10 Largest U.S. Cities by Population

There are definitely perks to working for a moving service. One of those perks is having a bird’s-eye view of migration patterns—where people are moving from and to. Because we’re able to see this, we have a fairly good idea of what the most populated U.S. cities are. We find that the cities people move to most often are a close match to the cities at top of the “Largest U.S. Cities by Population” list. If you’re planning a move soon, and you don’t mind sharing your city with millions of others, one of the cities on this list just might be the place for you.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, these are the 10 Largest U.S. Cities by Population:

1. New York, NY – It is no surprise that NYC came in as the largest US city by population. Whether you call it the Big Apple, The Capital of the World, or the Empire City, you could join the 8.2 million residents who call New York home.

2. Los Angeles, CA – While the 2011 census shows that more people are moving out of California than moving in (about 100,000 more moved away than moved in), Los Angeles is still the 2^nd most populated city in the U.S. Just over 3.8 Million residents call the city home.   

3. Chicago, IL – The Windy City is home to 2.7 Million people, and according to a Census Bureau report the downtown area is one of the fastest growing areas in the nation – more than 48,000 people moved to downtown Chicago between 2000 and 2010!

4. Houston, TX – Houston crosses us into the 2 Million population mark with 2.1 Million residents. With so many individuals in the city, it’s quite the melting pot. There are over 90 languages spoken in the Houston area!

5. Philadelphia, PA – Not only is Philadelphia the second largest city on the East Coast, it’s also the home of 1.5 Million people.

6. Phoenix, AZ – Because of the large size of the city, Phoenix’s 1.4 Million residents don’t have to feel cramped! Phoenix has the lowest population density on this top 10 list. There are only 2,797 residents per square mile, meaning there is plenty of room for the residents to spread out.

7. San Antonio, TX – As one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S., San Antonio grew to have 1.32 Million residents in 2010.

8. San Diego, CA – Although this area gets many tourists, 1.3 Million folks call San Diego home!

9. Dallas, TX – According to a 2012 Business Journal article, the Dallas area is leading the nation in population growth, adding one person every 4 minutes.  As of 2011, the population in Dallas was 1.2 Million.

10. San Jose, CA – Coming in the 10^th spot with a population of 967,487 as of July 2011 is the coastal town of San Jose. It is the only city on this list with a population less than 1 Million.