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Houston Skyline at Dusk

Source: The modern skyline of Houston, Texas at dusk on a mid summer evening shot via helicopter from an altitude of about 800 feet. (Art Wager via Getty Images)

Texas is the largest state within the continental U.S., with some of the largest cities in the nation. Of the top-100 U.S. cities by population, Texas claims 13 of them, with Frisco sitting just outside at No. 101. Houston, San Antonio and Dallas are all within the top-10 at No. 4, No. 7 and No. 9 respectively.

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1,752 Census-Designated Places make up the great state of Texas, with 1,214 of those places being incorporated. Of those 1,214 incorporated places, here are the 30 largest cities in Texas by population:

This list contains data from “Texas Demographics by Cubit,” last updated on Dec. 17, 2024.

1. Houston, Texas – Pop. 2,314,157

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 671.67 sq mi

County: Harris

Origin: 1836

Incorporated: 1837

2. San Antonio, Texas – Pop. 1,495,295

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 504.64 sq mi

County: Bexar, Comal, Medina

Origin: 1691

Incorporated: 1837

3. Dallas, Texas – Pop. 1,302,868

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 385.90 sq mi

County: Dallas, Collin, Denton, Kaufman, Rockwall

Origin: 1839

Incorporated: 1856

4. Austin, Texas – Pop. 979,882

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 326.51 sq mi

County: Travis, Hays, Williamson

Origin: 1730

Incorporated: 1839

5. Forth Worth, Texas – Pop. 978,468

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 355.56 sq mi

County: Tarrant, Denton, Johnson, Parker, Wise

Origin: 1848

Incorporated: 1874

6. El Paso, Texas – Pop. 678,958

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 259.25 sq mi

County: El Paso

Origin: 1680

Incorporated: 1873

7. Arlington, Texas – Pop. 398,431

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 99.41 sq mi

County: Tarrant

Origin: 1841

Incorporated: 1884

8. Corpus Christi, Texas – Pop. 316,595

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 488.73 sq mi

County: Nueces, Kleberg, San Patricio, Aransas

Origin: 1519

Incorporated: 1852

9. Plano, Texas – Pop. 290,190

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 

County: Collin, Denton

Origin: 1840s

Incorporated: 1873

10. Lubbock, Texas – Pop. 266,878

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 135.85 sq mi

County: Lubbock

Origin: 1880s

Incorporated: 1909

11. Laredo, Texas – Pop. 257,602

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 107.96 sq mi

County: Webb

Origin: 1755

Incorporated: 1850

12. Irving, Texas – Pop. 254,373

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 67.97 sq mi

County: Dallas

Origin: 1889

Incorporated: 1914

13. Garland, Texas – Pop. 243,470

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 57.25 sq mi

County: Dallas, Collin, Rockwall

Origin: 1850

Incorporated: 1891

14. Frisco, Texas – Pop. 225,007

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 69.19 sq mi

County: Collin, Denton

Origin: 1902

Incorporated: 1908

15. McKinney, Texas – 213,509

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 67.70 sq mi

County: Collin

Origin: Early 19th Century

Incorporated: 1848

16. Amarillo, Texas – Pop. 202,408

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 103.86 sq mi

County: Potter, Randall

Origin: 1887

Incorporated: 1889

17. Grand Prairie, Texas – Pop. 202,134

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 81.47 sq mi

County: Dallas, Tarrant, Ellis

Origin: Mid 19th Century

Incorporated: 1909

18. Brownsville, Texas – Pop. 190,158

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 145.19 sq mi

County: Cameron

Origin: C. 1836

Incorporated: 1853

19. Killeen, Texas – Pop. 159,643

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 55.50 sq mi

County: Bell

Origin: 1881

Incorporated: 1882

20. Denton, Texas – Pop. 158,349

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 97.97 sq mi

County: Denton

Origin: 1840s

Incorporated: 1866

21. Mesquite, Texas – Pop. 147,317

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 49.29 sq mi

County: Dallas, Kaufman

Origin: 1680

Incorporated: 1887

22. Pasadena, Texas – Pop. 146,716

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 44.74 sq mi

County: Harris

Origin: Early 19th Century

Incorporated: 1923 (canceled), 1928

23. McAllen, Texas – Pop. 146,593

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 62.73 sq mi

County: Hidalgo

Origin: 1904

Incorporated: 1911

24. Waco, Texas – Pop. 144,816

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 101.15 sq mi

County: McLennan

Origin: 1824

Incorporated: 1856

25. Midland, Texas – Pop. 138,397

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 75.62 sq mi

County: Midland, Martin

Origin: 1881

Incorporated: 1906

26. Lewisville, Texas – Pop. 133,533

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 43.22 sq mi

County: Denton, Dallas

Origin: 1840s

Incorporated: 1925

27. Carrollton, Texas – Pop. 132,918

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 37.43 sq mi

County: Dallas, Denton, Collin

Origin: 1842

Incorporated: 1914

28. Round Rock, Texas – Pop. 130,406

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 38.00 sq mi

County: Williamson, Travis

Origin: Mid 19th Century

Incorporated: 1913

29. Abilene, Texas – Pop. 129,043

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 112.09 sq mi

County: Taylor, Jones

Origin: 1881

Incorporated: 1881

30. Pearland, Texas – Pop. 127,736

30 Biggest Cities in Texas Source:Apple Maps

Area: 48.84 sq mi

County: Brazoria, Fort Bend, Harris

Origin: 1882

Incorporated: 1959