What Data and Ranking Method Does BiggestUSCities.com Use for Its City Population List?

BiggestUSCities.com ranks the top 100 U.S. cities by 2024 estimated population, from highest to lowest, and pairs each rank with an annual growth rate. The site labels the figures as 2024 population estimates based on the latest census data. Use it as a quick comparative snapshot of city size and direction of change, not as an official census release.

How the Ranking Is Built

The method is straightforward and visible in the table itself:

• Ranking key: cities are ordered by their 2024 population estimate, descending. New York leads at 8,258,035, followed by Los Angeles (3,820,914) and Chicago (2,664,452).
• One row per city: each entry shows rank, city and state, the 2024 population estimate, and an annual growth rate.
• Growth rate as a second signal: the percentage shows whether a city is gaining or losing residents, which the raw population number alone cannot tell you.

What the Growth Column Adds

Two cities with similar populations can be moving in opposite directions. For example:

Fort Worth is growing fast at a mid-size population, while San Francisco and New York are large but shrinking on this measure. Reading rank and growth together gives a fuller picture than rank alone.

Reading the Numbers Correctly

A few conditions shape how much weight to put on any single figure:

• Estimates, not final counts. The page presents 2024 population estimates. Estimates are revised and can differ from the official census figures released later, so treat small gaps between nearby cities as approximate.
• City limits, not metro areas. The list measures population within city boundaries. A city ranked lower here may sit inside a much larger metropolitan area.
• Rounding and timing. Growth rates are shown to one decimal place, and a rate of "-0.0%" appears for some cities, meaning essentially flat rather than declining.
• Rankings shift near the cutoff. Cities around the top-100 boundary (the excerpt reaches the mid-70s) can move in or out between data updates.

When to Use This List

This page fits quick lookups: comparing the size of two cities, checking which large cities are growing, or getting a ranked overview for a report or presentation. For legal, funding, or planning decisions, confirm figures against the official Census Bureau releases, since the site's estimates may lag the newest official data.