1950
1950 was a watershed year for many cities in the United States. Many cities in the country peaked in population, and began a slow decline caused by suburbanization associated with pollution, congestion, and increased crime rates, while the improved infrastructure of the Eisenhower Interstate System more easily facilitated car commutes and so-called white flight of the middle class. The G.I. Bill made available low interest loans for returning World War II veterans seeking more commodious housing in the suburbs. Although populations within city limits dropped in many American cities, the metropolitan populations of most cities continued to increase greatly.
The source document for these numbers is available from the United States Census Bureau.
| Rank | City | State | Population | Notes |
| 1 | New York | New York | 7,891,957 | |
| 2 | Chicago | Illinois | 3,620,962 | Population peaked this census. |
| 3 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 2,071,605 | Population peaked this census. |
| 4 | Los Angeles | California | 1,970,358 | Los Angeles is one of the few cities to have nearly continuous growth since 1950. |
| 5 | Detroit | Michigan | 1,849,568 | Population peaked. As of 2006, Detroit is the only city in the United States to have a population grow beyond 1 million and then fall below 1 million. |
| 6 | Baltimore | Maryland | 949,708 | Population peaked this census. |
| 7 | Cleveland | Ohio | 914,808 | Population peaked this census. |
| 8 | St. Louis | Missouri | 856,796 | Population peaked this census. |
| 9 | Washington | District of Columbia | 802,178 | Population peaked this census. Re-appearance in the top 10 (last in 1820). |
| 10 | Boston | Massachusetts | 801,444 | Population peaked this census. Last appearance in top 10. |
Read more about this topic: Largest Cities In The United States By Population By Decade