See also: List of the largest counties in the United States by area. 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.
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] | mi2The area in square kilometers of the column to the left divided by 2.589988110336 (1.6093442). | 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 | 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 | |