There are 56 municipalities classified as cities (, singular ) in the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Each city is further classified based on population, with Philadelphia being of the first class, Pittsburgh of the second class, Scranton of the second class A, and the remaining 53 cities being of the third class.
While the default form of government for third class cities is the Third Class City Code, only 18 cities still use this form of government. The City of Parker is the only city that still operates under a special act, and has a weak mayor-council form of government. All three cities not of the third class, along with 23 third class cities, have adopted home rule charters, which give the cities broader powers to manage their affairs. When a city adopts a home rule charter, it does not lose its status as a city nor its classification.
Two cities have adopted optional plans under the same law. From 1957 to 1972, third class cities were able to adopt optional charters. Nine remain in effect. Cities that operate under home rule charters, optional plans, or optional charters are also found in the List of Pennsylvania municipalities and counties with home rule charters, optional charters, or optional plans.
Home rule municipalities that are styled as cities but not classified as cities are not included below.
Cities gallery
List of cities in Pennsylvania
† County Seat
NameTypeCountyClassPopulation(2020 Census) Incorporationdate (as city)Area(sq miles)Area (km2)AliquippaCityBeaverThird9,2381987 Allentown†CityLehighThird125,8451867 AltoonaCityBlairThird43,9631868 ArnoldCityWestmorelandThird4,7721939 Beaver FallsCityBeaverThird9,0051928 BethlehemCityLehighNorthamptonThird75,7811917 BradfordCityMcKeanThird7,8491879 Butler†CityButlerThird13,5021918 CarbondaleCityLackawannaThird8,8281851 ChesterCityDelawareThird32,6051866 ClairtonCityAlleghenyThird6,1811922 CoatesvilleCityChesterThird13,3501915 ConnellsvilleCityFayetteThird7,0311911 CorryCityErieThird6,2101866 DuBoisCityClearfieldThird7,5101914 DuquesneCityAlleghenyThird5,2541918 Easton†CityNorthamptonThird28,1271887 Erie†CityErieThird94,8311851 FarrellCityMercerThird4,2581932 Franklin†CityVenangoThird6,0771868 Greensburg†CityWestmorelandThird14,9761928 Harrisburg†CityDauphinThird50,1351860 HazletonCityLuzerneThird29,9631891 HermitageCityMercerThird16,2301976 JeannetteCityWestmorelandThird8,7801938 JohnstownCityCambriaThird18,4111889 Lancaster†CityLancasterThird58,0391818 Lebanon†CityLebanonThird26,8141885 Lock Haven†CityClintonThird8,1081870 Lower BurrellCityWestmorelandThird11,7581959 McKeesportCityAlleghenyThird17,7271891 Meadville†CityCrawfordThird13,0501866 MonessenCityWestmorelandThird6,8761921 MonongahelaCityWashingtonThird4,1591873 NanticokeCityLuzerneThird10,6281926 New Castle†CityLawrenceThird21,9261869 New KensingtonCityWestmorelandThird12,1701934 Oil CityCityVenangoThird9,6131871 ParkerCityArmstrongThird6951873 Philadelphia†CityPhiladelphiaFirst1,603,7971701 Pittsburgh†CityAlleghenySecond302,9711816 PittstonCityLuzerneThird7,5911894 Pottsville†CitySchuylkillThird13,3461911 Reading†CityBerksThird95,1121847 St. MarysCityElkThird12,7381992 Scranton†CityLackawannaSecond A76,3281866 ShamokinCityNorthumberlandThird6,9421949 SharonCityMercerThird13,1471917 Sunbury†CityNorthumberlandThird9,7191920 TitusvilleCityCrawfordThird5,2621866 Uniontown†CityFayetteThird9,9841864 Warren†CityWarrenThird9,4041832 Washington†CityWashingtonThird13,1761924 Wilkes-Barre†CityLuzerneThird44,3281871 Williamsport†CityLycomingThird27,7541866 York†CityYorkThird44,8001887
See also List of counties in Pennsylvania List of municipalities in Pennsylvania List of Pennsylvania Municipalities and Counties with Home Rule Charters, Optional Charters, or Optional Plans List of townships in Pennsylvania
References