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100 Biggest Cities in the United States in 1850 with a Map

With the help of a map, can you name the 100 most populous cities in the United States in 1850?
Click on the map to zoom in.
Mostly according to the 1850 Census.
Some of these cities do not exist anymore and have since been absorbed into larger cities.
Quiz by Dekkie
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Last updated: December 2, 2024
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First submittedJanuary 17, 2024
Times taken631
Average score56.0%
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Population
State
City
515,547
NY
New York City
169,054
MD
Baltimore
136,881
MA
Boston
121,376
PA
Philadelphia
116,375
LA
New Orleans
115,435
OH
Cincinnati
96,838
NY
Brooklyn
77,800
MO
St. Louis
58,894
PA
Spring Garden
50,763
NY
Albany
47,223
PA
Northern Liberties
46,774
PA
Kensington
46,601
PA
Pittsburgh
43,194
KY
Louisville
42,985
SC
Charleston
42,261
NY
Buffalo
41,513
RI
Providence
40,001
(DC)
Washington
38,894
NJ
Newark
38,799
PA
Southwark
36,403
NY
Rochester
33,383
MA
Lowell
30,780
NY
Williamsburgh
29,963
IL
Chicago
28,785
NY
Troy
27,570
VA
Richmond
26,979
PA
Moyamensing
25,000
CA
San Francisco
22,271
NY
Syracuse
21,262
PA
Allegheny
21,019
MI
Detroit
20,815
ME
Portland
20,515
AL
Mobile
20,345
CT
New Haven
Population
State
City
20,264
MA
Salem
20,061
WI
Milwaukee
18,364
MA
Roxbury
17,882
OH
Columbus
17,565
NY
Utica
17,216
MA
Charlestown
17,049
MA
Worcester
17,034
OH
Cleveland
16,443
MA
New Bedford
15,743
PA
Reading
15,312
GA
Savannah
15,215
MA
Cambridge
14,432
ME
Bangor
14,326
VA
Norfolk
14,257
MA
Lynn
14,190
LA
Lafayette
14,010
VA
Petersburg
13,979
DE
Wilmington
13,932
NH
Manchester
13,555
CT
Hartford
12,369
PA
Lancaster
12,205
NY
Oswego
11,766
MA
Springfield
11,524
MA
Fall River
11,511
NY
Poughkeepsie
11,500
RI
Smithfield
11,435
VA
Wheeling
11,334
NJ
Paterson
10,977
OH
Dayton
10,441
MA
Taunton
10,165
TN
Nashville
10,019
NJ
New Brunswick
9,738
NH
Portsmouth
Population
State
City
9,572
MA
Newburyport
9,563
RI
Newport
9,548
NY
Auburn
9,479
NJ
Camden
9,448
GA
Augusta
9,408
KY
Covington
8,991
CT
New London
8,939
PA
Penn
8,921
NY
Schenectady
8,841
TN
Memphis
8,734
(DC)
Alexandria
8,728
AL
Montgomery
8,626
VA
Portsmouth
8,576
NH
Concord
8,452
MA
Nantucket
8,366
(DC)
Georgetown
8,291
MA
Chicopee
8,282
MA
Lawrence
8,225
ME
Augusta
8,196
NH
Dover
8,181
IN
New Albany
8,159
KY
Lexington
8,109
MA
Danvers
8,091
IN
Indianapolis
8,071
VA
Lynchburg
8,020
ME
Bath
8,012
IN
Madison
7,969
MA
Dorchester
7,929
OH
Zanesville
7,834
PA
Harrisburg
7,786
MA
Gloucester
7,740
RI
Warwick
7,680
RI
North Providence
3 Comments
+1
Level 55
Dec 2, 2024
There is no exact population estimate for San Francisco in 1850, with results of its census being lost to a fire. It's estimated that the city had between 25,000 and 30,000 inhabitants at the time. According to a replacment census in 1852, its population sat at 34,776.
+4
Level 77
Jan 17, 2024
Awesome quiz. Funny to me how now-forgotten cities (such as Moyamensing, which dosen't even exist anymore) used to be bigger than Detroit or San Francisco.
+2
Level 55
Jan 17, 2024
Thanks!