List of the most populous counties in the United States

See also: List of the largest counties in the United States by area

A map of the counties and county equivalents of the United States. The 100 most populous counties are highlighted, with counties having more than one million residents in orange and counties having fewer than one million residents in green, based on the results of the April 1, 2020 United States census.

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, Indianapolis and Marion County, and City and County of Denver. ^{[2] [3] [4]} Kings County, Queens County, New York County, Bronx County, and Richmond County are coterminous with the respective boroughs of New York City; they fall under the jurisdiction of the combined Government of New York City. Independent cities are not counted.

Many of the most populous counties listed are in Southern California, Texas, and New York, and roughly correspond to several of the most populous cities or municipalities in the United States. Counties in the Western United States are typically larger by area and therefore often have higher absolute populations even with comparable population densities.

List

This list includes 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, 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

• 
  Downtown Los Angeles, county seat of Los Angeles County, California, the most populous county in the United States
• 
  Downtown Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, the second-most populous county in the United States
• 
  Downtown Houston in Harris County, Texas, the third-most populous county in the United States
• 
  Phoenix, Arizona, county seat of the Maricopa County, Arizona, the nation's fourth-most populous county
• 
  Downtown San Diego, California. San Diego County is the fifth-most populous county in the United States
• 
  South Coast Metro district in Orange County, California,
  the sixth-most populous county in the United States
• 
  Downtown Miami in Miami-Dade County, the largest county in Florida and county seat of the seventh-most populous county in the United States
• 
  Uptown, Dallas with Downtown Dallas on the end, in Dallas County, Texas, the eighth-most populous county in the United States
• 
  Brooklyn in Kings County, New York, the ninth-most populous county in the United States
• 
  Riverside, California, the county seat of Riverside County, California, the tenth-most populous county in the United States

References

1. "More Counties Saw Population Gains in 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
2. "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.
3. "City and County Organizational Chart". City and County of San Francisco. Archived from the original on February 3, 2008. Retrieved January 23, 2008.
4. "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.
5. GeoHive - the United States of America - US States and Counties Archived April 30, 2012, at the Wayback Machine (attached Excel spreadsheet)
6. The area in square kilometers of the column to the left divided by 2.589988110336 (1.609344²).