the time of the census.

To determine the largest cities in America, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed population data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey, assembling a list of the 50 most populous. For each of these cities, we also collected land area and total area (land and water) from the Census Bureau’s Gazetteers Files vintage 2023 and calculated population density.

Though all the cities on this list are considered big, there is quite a range when it comes to population size. Wichita’s population sits just under 400,000, while New York City is home to over 8.3 million residents. There is much fluctuation in population density, as well. For example, Nashville has 1,437.5 people per square mile, while NYC has a whopping 27,744.2 individuals per square mile of land. Actual land area varies too, with Jacksonville, FL having 874.5 square miles of total land area, compared to Milwaukee’s 96.8 square miles.

Why Are We Writing About the Biggest US Cities?

In a post-pandemic society, our big cities have struggled to regain ground lost during the throes of COVID-19. Recent census data shows there are fewer cities with population decline and a general leveling off of demographics. These numbers are encouraging and speak to increases in economic productivity and improved living conditions. If you are fond of big city life and want to be amidst the hustle and bustle, earmark the cities on this list as future home options. However, if it is the quiet (and affordable) life you seek, use this list as a reference for cities to avoid.

Here is a list of the most populated cities in the United States: