Population in largest city in United States
United States: Population in largest city was 19.15 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
19.15 million
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
8th
of 153 countries
All-time high
19.15 million
in 2025
All-time low
14.16 million
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population in largest city in United States, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in largest city in United States is 19.15 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in largest city in United States peaked at 19.15 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 14.16 million, in 1960.
That places United States 8th out of 153 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population in largest city in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 14.16 million | — |
| 1961 | 14.36 million | +1.4% |
| 1962 | 14.56 million | +1.4% |
| 1963 | 14.76 million | +1.4% |
| 1964 | 14.97 million | +1.4% |
| 1965 | 15.18 million | +1.4% |
| 1966 | 15.39 million | +1.4% |
| 1967 | 15.60 million | +1.4% |
| 1968 | 15.82 million | +1.4% |
| 1969 | 16.04 million | +1.4% |
| 1970 | 16.19 million | +0.9% |
| 1971 | 16.13 million | -0.4% |
| 1972 | 16.07 million | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 16.00 million | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 15.94 million | -0.4% |
| 1975 | 15.88 million | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 15.82 million | -0.4% |
| 1977 | 15.76 million | -0.4% |
| 1978 | 15.70 million | -0.4% |
| 1979 | 15.64 million | -0.4% |
| 1980 | 15.60 million | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 15.65 million | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 15.69 million | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 15.74 million | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 15.78 million | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 15.83 million | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 15.87 million | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 15.92 million | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 15.96 million | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 16.01 million | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 16.09 million | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 16.25 million | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 16.42 million | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 16.59 million | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 16.77 million | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 16.94 million | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 17.12 million | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 17.30 million | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 17.48 million | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 17.66 million | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 17.81 million | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 17.87 million | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 17.92 million | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 17.98 million | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 18.03 million | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 18.09 million | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 18.14 million | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 18.20 million | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 18.25 million | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 18.31 million | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 18.37 million | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 18.42 million | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 18.48 million | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 18.53 million | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 18.59 million | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 18.65 million | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 18.70 million | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 18.76 million | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 18.82 million | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 18.80 million | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 18.80 million | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 18.82 million | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 18.87 million | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 18.94 million | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 19.03 million | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 19.15 million | +0.6% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 19.15 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.80 million, 10.6× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 15.08 million | 14.16 million | 16.04 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 15.91 million | 15.64 million | 16.19 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 15.80 million | 15.60 million | 16.01 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.86 million | 16.09 million | 17.66 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.06 million | 17.81 million | 18.31 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.61 million | 18.37 million | 18.82 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.94 million | 18.80 million | 19.15 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
More urban development data for United States
- Population in the largest city 7.0% (2025)
- Population density 36.81 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 6.97 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.4704 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 160.79 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 0.9145 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 17.26 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 10,913 Hectares (2020)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 3.3% (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in largest city in United States?
- Population in largest city in United States was 19.15 million in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in largest city recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 19.15 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population in largest city recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.16 million in 1960.
- How does United States rank for population in largest city?
- United States ranks 8th out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in largest city rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Population in largest city is the urban population living in the country's largest metropolitan area.