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. 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. The 2010 rankings are based on the 2010 census results.

The Census Bureau's definition of an "urban place" has included a variety of designations, including city, town, township, village, borough, and municipality. The top 10 urban areas in 1790 consisted of various places designated as cities, towns and townships. The top 10 urban areas in 2010 are all separate incorporated places.

This list generally refers only to the population of individual urban places within their defined limits at the time of the indicated census. Some of these places have since been annexed or merged into other cities. Other places may have expanded their borders due to such annexation or 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". 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.

1790

When the United States declared independence in 1776, Philadelphia was its most populous city. By the time the first U.S. 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). 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.

Rank City State Population Notes 1 New York New York 33,131 (includes rural areas of Manhattan) New York has ranked as the city with the highest population in every census count. 2 Philadelphia Pennsylvania 28,522 (excludes urban neighborhoods outside city proper) Prior to 1854, the City of Philadelphia only governed the oldest parts of the city, now referred to as Center City. 3 Boston Massachusetts 18,320 Listed as a town in the 1790 census; now a city since 1822 and is the capital of Massachusetts since 1632. 4 Charleston South Carolina 16,359 5 Baltimore Maryland 13,503 Existed as a town during the time; now an independent city. 6 Northern Liberties DistrictPennsylvania 9,913 A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. 7 Salem Massachusetts 7,921 Listed as a town in the 1790 census; now a city. 8 Newport Rhode Island 6,716 Listed as a town in the 1790 census; now a city. Only appearance in the top 10. 9 Providence Rhode Island 6,380 Listed as a town in the 1790 census; now a city. 10 Marblehead Massachusetts 5,661 Still a town. Only appearance in the top 10. Southwark Pennsylvania 5,661 A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854.

The total population of these 10 cities was 152,087.

1800

Rankings based on population data from the second United States census.

Rank City State PopulationNotes 1 New York New York 60,514 2 Philadelphia Pennsylvania 41,220 (Present-day Center City.) 3 Baltimore Maryland 26,514 4 Boston Massachusetts 24,937 Listed as a town and still the capital of Massachusetts, would become a city in 1822. 5 Charleston South Carolina 18,824 6 Northern Liberties Pennsylvania 10,718 A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. 7 Southwark Pennsylvania 9,621 A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. 8 Salem Massachusetts 9,457 Listed as a town. Today, Salem is a city. 9 Providence Rhode Island 7,614 Listed as a town. Last appearance in the top 10. 10 Norfolk Virginia 6,926 Only appearance in the top 10, and only appearance of a city in Virginia in the top 10. Listed as a borough. Now an independent city.

The total population of these 10 cities was 216,346.

1810

Rankings based on population data from the third United States census.

Rank City State PopulationNotes 1 New York New York 96,373 2 Philadelphia Pennsylvania 53,722 (Present-day Center City.) 3 Baltimore Maryland 46,555 4 Boston Massachusetts 33,787 5 Charleston South Carolina 24,711 6 Northern Liberties Pennsylvania 19,874 A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. 7 New Orleans Territory of Orleans 17,242 First entry in the top 10 list not located in one of the original Thirteen Colonies. 8 Southwark Pennsylvania 13,707 A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. 9 Salem Massachusetts 12,613 Listed as a town. 10 Albany New York 10,762 First appearance in the top 10, and first city in Upstate New York to make the top 10. The total population of these 10 cities was 329,346.

1820

Rankings based on population data drawn the fourth United States census.

Rank City State PopulationNotes 1 New York New York 123,706 First city in the US to surpass 100,000. 2 Philadelphia Pennsylvania 63,802 (Present-day Center City.) 3 Baltimore Maryland 62,738 4 Boston Massachusetts 43,298 5 New Orleans Louisiana 27,176 Booming trade post, bought through the Louisiana Purchase. 6 Charleston South Carolina 24,780 7 Northern Liberties Pennsylvania 19,678 A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. 8 Southwark Pennsylvania 14,713 A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. 9 Washington District of Columbia 13,247 First appearance of the new capital in the top 10. Would disappear from the list by next census and not reappear on top 10 until 1950. 10 Salem Massachusetts 12,731 Last appearance in the top 10. Listed as a town. The total population of these 10 cities was 405,869. Last time Massachusetts has two cities in the top ten.

1830

Rankings based on population data from the fifth United States census.

Rank City State PopulationNotes 1 New York New York 202,300 First city in the US to surpass 200,000. 2 Baltimore Maryland 80,800 Baltimore is the second city to rank number two. 3 Philadelphia Pennsylvania 80,462 (Present-day Center City.) 4 Boston Massachusetts 61,392 5 Louisiana 46,082 6 Charleston South Carolina 30,289 7 Northern Liberties Pennsylvania 28,872 A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. 8 Cincinnati Ohio 24,831 Listed as a town. First Midwestern city in top 10. 9 Albany New York 24,209 10 Southwark Pennsylvania 20,581 A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. Last appearance in top 10. The total population of these 10 cities was 599,927.

1840

Rankings based on data drawn from the sixth United States census.

Rank City State PopulationNotes 1 New York New York 312,710 First city in the US to surpass 300,000. 2 Baltimore Maryland 102,313 Second city in the US, after New York, to surpass 100,000. 3 Louisiana 102,193 New Orleans' rapid growth shows the increasing importance of Mississippi River trade before the advent of the railroad. 4 Philadelphia Pennsylvania 93,665 (Present-day Center City.) 5 Boston Massachusetts 93,383 6 Cincinnati Ohio 46,338 Listed as a town. 7 Brooklyn New York 36,233 At this time, Brooklyn was a city. 8 Northern Liberties Pennsylvania 34,474 A neighborhood of Philadelphia annexed in 1854. Last appearance in top 10. 9 Albany New York 33,721 10 Charleston South Carolina 29,261 Last appearance in top 10. First ever population drop for Charleston. The total population of these 10 cities was 884,291.

1850

By 1850, the United States was in the midst of the First Industrial Revolution. Rankings based on population data compiled in the seventh United States census.

Rank City State PopulationNotes 1 New York New York 515,547 First city in the US to surpass 400,000 and 500,000. 2 Baltimore Maryland 169,054 3 Boston Massachusetts 136,881 4 Philadelphia Pennsylvania 121,376 (Present-day Center City.) 5 Louisiana 116,375 6 Cincinnati Ohio 115,435 7 Brooklyn New York 96,838 8 St. Louis Missouri 77,860 First Top 10 appearance of any city west of the Mississippi River. 9 Spring Garden Pennsylvania 58,894 Now a neighborhood of Philadelphia. Only appearance in the top 10. Last census where Spring Garden was an independent city. 10 Albany New York 50,763 Last appearance in top 10. The total population of these 10 cities was 1,459,023.

1860

Rankings based on data drawn from the eighth United States census, the last national decennial census conducted before the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861. This is the first census where the Northeast does not hold a supermajority of the top ten largest cities.

Rank City State PopulationNotes 1 New York New York 813,669 First city in the US to surpass 600,000, 700,000, and 800,000. 2 Philadelphia Pennsylvania 565,529 The large jump in population between the seventh and eighth censuses is due to the 1854 Act of Consolidation, which greatly expanded the City of Philadelphia to be coterminous with Philadelphia County, and abolished all other local governments in the county. The "Philadelphia" prior to 1854 is present-day Center City. 3 Brooklyn New York 266,661 4 Baltimore Maryland 212,418 5 Boston Massachusetts 177,840 6 Louisiana 168,675 7 Cincinnati Ohio 161,044 8 St. Louis Missouri 160,773 9 Chicago Illinois 112,172 First appearance in top 10. In the previous census, it was the 24th largest American city with a population of 29,963. At one point, Chicago would be the world's fastest growing city. 10 Buffalo New York 81,129 First appearance in top 10. Would not re-appear until 1900. The total population of these 10 cities was 2,719,910.

1870

This was the ninth United States census. This is the first census where the Northeast does not hold a simple majority of the top ten largest cities (briefly returns to 6 in the 1910 census). This is also the first census in which every city in the top 10 has a population of over 100,000.

Rank City State PopulationNotes 1 New York New York 942,292 First city in the US to surpass 900,000. Included present-day Manhattan only. 2 Philadelphia Pennsylvania 674,022 3 Brooklyn New York 396,099 4 St. Louis Missouri 310,864 The 1870 St. Louis Census total may have been slightly boosted by fraud. 5 Chicago Illinois 298,977 Census was taken one year before the Great Chicago Fire, which burned down a large portion of the city. 6 Baltimore Maryland 267,354 7 Boston Massachusetts 250,526 8 Cincinnati Ohio 216,239 9 New Orleans Louisiana 191,418 10 San Francisco California 149,473 First West Coast city in top 10. Its population boom began after 1848 with the Gold Rush and continued with silver discoveries such as the Comstock Lode in 1859. The first transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869. The total population of these 10 cities was 3,697,264.

1880

This was the tenth United States census.

Rank City State PopulationNotes 1 New York New York 1,206,299 First city in the US to reach 1 million+ population milestone. Municipal boundaries encompassed present-day Manhattan and the West Bronx only. 2 Philadelphia Pennsylvania 847,170 3 Brooklyn New York 566,663 4 Chicago Illinois 503,185 The Great Chicago Fire destroyed approximately one-third of the city in 1871, yet the city still experienced extreme growth by this census count. 5 Boston Massachusetts 362,839 6 St. Louis Missouri 350,518 The city of St. Louis seceded from St. Louis County in 1876. The population of St. Louis City and St. Louis County during the Census was ~386,000. 7 Baltimore Maryland 332,313 8 Cincinnati Ohio 255,139 9 San Francisco California 233,959 10 New Orleans Louisiana 216,090 Last appearance in top 10. The total population of these 10 cities was 4,874,175.

1890

The 1890 census was the eleventh. Four Midwest cities occupied the top ten spots, with two cities from Ohio in the top ten for the first time.