List of the most populous counties in the United States
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/08/Largest_counties_of_the_United_States_by_population_as_of_the_2020_United_States_census.svg/220px-Largest_counties_of_the_United_States_by_population_as_of_the_2020_United_States_census.svg.png)
This is a list of the 100 most populous of the 3,144 counties in the United States based on the national decennial US census conducted on April 1, 2020, and vintage Census population estimates for July 1, 2023.[1]
Many of the counties on the list include major cities or metropolitan areas in all parts of the United States. Six of the listed counties have consolidated city and county government, namely the City and County of Honolulu, Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee, City and County of Philadelphia, City and County of San Francisco, City of Jacksonville and Duval County and City and County of Denver.[2][3][4] New York County, Bronx County, Kings County, Queens County and Richmond County are coterminous with the respective boroughs of New York City; they fall under the jurisdiction of the combined city government. Independent cities are not counted.
Many of the most populous counties listed are in Southern California, Illinois, Texas and New York and roughly correspond to the most populous cities in the United States. Counties in the Western United States are typically larger by area, so they often have higher raw populations even with comparable population densities.
List
[edit]This list lists the most populous US counties sorted according to both the 2020 official enumeration and 2023 vintage population estimates by the United States Census Bureau (USCB).
Rank | County | State | Land area | April 1, 2020 census |
July 1, 2023 estimates |
Mid-2020 to mid-2023 change |
County seat | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
km2[5] | mi2[6] | absolute | % | ||||||
1 | Los Angeles | California | 10,509.87 | 4,057.88 | 10,014,009 | 9,663,345 | -350,664 | -3.5 | Los Angeles |
2 | Cook | Illinois | 2,448.38 | 945.33 | 5,275,541 | 5,087,072 | -188,469 | -3.6 | Chicago |
3 | Harris | Texas | 4,411.99 | 1,703.48 | 4,731,145 | 4,835,125 | 103,980 | 2.2 | Houston |
4 | Maricopa | Arizona | 23,828.26 | 9,200.14 | 4,420,568 | 4,585,871 | 165,303 | 3.7 | Phoenix |
5 | San Diego | California | 10,895.12 | 4,206.63 | 3,298,634 | 3,269,973 | -28,661 | -0.9 | San Diego |
6 | Orange | 2,047.56 | 790.57 | 3,186,989 | 3,135,755 | -51,234 | -1.6 | Santa Ana | |
7 | Miami-Dade | Florida | 4,915.06 | 1,897.72 | 2,701,767 | 2,686,867 | -14,900 | -0.6 | Miami |
8 | Dallas | Texas | 2,256.60 | 871.28 | 2,613,539 | 2,606,358 | -7,181 | -0.3 | Dallas |
9 | Kings | New York | 183.41 | 70.82 | 2,736,074 | 2,561,225 | -174,849 | -6.4 | Brooklyn, New York City (NYC) |
10 | Riverside | California | 18,664.70 | 7,206.48 | 2,418,185 | 2,492,442 | 74,257 | 3.1 | Riverside |
11 | Clark | Nevada | 20,438.71 | 7,891.43 | 2,265,461 | 2,336,573 | 71,112 | 3.1 | Las Vegas |
12 | King | Washington | 5,479.29 | 2,115.57 | 2,269,675 | 2,271,380 | 1,705 | 0.1 | Seattle |
13 | Queens | New York | 281.10 | 108.53 | 2,405,464 | 2,252,196 | -153,268 | -6.8 | Queens, NYC |
14 | San Bernardino | California | 51,947.23 | 20,056.94 | 2,181,654 | 2,195,611 | 13,957 | 0.6 | San Bernardino |
15 | Tarrant | Texas | 2,236.74 | 863.61 | 2,110,640 | 2,182,947 | 72,307 | 3.4 | Fort Worth |
16 | Bexar | 3,211.12 | 1,239.82 | 2,009,324 | 2,087,679 | 78,355 | 3.9 | San Antonio | |
17 | Broward | Florida | 3,133.33 | 1,209.79 | 1,944,375 | 1,962,531 | 18,156 | 0.9 | Fort Lauderdale |
18 | Santa Clara | California | 3,341.34 | 1,290.10 | 1,936,259 | 1,877,592 | -58,667 | -3.0 | San Jose |
19 | Wayne | Michigan | 1,585.28 | 612.08 | 1,793,561 | 1,751,169 | -42,392 | -2.4 | Detroit |
20 | Middlesex | Massachusetts | 2,118.14 | 817.82 | 1,632,002 | 1,623,952 | -8,050 | -0.5 | Lowell and Cambridge |
21 | Alameda | California | 1,914.05 | 739.02 | 1,682,353 | 1,622,188 | -60,165 | -3.6 | Oakland |
22 | New York | New York | 59.13 | 22.83 | 1,694,251 | 1,597,451 | -96,800 | -5.7 | Manhattan, NYC |
23 | Sacramento | California | 2,498.42 | 964.64 | 1,584,169 | 1,584,288 | 119 | 0.0 | Sacramento |
24 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 347.32 | 134.10 | 1,603,797 | 1,550,542 | -53,255 | -3.3 | Philadelphia |
25 | Hillsborough | Florida | 2,642.34 | 1,020.21 | 1,459,762 | 1,535,564 | 75,802 | 5.2 | Tampa |
26 | Palm Beach | 5,100.00 | 1,970.00 | 1,492,191 | 1,533,801 | 41,610 | 2.8 | West Palm Beach | |
27 | Suffolk | New York | 2,362.20 | 912.05 | 1,525,920 | 1,523,170 | -2,750 | -0.2 | Riverhead |
28 | Orange | Florida | 2,339.87 | 903.43 | 1,429,908 | 1,471,416 | 41,508 | 2.9 | Orlando |
29 | Nassau | New York | 737.41 | 284.72 | 1,395,774 | 1,381,715 | -14,059 | -1.0 | Mineola |
30 | Bronx | 109.03 | 42.10 | 1,472,654 | 1,356,476 | -116,178 | -7.9 | Bronx, NYC | |
31 | Travis | Texas | 2,564.61 | 990.20 | 1,290,188 | 1,334,961 | 44,773 | 3.5 | Austin |
32 | Franklin | Ohio | 1,378.36 | 532.19 | 1,323,807 | 1,326,063 | 2,256 | 0.2 | Columbus |
33 | Oakland | Michigan | 2,247.24 | 867.66 | 1,274,395 | 1,270,426 | -3,969 | -0.3 | Pontiac |
34 | Hennepin | Minnesota | 1,433.79 | 553.59 | 1,281,565 | 1,258,713 | -22,852 | -1.8 | Minneapolis |
35 | Cuyahoga | Ohio | 1,184.12 | 457.19 | 1,264,817 | 1,233,088 | -31,729 | -2.5 | Cleveland |
36 | Allegheny | Pennsylvania | 1,890.88 | 730.07 | 1,250,578 | 1,224,825 | -25,753 | -2.1 | Pittsburgh |
37 | Collin | Texas | 2,178.76 | 841.22 | 1,064,465 | 1,195,359 | 130,894 | 12.3 | McKinney |
38 | Wake | North Carolina | 2,163.21 | 835.22 | 1,129,410 | 1,190,275 | 60,865 | 5.4 | Raleigh |
39 | Salt Lake | Utah | 1,922.50 | 742.28 | 1,185,238 | 1,185,813 | 575 | 0.0 | Salt Lake City |
40 | Mecklenburg | North Carolina | 1,356.75 | 523.84 | 1,115,482 | 1,163,701 | 48,219 | 4.3 | Charlotte |
41 | Contra Costa | California | 1,854.27 | 715.94 | 1,165,927 | 1,155,025 | -10,902 | -0.9 | Martinez |
42 | Fairfax | Virginia | 1,012.60 | 390.97 | 1,150,309 | 1,141,878 | -8,431 | -0.7 | Fairfax |
43 | Fulton | Georgia | 1,363.98 | 526.63 | 1,066,710 | 1,079,105 | 12,395 | 1.2 | Atlanta |
44 | Pima | Arizona | 23,794.31 | 9,187.04 | 1,043,433 | 1,063,162 | 19,729 | 1.9 | Tucson |
45 | Montgomery | Maryland | 1,272.34 | 491.25 | 1,062,061 | 1,058,474 | -3,587 | -0.3 | Rockville |
46 | Duval | Florida | 1,974.07 | 762.19 | 995,567 | 1,030,822 | 35,255 | 3.5 | Jacksonville |
47 | Fresno | California | 15,431.13 | 5,957.99 | 1,008,654 | 1,017,162 | 8,508 | 0.8 | Fresno |
48 | Denton | Texas | 2,275.13 | 878.43 | 906,422 | 1,007,703 | 101,281 | 11.2 | Denton |
49 | Westchester | New York | 1,114.98 | 430.50 | 1,004,457 | 990,817 | -13,640 | -1.4 | White Plains |
50 | Honolulu | Hawaii | 1,555.92 | 600.74 | 1,016,508 | 989,408 | -27,100 | -2.7 | Honolulu |
51 | St. Louis | Missouri | 1,315.20 | 507.80 | 1,004,125 | 987,059 | -17,066 | -1.7 | Clayton |
52 | Gwinnett | Georgia | 1,114.69 | 430.38 | 957,062 | 983,526 | 26,464 | 2.8 | Lawrenceville |
53 | Capitol | Connecticut | 2,660.80 | 1,027.34 | 976,248 | 975,328 | -920 | -0.1 | Hartford |
54 | Marion | Indiana | 1,026.41 | 396.30 | 977,203 | 968,460 | -8,743 | -0.9 | Indianapolis |
55 | Pinellas | Florida | 709.14 | 273.80 | 959,107 | 961,596 | 2,489 | 0.3 | Clearwater |
56 | Bergen | New Jersey | 603.49 | 233.01 | 955,732 | 957,736 | 2,004 | 0.2 | Hackensack |
57 | Prince George's | Maryland | 1,250.16 | 482.69 | 967,201 | 947,430 | -19,771 | -2.0 | Upper Marlboro |
58 | Erie | New York | 2,700.56 | 1,042.69 | 954,236 | 946,147 | -8,089 | -0.8 | Buffalo |
59 | Pierce | Washington | 4,324.01 | 1,669.51 | 921,130 | 928,696 | 7,566 | 0.8 | Tacoma |
60 | DuPage | Illinois | 848.22 | 327.50 | 932,877 | 921,213 | -11,664 | -1.3 | Wheaton |
61 | Fort Bend | Texas | 2,292 | 885 | 822,779 | 916,778 | 93,999 | 11.4 | Richmond |
62 | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | 625.23 | 241.40 | 939,489 | 916,205 | -23,284 | -2.5 | Milwaukee |
63 | Kern | California | 21,061.57 | 8,131.92 | 909,235 | 913,820 | 4,585 | 0.5 | Bakersfield |
64 | Shelby | Tennessee | 1,976.61 | 763.17 | 929,744 | 910,042 | -19,702 | -2.1 | Memphis |
65 | Hidalgo | Texas | 4,068.52 | 1,570.87 | 870,781 | 898,471 | 27,690 | 3.2 | Edinburg |
66 | Macomb | Michigan | 1,241.18 | 479.22 | 881,217 | 875,101 | -6,116 | -0.7 | Mount Clemens |
67 | El Paso | Texas | 2,622.86 | 1,012.69 | 865,657 | 869,880 | 4,223 | 0.5 | El Paso |
68 | Montgomery | Pennsylvania | 1,251.07 | 483.04 | 856,553 | 868,742 | 12,189 | 1.4 | Norristown |
69 | Worcester | Massachusetts | 3,912.88 | 1,510.77 | 862,111 | 866,866 | 4,755 | 0.6 | Worcester |
70 | Middlesex | New Jersey | 800.08 | 308.91 | 863,162 | 863,623 | 461 | 0.1 | New Brunswick |
71 | Essex | 326.89 | 126.21 | 863,728 | 851,117 | -12,611 | -1.5 | Newark | |
72 | Snohomish | Washington | 5,406.01 | 2,087.27 | 827,957 | 844,761 | 16,804 | 2.0 | Everett |
73 | Baltimore | Maryland | 1,549.59 | 598.30 | 854,535 | 844,703 | -9,832 | -1.2 | Towson |
74 | Lee | Florida | 2,031.88 | 784.51 | 760,822 | 834,573 | 73,751 | 9.7 | Fort Myers |
75 | Ventura | California | 4,773.69 | 1,843.13 | 843,843 | 829,590 | -14,253 | -1.7 | Ventura |
76 | Hamilton | Ohio | 1,051.30 | 405.91 | 830,639 | 827,058 | -3,581 | -0.4 | Cincinnati |
77 | Polk | Florida | 4,660 | 1,798 | 725,046 | 818,330 | 93,284 | 12.9 | Bartow |
78 | Essex | Massachusetts | 1,275.73 | 492.56 | 809,829 | 810,089 | 260 | 0.0 | Salem and Lawrence |
79 | San Francisco | California | 121.40 | 46.87 | 873,965 | 808,988 | -64,977 | -7.4 | San Francisco |
80 | Oklahoma | Oklahoma | 1,835.83 | 708.82 | 796,292 | 808,866 | 12,574 | 1.6 | Oklahoma City |
81 | San Joaquin | California | 3,603.51 | 1,391.32 | 779,233 | 800,965 | 21,732 | 2.8 | Stockton |
82 | Multnomah | Oregon | 1,117.05 | 431.30 | 815,428 | 789,698 | -25,730 | -3.2 | Portland |
83 | Cobb | Georgia | 879.43 | 339.55 | 766,149 | 776,743 | 10,594 | 1.4 | Marietta |
84 | Jefferson | Kentucky | 985.27 | 380.42 | 782,969 | 772,144 | -10,825 | -1.4 | Louisville |
85 | Suffolk | Massachusetts | 150.62 | 58.15 | 797,936 | 768,425 | -29,511 | -3.7 | Boston |
86 | DeKalb | Georgia | 693.03 | 267.58 | 764,382 | 762,992 | -1,390 | -0.2 | Decatur |
87 | Monroe | New York | 1,702.15 | 657.21 | 759,443 | 748,482 | -10,961 | -1.4 | Rochester |
88 | El Paso | Colorado | 5,508.39 | 2,126.80 | 730,395 | 744,215 | 13,820 | 1.9 | Colorado Springs |
89 | Norfolk | Massachusetts | 1,025.91 | 396.11 | 725,981 | 727,473 | 1,492 | 0.2 | Dedham |
90 | San Mateo | California | 1,161.37 | 448.41 | 764,442 | 726,353 | -38,089 | -5.0 | Redwood City |
91 | Utah | Utah | 5,188.91 | 2,003.45 | 659,399 | 719,174 | 59,775 | 9.1 | Provo |
92 | Jackson | Missouri | 1,565.55 | 604.46 | 717,204 | 718,560 | 1,356 | 0.2 | Independence and Kansas City |
93 | Denver | Colorado | 401.36 | 154.97 | 715,522 | 716,577 | 1,055 | 0.1 | Denver |
94 | Davidson | Tennessee | 1,305.44 | 504.03 | 715,884 | 712,334 | -3,550 | -0.5 | Nashville |
95 | Montgomery | Texas | 2,699.23 | 1,042.18 | 620,443 | 711,354 | 90,911 | 14.7 | Conroe |
96 | Lake | Illinois | 1,149.10 | 443.67 | 714,342 | 708,760 | -5,582 | -0.8 | Waukegan |
97 | Hudson | New Jersey | 119.63 | 46.19 | 724,854 | 705,472 | -19,382 | -2.7 | Jersey City |
98 | Will | Illinois | 2,167.58 | 836.91 | 696,355 | 700,728 | 4,373 | 0.6 | Joliet |
99 | Williamson | Texas | 2,889.99 | 1,115.83 | 609,017 | 697,191 | 88,174 | 14.5 | Georgetown |
100 | Tulsa | Oklahoma | 1,476.86 | 570.22 | 669,279 | 682,868 | 13,589 | 2.0 | Tulsa |
Gallery
[edit]-
Downtown Los Angeles, county seat of Los Angeles County, California, the most populous county in the United States
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Downtown Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, the second-most populous county in the United States
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Downtown Houston in Harris County, Texas, the third-most populous county in the United States
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Phoenix, Arizona, county seat of the Maricopa County, Arizona, the nation's fourth-most populous county
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Downtown San Diego, California. San Diego County is the fifth-most populous county in the United States
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Aerial view of Orange County, California, the sixth-most populous county in the United States
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Downtown Miami in Miami-Dade County, the largest county in Florida and county seat of the seventh-most populous county in the United States
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Uptown, Dallas with Downtown Dallas on the end, in Dallas County, Texas, the eighth-most populous county in the United States
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Brooklyn in Kings County, New York, the ninth-most populous county in the United States
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Riverside, California, the county seat of Riverside County, California, the tenth-most populous county in the United States
References
[edit]- ^ "More Counties Saw Population Gains in 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ "This Is Your City and County of Honolulu Government". City and County of Honolulu. Archived from the original on January 20, 2008. Retrieved January 23, 2008.
- ^ "City and County Organizational Chart". City and County of San Francisco. Archived from the original on February 3, 2008. Retrieved January 23, 2008.
- ^ "Active Colorado Municipalities as of January 26, 2010". Colorado Department of Local Affairs. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
- ^ GeoHive - the United States of America - US States and Counties Archived April 30, 2012, at the Wayback Machine (attached Excel spreadsheet)
- ^ The area in square kilometers of the column to the left divided by 2.589988110336 (1.6093442).