Urban Areas in the United States: 1950 to 2010

Principal Urban Areas in Metropolitan Areas

Over 1,000,000 Population in 2010

Complete Listing: 1950-2000: Urban Area, Historic Core Municipality & Suburban Data

Previous File Data (More Detailed 1950-1990 data)

5 Tables Below

1-Population

2-Land Area: Square Miles

3-Density-Square Miles

4-Land Area-Square Kilometers

5-Density-Square Kilometers

Table 1

Urban Area Population

POPULATION X 1,000

Urban Area (Urbanized Area)

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

Atlanta, GA

507

768

1,172

1,613

2,157

3,500

4,515

Austin, TX

136

187

264

380

562

902

1,362

Baltimore, MD

1,162

1,419

1,580

1,755

1,890

2,076

2,204

Birmingham, AL

445

521

558

606

622

664

749

Boston, MA--NH--RI

2,233

2,413

2,653

2,679

2,775

4,032

4,181

Buffalo, NY

895

1,054

1,087

1,002

954

977

936

Charlotte, NC--SC

141

210

279

351

456

759

1,249

Chicago, IL--IN

4,921

5,959

6,715

6,780

6,792

8,308

8,608

Cincinnati, OH--KY--IN

813

994

1,111

1,123

1,212

1,503

1,625

Cleveland, OH

1,384

1,785

1,960

1,752

1,677

1,787

1,781

Columbus, OH

438

617

790

834

945

1,133

1,368

Dallas--Fort Worth, TX

855

1,435

2,016

2,451

3,198

4,146

5,122

Denver, CO

499

804

1,047

1,352

1,518

1,985

2,374

Detroit, MI

2,752

3,738

3,971

3,809

3,697

3,903

3,734

Fort Lauderdale, FL

320

614

1,008

1,238

Hartford, CT

301

382

465

510

546

852

925

Houston, TX

701

1,140

1,678

2,412

2,902

3,823

4,944

Indianapolis, IN

502

639

820

836

915

1,219

1,487

Jacksonville, FL

242

373

530

598

738

882

1,065

Kansas City, MO--KS

698

921

1,102

1,098

1,275

1,362

1,519

Las Vegas, NV

236

432

697

1,314

1,886

Los Angeles, CA

3,997

6,489

8,351

9,479

11,402

11,789

12,151

Louisville, KY

472

607

739

761

755

864

973

Memphis, TN--MS--AR

406

545

664

775

825

972

1,060

Miami, FL

459

853

1,220

1,608

1,915

4,919

5,502

Milwaukee, WI

829

1,150

1,252

1,207

1,226

1,309

1,376

Minneapolis--St. Paul, MN--WI

987

1,377

1,701

1,788

2,080

2,389

2,651

Nashville, TN

259

347

448

518

573

750

970

New Orleans, LA

660

845

962

1,078

1,040

1,009

900

New York, NY-NJ-CT

12,296

14,115

16,207

15,590

16,044

17,800

18,351

Oklahoma City, OK

275

429

580

674

784

747

862

Orlando, FL

200

305

577

887

1,157

1,511

Philadelphia, PA--NJ--DE--MD

2,922

3,635

4,021

4,112

4,222

5,149

5,442

Phoenix, AZ

216

552

863

1,409

2,006

2,907

3,629

Pittsburgh, PA

1,533

1,804

1,846

1,810

1,678

1,753

1,734

Portland, OR--WA

513

652

825

1,026

1,172

1,583

1,850

Providence, RI--MA

583

660

795

796

846

1,175

1,191

Raleigh, NC

152

205

306

541

885

Richmond, VA

258

333

417

492

590

819

954

Riverside--San Bernardino, CA

136

378

584

705

1,170

1,506

1,933

Rochester, NY

409

493

601

606

620

694

721

Sacramento, CA

212

452

641

796

1,097

1,393

1,724

Salt Lake City, UT

227

349

479

674

789

888

1,021

San Antonio, TX

450

642

773

945

1,129

1,328

1,758

San Diego, CA

433

836

1,198

1,704

2,348

2,674

2,957

San Francisco--Oakland, CA

2,022

2,431

2,988

3,191

3,630

3,229

3,281

San Jose, CA

176

603

1,025

1,244

1,435

1,538

1,664

Seattle, WA

622

864

1,238

1,392

1,744

2,712

3,059

St. Louis, MO--IL

1,401

1,668

1,883

1,849

1,947

2,078

2,151

Tampa--St. Petersburg, FL

408

627

863

1,353

1,709

2,062

2,442

Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA

385

508

668

770

1,323

1,394

1,440

Washington, DC--VA--MD

1,287

1,808

2,481

2,763

3,363

3,934

4,587

Total

54,600

72,114

87,418

95,278

107,421

128,189

142,363

Table 2

Urban Land Area (Square Miles)

LAND AREA (Square Miles)

Urban Area (Urbanized Area)

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

Atlanta, GA

106

246

435

905

1,137

1,963

2,645

Austin, TX

141

273

318

523

Baltimore, MD

152

220

310

523

593

683

717

Birmingham, AL

101

157

225

341

399

392

530

Boston, MA--NH--RI

345

516

664

857

891

1,736

1,873

Buffalo, NY

123

160

214

266

286

367

380

Charlotte, NC--SC

106

190

242

435

741

Chicago, IL--IN

708

960

1,277

1,498

1,585

2,123

2,443

Cincinnati, OH--KY--IN

146

242

335

420

512

672

788

Cleveland, OH

300

587

646

629

636

647

772

Columbus, OH

145

235

305

345

398

510

Dallas--Fort Worth, TX

262

920

1,071

1,280

1,443

1,407

1,779

Denver, CO

105

167

293

439

459

499

668

Detroit, MI

423

732

872

1,044

1,119

1,261

1,337

Fort Lauderdale, FL

124

212

289

327

Hartford, CT

131

208

241

469

516

Houston, TX

270

431

539

1,049

1,177

1,295

1,660

Indianapolis, IN

145

381

433

469

553

706

Jacksonville, FL

111

351

431

508

411

530

Kansas City, MO--KS

149

282

475

589

762

584

678

Las Vegas, NV

121

185

231

286

417

Los Angeles, CA

871

1,370

1,572

1,827

1,966

1,668

1,736

Louisville, KY

136

210

261

283

391

477

Memphis, TN--MS--AR

110

156

196

296

341

400

497

Miami, FL

117

183

259

340

353

1,116

1,239

Milwaukee, WI

102

392

457

496

512

487

546

Minneapolis--St. Paul, MN--WI

231

657

721

980

1,063

894

1,022

Nashville, TN

129

344

413

483

431

563

New Orleans, LA

222

267

184

230

270

198

251

New York, NY-NJ-CT

1,253

1,892

2,425

2,808

2,967

3,353

3,450

Oklahoma City, OK

385

339

449

647

322

411

Orlando, FL

132

312

395

453

598

Philadelphia, PA--NJ--DE--MD

312

597

752

1,015

1,164

1,799

1,981

Phoenix, AZ

248

388

600

741

799

1,147

Pittsburgh, PA

254

525

596

713

778

852

905

Portland, OR--WA

114

192

267

349

388

474

524

Providence, RI--MA

143

188

244

282

299

504

545

Raleigh, NC

176

320

518

Richmond, VA

145

251

303

436

492

Riverside--San Bernardino, CA

169

310

359

460

439

545

Rochester, NY

113

146

201

220

295

324

Sacramento, CA

134

254

278

334

369

471

Salt Lake City, UT

131

184

303

254

231

278

San Antonio, TX

192

223

354

438

408

597

San Diego, CA

133

276

381

611

690

782

732

San Francisco--Oakland, CA

287

572

681

796

874

527

524

San Jose, CA

223

277

326

338

260

286

Seattle, WA

123

238

413

424

588

954

1,010

St. Louis, MO--IL

228

323

461

597

728

829

924

Tampa--St. Petersburg, FL

180

218

291

527

650

802

957

Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA

109

299

418

664

527

515

Washington, DC--VA--MD

178

341

495

807

945

1,157

1,322

Total

9,163

16,991

22,696

29,744

33,947

38,976

45,602

Table 3

Urban Area Density (per Square Mile)

POPULATION DENSITY (Per Square Mile)

Urban Area (Urbanized Area)

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

Atlanta, GA

4,783

3,122

2,694

1,782

1,897

1,783

1,707

Austin, TX

3,886

3,667

3,070

2,695

2,059

2,836

2,605

Baltimore, MD

7,645

6,450

5,097

3,356

3,187

3,040

3,073

Birmingham, AL

4,406

3,318

2,480

1,777

1,559

1,694

1,414

Boston, MA--NH--RI

6,472

4,676

3,995

3,126

3,114

2,323

2,232

Buffalo, NY

7,276

6,588

5,079

3,767

3,336

2,662

2,463

Charlotte, NC--SC

4,029

2,838

2,632

1,847

1,884

1,745

1,685

Chicago, IL--IN

6,951

6,207

5,258

4,526

4,285

3,913

3,524

Cincinnati, OH--KY--IN

5,568

4,107

3,316

2,674

2,367

2,237

2,063

Cleveland, OH

4,613

3,041

3,034

2,785

2,637

2,762

2,307

Columbus, OH

6,738

4,255

3,362

2,734

2,739

2,847

2,680

Dallas--Fort Worth, TX

3,263

1,560

1,882

1,915

2,216

2,947

2,879

Denver, CO

4,752

4,814

3,573

3,080

3,307

3,978

3,554

Detroit, MI

6,506

5,107

4,554

3,648

3,304

3,095

2,793

Fort Lauderdale, FL

2,581

2,896

3,488

3,786

Hartford, CT

5,679

2,916

3,550

2,452

2,266

1,817

1,791

Houston, TX

2,596

2,645

3,113

2,299

2,466

2,952

2,978

Indianapolis, IN

5,516

4,407

2,152

1,931

1,951

2,204

2,108

Jacksonville, FL

4,745

3,360

1,510

1,387

1,453

2,146

2,008

Kansas City, MO--KS

4,685

3,266

2,320

1,864

1,673

2,332

2,242

Las Vegas, NV

2,618

1,950

2,335

3,017

4,594

4,525

Los Angeles, CA

4,589

4,736

5,312

5,188

5,800

7,068

6,999

Louisville, KY

7,045

4,463

3,519

2,916

2,668

2,210

2,040

Memphis, TN--MS--AR

3,691

3,494

3,388

2,618

2,419

2,430

2,132

Miami, FL

3,923

4,661

4,710

4,729

5,425

4,408

4,442

Milwaukee, WI

8,127

2,934

2,740

2,433

2,395

2,688

2,523

Minneapolis--St. Paul, MN--WI

4,273

2,096

2,359

1,824

1,957

2,672

2,594

Nashville, TN

4,796

2,690

1,302

1,254

1,186

1,740

1,721

New Orleans, LA

2,973

3,165

5,228

4,687

3,852

5,096

3,579

New York, NY-NJ-CT

9,813

7,460

6,683

5,552

5,407

5,309

5,319

Oklahoma City, OK

4,104

1,114

1,711

1,501

1,212

2,320

2,098

Orlando, FL

2,920

2,597

2,311

1,849

2,246

2,554

2,527

Philadelphia, PA--NJ--DE--MD

9,365

6,089

5,347

4,051

3,627

2,862

2,746

Phoenix, AZ

3,927

2,226

2,224

2,348

2,707

3,638

3,165

Pittsburgh, PA

6,035

3,436

3,097

2,539

2,157

2,058

1,915

Portland, OR--WA

4,500

3,396

3,090

2,940

3,021

3,340

3,528

Providence, RI--MA

4,077

3,511

3,258

2,823

2,829

2,331

2,185

Raleigh, NC

5,750

2,765

2,141

2,071

1,739

1,691

1,708

Richmond, VA

5,375

3,742

2,876

1,960

1,947

1,878

1,937

Riverside--San Bernardino, CA

2,230

2,237

1,884

1,964

2,543

3,431

3,546

Rochester, NY

6,292

4,363

4,116

3,015

2,818

2,353

2,221

Sacramento, CA

5,048

3,373

2,524

2,863

3,284

3,775

3,660

Salt Lake City, UT

2,987

2,664

2,603

2,224

3,106

3,844

3,675

San Antonio, TX

5,000

3,344

3,466

2,669

2,578

3,255

2,945

San Diego, CA

3,256

3,029

3,144

2,789

3,403

3,419

4,037

San Francisco--Oakland, CA

7,045

4,250

4,388

4,009

4,153

6,127

6,266

San Jose, CA

2,885

2,704

3,700

3,816

4,246

5,915

5,820

Seattle, WA

5,057

3,630

2,998

3,283

2,966

2,843

3,028

St. Louis, MO--IL

6,145

5,164

4,085

3,097

2,674

2,507

2,329

Tampa--St. Petersburg, FL

2,267

2,876

2,966

2,567

2,629

2,571

2,552

Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA

6,210

4,661

2,234

1,842

1,992

2,645

2,793

Washington, DC--VA--MD

7,230

5,302

5,012

3,424

3,559

3,400

3,470

Total

5,959

4,244

3,852

3,203

3,164

3,289

3,122

Table 4

Urban Land Area (Square Kilometers)

LAND AREA (Square Kilometers)

Urban Area (Urbanized Area)

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

Atlanta, GA

275

637

1,127

2,344

2,945

5,084

6,851

Austin, TX

132

223

365

707

824

1,355

Baltimore, MD

394

570

803

1,355

1,536

1,769

1,857

Birmingham, AL

262

407

583

883

1,033

1,015

1,372

Boston, MA--NH--RI

894

1,336

1,720

2,220

2,308

4,496

4,852

Buffalo, NY

319

414

554

689

741

951

984

Charlotte, NC--SC

192

275

492

627

1,127

1,920

Chicago, IL--IN

1,834

2,486

3,307

3,880

4,105

5,499

6,327

Cincinnati, OH--KY--IN

378

627

868

1,088

1,326

1,740

2,040

Cleveland, OH

777

1,520

1,673

1,629

1,647

1,676

1,999

Columbus, OH

168

376

609

790

894

1,031

1,322

Dallas--Fort Worth, TX

679

2,383

2,774

3,315

3,737

3,644

4,608

Denver, CO

272

433

759

1,137

1,189

1,292

1,730

Detroit, MI

1,096

1,896

2,258

2,704

2,898

3,266

3,463

Fort Lauderdale, FL

321

549

749

847

Hartford, CT

137

339

539

624

1,215

1,337

Houston, TX

699

1,116

1,396

2,717

3,048

3,354

4,299

Indianapolis, IN

236

376

987

1,121

1,215

1,432

1,828

Jacksonville, FL

132

287

909

1,116

1,316

1,064

1,374

Kansas City, MO--KS

386

730

1,230

1,526

1,974

1,513

1,756

Las Vegas, NV

313

479

598

741

1,080

Los Angeles, CA

2,256

3,548

4,071

4,732

5,092

4,320

4,496

Louisville, KY

174

352

544

676

733

1,013

1,235

Memphis, TN--MS--AR

285

404

508

767

883

1,036

1,288

Miami, FL

303

474

671

881

914

2,890

3,208

Milwaukee, WI

264

1,015

1,184

1,285

1,326

1,261

1,413

Minneapolis--St. Paul, MN--WI

598

1,702

1,867

2,538

2,753

2,315

2,646

Nashville, TN

140

334

891

1,070

1,251

1,116

1,459

New Orleans, LA

575

692

477

596

699

513

651

New York, NY-NJ-CT

3,245

4,900

6,281

7,273

7,685

8,684

8,936

Oklahoma City, OK

174

997

878

1,163

1,676

834

1,064

Orlando, FL

199

342

808

1,023

1,173

1,548

Philadelphia, PA--NJ--DE--MD

808

1,546

1,948

2,629

3,015

4,659

5,132

Phoenix, AZ

142

642

1,005

1,554

1,919

2,069

2,970

Pittsburgh, PA

658

1,360

1,544

1,847

2,015

2,207

2,344

Portland, OR--WA

295

497

692

904

1,005

1,228

1,358

Providence, RI--MA

370

487

632

730

774

1,305

1,412

Raleigh, NC

184

256

456

829

1,342

Richmond, VA

124

231

376

650

785

1,129

1,275

Riverside--San Bernardino, CA

158

438

803

930

1,191

1,137

1,411

Rochester, NY

168

293

378

521

570

764

840

Sacramento, CA

109

347

658

720

865

956

1,220

Salt Lake City, UT

197

339

477

785

658

598

720

San Antonio, TX

233

497

578

917

1,134

1,057

1,546

San Diego, CA

344

715

987

1,582

1,787

2,025

1,897

San Francisco--Oakland, CA

743

1,481

1,764

2,062

2,264

1,365

1,356

San Jose, CA

158

578

717

844

875

673

741

Seattle, WA

319

616

1,070

1,098

1,523

2,471

2,617

St. Louis, MO--IL

591

837

1,194

1,546

1,886

2,147

2,392

Tampa--St. Petersburg, FL

466

565

754

1,365

1,684

2,077

2,479

Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA

161

282

774

1,083

1,720

1,365

1,335

Washington, DC--VA--MD

461

883

1,282

2,090

2,448

2,997

3,423

Total

23,732

44,007

58,783

76,330

87,923

100,948

118,110

Table 5

Urban Area Density (per Square Kilometer)

POPULATION DENSITY (Per Square

Urban Area (Urbanized Area)

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

Atlanta, GA

1,847

1,205

1,040

688

732

688

659

Austin, TX

1,500

1,416

1,185

1,041

795

1,095

1,006

Baltimore, MD

2,952

2,490

1,968

1,296

1,231

1,174

1,187

Birmingham, AL

1,701

1,281

958

686

602

654

546

Boston, MA--NH--RI

2,499

1,806

1,543

1,207

1,203

897

862

Buffalo, NY

2,809

2,543

1,961

1,454

1,288

1,028

951

Charlotte, NC--SC

1,555

1,096

1,016

713

728

674

651

Chicago, IL--IN

2,684

2,397

2,030

1,748

1,655

1,511

1,361

Cincinnati, OH--KY--IN

2,150

1,586

1,280

1,032

914

864

796

Cleveland, OH

1,781

1,174

1,171

1,075

1,018

1,066

891

Columbus, OH

2,602

1,643

1,298

1,056

1,058

1,099

1,035

Dallas--Fort Worth, TX

1,260

602

727

739

856

1,138

1,112

Denver, CO

1,835

1,859

1,380

1,189

1,277

1,536

1,372

Detroit, MI

2,512

1,972

1,758

1,409

1,276

1,195

1,078

Fort Lauderdale, FL

996

1,118

1,347

1,462

Hartford, CT

2,193

1,126

1,371

947

875

701

692

Houston, TX

1,002

1,021

1,202

888

952

1,140

1,150

Indianapolis, IN

2,130

1,702

831

745

753

851

814

Jacksonville, FL

1,832

1,297

583

536

561

829

775

Kansas City, MO--KS

1,809

1,261

896

720

646

900

865

Las Vegas, NV

1,011

753

902

1,165

1,774

1,747

Los Angeles, CA

1,772

1,829

2,051

2,003

2,239

2,729

2,702

Louisville, KY

2,720

1,723

1,359

1,126

1,030

853

788

Memphis, TN--MS--AR

1,425

1,349

1,308

1,011

934

938

823

Miami, FL

1,515

1,800

1,819

1,826

2,095

1,702

1,715

Milwaukee, WI

3,138

1,133

1,058

940

925

1,038

974

Minneapolis--St. Paul, MN--WI

1,650

809

911

704

755

1,032

1,002

Nashville, TN

1,852

1,039

503

484

458

672

664

New Orleans, LA

1,148

1,222

2,019

1,810

1,487

1,968

1,382

New York, NY-NJ-CT

3,789

2,880

2,580

2,144

2,088

2,050

2,054

Oklahoma City, OK

1,585

430

661

580

468

896

810

Orlando, FL

1,127

1,003

892

714

867

986

976

Philadelphia, PA--NJ--DE--MD

3,616

2,351

2,065

1,564

1,400

1,105

1,060

Phoenix, AZ

1,516

859

907

1,045

1,405

1,222

Pittsburgh, PA

2,330

1,327

1,196

980

833

794

740

Portland, OR--WA

1,737

1,311

1,193

1,135

1,166

1,289

1,362

Providence, RI--MA

1,574

1,355

1,258

1,090

1,092

900

844

Raleigh, NC

2,220

1,067

827

800

671

653

659

Richmond, VA

2,075

1,445

1,110

757

752

725

748

Riverside--San Bernardino, CA

861

864

727

758

982

1,325

1,369

Rochester, NY

2,429

1,684

1,589

1,164

1,088

908

857

Sacramento, CA

1,949

1,302

974

1,106

1,268

1,458

1,413

Salt Lake City, UT

1,153

1,029

1,005

859

1,199

1,484

1,419

San Antonio, TX

1,931

1,291

1,338

1,031

995

1,257

1,137

San Diego, CA

1,257

1,169

1,214

1,077

1,314

1,320

1,559

San Francisco--Oakland, CA

2,720

1,641

1,694

1,548

1,604

2,366

2,419

San Jose, CA

1,114

1,044

1,429

1,473

1,639

2,284

2,247

Seattle, WA

1,952

1,402

1,157

1,268

1,145

1,098

1,169

St. Louis, MO--IL

2,372

1,994

1,577

1,196

1,033

968

899

Tampa--St. Petersburg, FL

875

1,110

1,145

991

1,015

993

985

Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA

2,398

1,799

863

711

769

1,021

1,078

Washington, DC--VA--MD

2,792

2,047

1,935

1,322

1,374

1,313

1,340

Total

2,301

1,639

1,487

1,248

1,222

1,270

1,205

Source: United States Bureau of the Census

Notes:

Urban areas were first designated in the 1950 census

Because of definitional changes, caution should be employed in comparing year to year data.

Individual urban area notes

Mission Viejo removed from Los Angeles in 2000

Fort Lauderdale added to Miami in 2000 (included in list because it reached more than 1,000,000 population)

Concord & Vallejo removed from San Francisco in 2000

Substantial non-urban land included in New Orleans 1950-1990

Fort Lauderdale & Las Vegas not designated in 1950

Demographia: Affiliated with The Public Purpose, Twice A National Journal Top Internet Site

Demographia is "pro-choice" with respect to urban development.

People should have the freedom to live and work where and how they like.