The total population of these 11 cities was 152,087. Listed as a town in the 1790 census now a city. Listed as a town in the 1790 census now a city since 1822 and is the capital of Massachusetts since 1632.Įxisted as a town during the time now an independent city.Ī neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. Prior to 1854, the City of Philadelphia only governed the oldest parts of the city, now referred to as Center City. Ģ8,522 (excludes urban neighborhoods outside city proper) New York has ranked as the city with the highest population in every census count. Note that, in 1790, New York City consisted of the entire island of Manhattan and that Philadelphia only included the most central neighborhoods of the city.ģ3,131 (includes rural areas of Manhattan) census count was completed in 1790, New York City had already grown to be 14% more populous than Philadelphia (though Philadelphia still had the larger metropolitan population in 1790). When the United States declared independence in 1776, Philadelphia was its most populous city. See also: 1790 United States Census § City rankings Similarly, Philadelphia's population has included the census counts within both the former urban areas of Northern Liberties, Pennsylvania and Southwark, Pennsylvania ever since Philadelphia's 1854 consolidation. For example, after the 1898 consolidation of New York City, the Census Bureau has defined all the boroughs within its city limits as one 'urban place'.

Other places may have expanded their borders due to such annexation or consolidation. Some of these places have since been annexed or merged into other cities. This list generally refers only to the population of individual urban places within their defined limits at the time of the indicated census. The top 10 urban areas in 2010 are all separate incorporated places. The top 10 urban areas in 1790 consisted of various places designated as cities, towns and townships. The Census Bureau's definition of an ' urban place' has included a variety of designations, including city, town, township, village, borough, and municipality. The 2010 rankings are based on the 2010 census results.

For 1790 through 1990, tables are taken from the U.S Census Bureau's 'Population of the 100 Largest Cities and Other Urban Places in the United States: 1790 to 1990.' For year 2000 rankings, data from the Census Bureau's tally of 'Cities with 100,000 or More Population Ranked by Selected Subject' is used. This list tracks and ranks the population of the top 10 largest cities and other urban places in the United States by decade, as reported by each decennial United States Census, starting with the 1790 Census. Linear visualization of population of the United States cities only when they are among the top 10

20 most populous us cities