largest us cities

Largest U.S. Cities

Study the 118-city USGuess launch bank behind City Guesser and U.S. Cities Quiz. This page is a curated learning reference, not a live Census population ranking table.

city coverage

118 cities

Major 92
Capitals 49
All 118

region spread

Lower-48 + DC

Northeast 16
South 44
Midwest 28
West 30

state spread

49 states/DC

California 9
Texas 7
Florida 5
Alabama 4
Michigan 4
New York 4
North Carolina 4
Ohio 4

city tiers

From mega cities to capital points

The tiers keep the quiz bank scannable without pretending every record has a public population rank inside the current dataset.

Mega city anchor

7

New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston

Large city

33

San Antonio, San Diego, Austin, Jacksonville

Mid-size city

52

Mesa, Omaha, Colorado Springs, Virginia Beach

Capital-only point

26

Lansing, Springfield, Montgomery, Tallahassee

city study list

118-city launch reference

Use the list to memorize city, state, region, city type, and clue before jumping back into a map round.

filter bank

118 cities shown
Index City State Tier Type Level Region Clue
1 New York City New York Mega city anchor Major city Starter Northeast Largest city in the United States.
2 Los Angeles California Mega city anchor Major city Starter West Pacific megacity with a huge entertainment economy.
3 Chicago Illinois Mega city anchor Major city Starter Midwest Largest city on Lake Michigan.
4 Houston Texas Mega city anchor Major city Starter South Major Gulf Coast energy and space city.
5 Phoenix Arizona Mega city anchor Major capital Starter West Desert state capital and one of the largest inland metros.
6 Philadelphia Pennsylvania Mega city anchor Major city Starter Northeast Historic city between New York and Washington.
7 San Antonio Texas Large city Major city Starter South South Texas city known for the Alamo.
8 San Diego California Large city Major city Starter West Large coastal city near the Mexican border.
9 Dallas Texas Mega city anchor Major city Starter South North Texas business and transport hub.
10 Austin Texas Large city Major capital Starter South Fast-growing state capital in central Texas.
11 Jacksonville Florida Large city Major city Standard South Large city in northeast Florida.
12 San Jose California Large city Major city Standard West Largest city in Silicon Valley.
13 Fort Worth Texas Large city Major city Standard South Western half of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
14 Columbus Ohio Large city Major capital Starter Midwest Central Ohio state capital.
15 Charlotte North Carolina Large city Major city Starter South Major banking city in the Carolinas.
16 Indianapolis Indiana Large city Major capital Starter Midwest Capital city known for a major motor speedway.
17 San Francisco California Large city Major city Starter West Dense city on a bay at the Golden Gate.
18 Seattle Washington Large city Major city Starter West Pacific Northwest city on Puget Sound.
19 Denver Colorado Large city Major capital Starter West Mile-high city near the Front Range.
20 Washington, DC District of Columbia Large city Major capital Starter South National capital on the Potomac.
21 Boston Massachusetts Large city Major capital Starter Northeast Historic New England port and Massachusetts capital.
22 El Paso Texas Large city Major city Standard South Large city on the Rio Grande in far west Texas.
23 Nashville Tennessee Large city Major capital Starter South Tennessee capital with a major music industry.
24 Oklahoma City Oklahoma Large city Major capital Standard South Oklahoma state capital on the southern Plains.
25 Las Vegas Nevada Large city Major city Starter West Desert resort city in southern Nevada.
26 Portland Oregon Large city Major city Standard West Largest city in Oregon, near the Columbia River.
27 Detroit Michigan Large city Major city Starter Midwest Great Lakes auto industry city.
28 Memphis Tennessee Large city Major city Standard South Mississippi River city in southwest Tennessee.
29 Louisville Kentucky Large city Major city Standard South Largest city in Kentucky on the Ohio River.
30 Baltimore Maryland Large city Major city Standard South Major Chesapeake Bay port city.
31 Milwaukee Wisconsin Large city Major city Standard Midwest Largest Wisconsin city on Lake Michigan.
32 Albuquerque New Mexico Large city Major city Standard West Largest New Mexico city on the Rio Grande.
33 Tucson Arizona Large city Major city Standard West Southern Arizona city in the Sonoran Desert.
34 Fresno California Large city Major city Standard West Large city in California's Central Valley.
35 Sacramento California Large city Major capital Standard West California state capital near the Sacramento River.
36 Kansas City Missouri Large city Major city Standard Midwest Missouri River metro split across two states.
37 Mesa Arizona Mid-size city Major city Challenge West Large Phoenix-area city east of the state capital.
38 Atlanta Georgia Large city Major capital Starter South Georgia capital and major Southeast airport hub.
39 Omaha Nebraska Mid-size city Major city Standard Midwest Largest Nebraska city on the Missouri River.
40 Colorado Springs Colorado Mid-size city Major city Standard West Front Range city south of Denver.
41 Raleigh North Carolina Large city Major capital Standard South North Carolina state capital in the Research Triangle.
42 Virginia Beach Virginia Mid-size city Major city Standard South Atlantic coastal city in the Hampton Roads region.
43 Miami Florida Large city Major city Starter South South Florida city on the Atlantic coast.
44 Oakland California Mid-size city Major city Challenge West East Bay city across from San Francisco.
45 Minneapolis Minnesota Large city Major city Standard Midwest Twin Cities metro on the upper Mississippi.
46 Tulsa Oklahoma Mid-size city Major city Standard South Northeast Oklahoma city on the Arkansas River.
47 Wichita Kansas Mid-size city Major city Standard Midwest Largest Kansas city on the Arkansas River.
48 New Orleans Louisiana Mid-size city Major city Starter South Mississippi River city near the Gulf Coast.
49 Arlington Texas Mid-size city Major city Challenge South Mid-city in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
50 Tampa Florida Mid-size city Major city Standard South Gulf Coast city on Tampa Bay.
51 Aurora Colorado Mid-size city Major city Challenge West Large Denver-area city east of the capital.
52 Cleveland Ohio Mid-size city Major city Standard Midwest Northeast Ohio city on Lake Erie.
53 Bakersfield California Mid-size city Major city Challenge West Southern Central Valley city in California.
54 Riverside California Mid-size city Major city Challenge West Inland Southern California city east of Los Angeles.
55 Cincinnati Ohio Mid-size city Major city Standard Midwest Ohio River city across from northern Kentucky.
56 St. Louis Missouri Mid-size city Major city Starter Midwest Mississippi River city near the Gateway Arch.
57 Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Mid-size city Major city Standard Northeast Western Pennsylvania city where three rivers meet.
58 Orlando Florida Mid-size city Major city Standard South Central Florida city known for tourism.
59 Salt Lake City Utah Mid-size city Major capital Standard West Utah capital near the Great Salt Lake.
60 Reno Nevada Mid-size city Major city Challenge West Northern Nevada city near the Sierra Nevada.
61 Boise Idaho Mid-size city Major capital Standard West Idaho capital in the Treasure Valley.
62 Spokane Washington Mid-size city Major city Challenge West Inland city in eastern Washington.
63 Tacoma Washington Mid-size city Major city Challenge West Puget Sound city south of Seattle.
64 Madison Wisconsin Mid-size city Major capital Standard Midwest Wisconsin capital between two lakes.
65 Grand Rapids Michigan Mid-size city Major city Challenge Midwest Western Michigan city east of Lake Michigan.
66 Buffalo New York Mid-size city Major city Standard Northeast Western New York city near Niagara Falls.
67 Rochester New York Mid-size city Major city Challenge Northeast Upstate New York city south of Lake Ontario.
68 Richmond Virginia Mid-size city Major capital Standard South Virginia capital on the James River.
69 Providence Rhode Island Mid-size city Major capital Standard Northeast Rhode Island capital at the head of Narragansett Bay.
70 Hartford Connecticut Mid-size city Major capital Standard Northeast Connecticut capital on the Connecticut River.
71 Newark New Jersey Mid-size city Major city Challenge Northeast Large New Jersey city near New York Harbor.
72 Jersey City New Jersey Mid-size city Major city Challenge Northeast Dense city across the Hudson River from Manhattan.
73 Norfolk Virginia Mid-size city Major city Challenge South Hampton Roads port city on the Chesapeake Bay.
74 Durham North Carolina Mid-size city Major city Challenge South Research Triangle city near Raleigh.
75 Greensboro North Carolina Mid-size city Major city Challenge South Piedmont city in central North Carolina.
76 Birmingham Alabama Mid-size city Major city Standard South Largest Alabama metro in the Appalachian foothills.
77 Huntsville Alabama Mid-size city Major city Challenge South North Alabama city with a major aerospace economy.
78 Mobile Alabama Mid-size city Major city Challenge South Alabama port city on the Gulf Coast.
79 Knoxville Tennessee Mid-size city Major city Challenge South East Tennessee city near the Great Smoky Mountains.
80 Chattanooga Tennessee Mid-size city Major city Challenge South Tennessee River city near the Georgia line.
81 Lexington Kentucky Mid-size city Major city Challenge South Kentucky city at the center of Bluegrass horse country.
82 Baton Rouge Louisiana Mid-size city Major capital Standard South Louisiana capital on the Mississippi River.
83 Shreveport Louisiana Mid-size city Major city Challenge South Northwest Louisiana city near the Texas border.
84 Little Rock Arkansas Mid-size city Major capital Standard South Arkansas capital on the Arkansas River.
85 Des Moines Iowa Mid-size city Major capital Standard Midwest Iowa capital in the center of the state.
86 Saint Paul Minnesota Mid-size city Major capital Standard Midwest Minnesota capital and the eastern Twin City.
87 Lincoln Nebraska Mid-size city Major capital Standard Midwest Nebraska capital southwest of Omaha.
88 Fargo North Dakota Mid-size city Major city Challenge Midwest Largest North Dakota city on the Red River.
89 Sioux Falls South Dakota Mid-size city Major city Challenge Midwest Largest South Dakota city near the Big Sioux River.
90 Toledo Ohio Mid-size city Major city Challenge Midwest Northwest Ohio city near Lake Erie.
91 Fort Wayne Indiana Mid-size city Major city Challenge Midwest Northeast Indiana city near the Ohio line.
92 Lansing Michigan Capital-only point Capital-only Standard Midwest Michigan state capital in the Lower Peninsula.
93 Ann Arbor Michigan Mid-size city Major city Challenge Midwest University city west of Detroit.
94 Springfield Illinois Capital-only point Capital-only Standard Midwest Illinois state capital in the center of the state.
95 Montgomery Alabama Capital-only point Capital-only Standard South Alabama state capital on the Alabama River.
96 Tallahassee Florida Capital-only point Capital-only Standard South Florida capital in the Panhandle.
97 Columbia South Carolina Capital-only point Capital-only Standard South South Carolina capital near the center of the state.
98 Jackson Mississippi Capital-only point Capital-only Standard South Mississippi capital on the Pearl River.
99 Jefferson City Missouri Capital-only point Capital-only Challenge Midwest Missouri capital on the Missouri River.
100 Topeka Kansas Capital-only point Capital-only Challenge Midwest Kansas capital on the Kansas River.
101 Frankfort Kentucky Capital-only point Capital-only Challenge South Small Kentucky capital on the Kentucky River.
102 Charleston West Virginia Capital-only point Capital-only Challenge South West Virginia capital in the Kanawha Valley.
103 Bismarck North Dakota Capital-only point Capital-only Challenge Midwest North Dakota capital on the Missouri River.
104 Pierre South Dakota Capital-only point Capital-only Challenge Midwest Small South Dakota capital on the Missouri River.
105 Helena Montana Capital-only point Capital-only Challenge West Montana capital near the Rocky Mountains.
106 Cheyenne Wyoming Capital-only point Capital-only Challenge West Wyoming capital on the High Plains.
107 Olympia Washington Capital-only point Capital-only Standard West Washington capital at the south end of Puget Sound.
108 Salem Oregon Capital-only point Capital-only Standard West Oregon capital in the Willamette Valley.
109 Carson City Nevada Capital-only point Capital-only Challenge West Nevada capital near Lake Tahoe.
110 Santa Fe New Mexico Capital-only point Capital-only Standard West New Mexico capital high in the Sangre de Cristo foothills.
111 Dover Delaware Capital-only point Capital-only Challenge South Delaware capital on the coastal plain.
112 Annapolis Maryland Capital-only point Capital-only Challenge South Maryland capital on Chesapeake Bay.
113 Harrisburg Pennsylvania Capital-only point Capital-only Standard Northeast Pennsylvania capital on the Susquehanna River.
114 Trenton New Jersey Capital-only point Capital-only Standard Northeast New Jersey capital on the Delaware River.
115 Albany New York Capital-only point Capital-only Standard Northeast New York capital on the upper Hudson River.
116 Concord New Hampshire Capital-only point Capital-only Challenge Northeast New Hampshire capital on the Merrimack River.
117 Montpelier Vermont Capital-only point Capital-only Challenge Northeast Vermont capital in the Green Mountains.
118 Augusta Maine Capital-only point Capital-only Challenge Northeast Maine capital on the Kennebec River.

source and asset policy

Structured city facts only

City records are a manually reviewed launch seed checked against public city facts, Census place references, and coordinate checks.

USGuess does not use street-view imagery, satellite screenshots, official city seals, logos, map screenshots, or third-party city photography as quiz material.

Census Gazetteer