Number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents in United States
United States: Number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents was 69.30 million people in 2020. ▲ Rising
Number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents in United States, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
United States recorded 69.30 million people for number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is up 28.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents in United States peaked at 69.30 million people in 2020 and was at its lowest, 18.37 million people, in 1950.
United States ranks 4th of 182 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents in United States, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 18.37 million people | — |
| 1955 | 20.03 million people | +9.1% |
| 1960 | 23.61 million people | +17.9% |
| 1965 | 27.01 million people | +14.4% |
| 1970 | 28.79 million people | +6.6% |
| 1975 | 30.63 million people | +6.4% |
| 1980 | 31.89 million people | +4.1% |
| 1985 | 33.96 million people | +6.5% |
| 1990 | 35.95 million people | +5.9% |
| 1995 | 38.94 million people | +8.3% |
| 2000 | 43.59 million people | +12.0% |
| 2005 | 46.17 million people | +5.9% |
| 2010 | 54.08 million people | +17.1% |
| 2015 | 62.25 million people | +15.1% |
| 2020 | 69.30 million people | +11.3% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 69.30 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.35 million people, 51.2× the median. (60 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 19.20 million people | 18.37 million people | 20.03 million people | 2 |
| 1960s | 25.31 million people | 23.61 million people | 27.01 million people | 2 |
| 1970s | 29.71 million people | 28.79 million people | 30.63 million people | 2 |
| 1980s | 32.92 million people | 31.89 million people | 33.96 million people | 2 |
| 1990s | 37.44 million people | 35.95 million people | 38.94 million people | 2 |
| 2000s | 44.88 million people | 43.59 million people | 46.17 million people | 2 |
| 2010s | 58.17 million people | 54.08 million people | 62.25 million people | 2 |
| 2020s | 69.30 million people | 69.30 million people | 69.30 million people | 1 |
Countries ranked near United States
More reference data data for United States
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 19.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 24.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 20.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 64.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 52.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 133.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 589.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 112.69 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents in United States?
- Number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents in United States was 69.30 million people in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 69.30 million people in 2020.
- What is the lowest number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.37 million people in 1950.
- How does United States rank for number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents?
- United States ranks 4th out of 182 countries with data for 2020.
- Is number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 28.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total population living in cities with 1 million or more people. City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.