5 Most Populous U.S. Cities by Decade

Can you name the 5 most populous cities in the U.S. from every decade between 1790-2020?

Source - Wikipedia

NOT necessarily using 2025 boundaries - using the city boundaries / cities for each listed decade

Scaled by city proper population

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Last updated: June 19, 2025

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First submitted	June 19, 2025
Times taken	129
Average score	85.7%
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1790
33,131	Northeast	New York City
28,522	Northeast	Philadelphia
18,320	Northeast	Boston
16,359	South	Charleston
13,503	Northeast	Baltimore

1810
96,373	Northeast	New York City
53,722	Northeast	Philadelphia
46,555	Northeast	Baltimore
33,787	Northeast	Boston
24,711	South	Charleston

1830
202,300	Northeast	New York City
80,800	Northeast	Baltimore
80,462	Northeast	Philadelphia
61,392	Northeast	Boston
46,082	South	New Orleans

1850
515,547	Northeast	New York City
169,054	Northeast	Baltimore
136,881	Northeast	Boston
121,376	Northeast	Philadelphia
116,375	South	New Orleans

1870
942,292	Northeast	New York City
674,022	Northeast	Philadelphia
396,099	Northeast	Brooklyn
310,064	Midwest	Saint Louis
298,977	Midwest	Chicago

1890
1,515,301	Northeast	New York City
1,109,850	Midwest	Chicago
1,046,964	Northeast	Philadelphia
806,343	Northeast	Brooklyn
451,770	Midwest	Saint Louis

1910
4,766,883	Northeast	New York City
2,185,283	Midwest	Chicago
1,549,008	Northeast	Philadelphia
687,029	Midwest	Saint Louis
670,585	Northeast	Boston

1930
6,930,446	Northeast	New York City
3,376,438	Midwest	Chicago
1,950,961	Northeast	Philadelphia
1,568,662	Midwest	Detroit
1,238,048	West	Los Angeles

1950
7,891,957	Northeast	New York City
3,620,962	Midwest	Chicago
2,071,605	Northeast	Philadelphia
1,970,358	West	Los Angeles
1,849,568	Midwest	Detroit

1970
7,894,862	Northeast	New York City
3,366,957	Midwest	Chicago
2,816,061	West	Los Angeles
1,948,609	Northeast	Philadelphia
1,511,482	Midwest	Detroit

1990
7,322,564	New York	New York City
3,485,398	West	Los Angeles
2,783,726	Midwest	Chicago
1,630,553	South	Houston
1,585,577	Northeast	Philadelphia

2010
8,175,133	Northeast	New York City
3,792,621	West	Los Angeles
2,695,598	Midwest	Chicago
2,099,451	South	Houston
1,526,006	Northeast	Philadelphia

1800
60,514	Northeast	New York City
41,220	Northeast	Philadelphia
26,514	Northeast	Baltimore
24,937	Northeast	Boston
18,824	South	Charleston

1820
123,706	Northeast	New York City
63,802	Northeast	Philadelphia
62,738	Northeast	Baltimore
43,298	Northeast	Boston
27,176	South	New Orleans

1840
312,710	Northeast	New York City
102,313	Northeast	Baltimore
102,193	South	New Orleans
93,665	Northeast	Philadelphia
93,383	Northeast	Boston

1860
813,669	Northeast	New York City
565,529	Northeast	Philadelphia
266,661	Northeast	Brooklyn
212,418	Northeast	Baltimore
177,840	Northeast	Boston

1880
1,206,299	Northeast	New York City
847,170	Northeast	Philadelphia
566,663	Northeast	Brooklyn
503,185	Midwest	Chicago
362,839	Northeast	Boston

1900
3,437,202	Northeast	New York City
1,698,575	Midwest	Chicago
1,293,697	Northeast	Philadelphia
575,238	Midwest	Saint Louis
560,892	Northeast	Boston

1920
5,620,048	Northeast	New York City
2,701,705	Midwest	Chicago
1,823,779	Northeast	Philadelphia
993,069	Midwest	Detroit
796,841	Midwest	Cleveland

1940
7,454,995	Northeast	New York City
3,396,808	Midwest	Chicago
1,931,334	Northeast	Philadelphia
1,623,452	Midwest	Detroit
1,504,277	West	Los Angeles

1960
7,781,984	Northeast	New York City
3,550,404	Midwest	Chicago
2,479,015	West	Los Angeles
2,002,512	Northeast	Philadelphia
1,670,144	Midwest	Detroit

1980
7,071,639	Northeast	New York City
3,005,072	Midwest	Chicago
2,966,850	West	Los Angeles
1,688,210	Northeast	Philadelphia
1,595,138	South	Houston

2000
8,008,278	Northeast	New York City
3,694,820	West	Los Angeles
2,896,016	Midwest	Chicago
1,953,631	South	Houston
1,517,550	Northeast	Philadelphia

2020
8,804,190	Northeast	New York City
3,898,747	West	Los Angeles
2,746,388	Midwest	Chicago
2,304,580	South	Houston
1,608,139	West	Phoenix