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
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 671.67 sq mi
County: Harris
Origin: 1836
Incorporated: 1837
2. San Antonio, Texas – Pop. 1,495,295
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 504.64 sq mi
County: Bexar, Comal, Medina
Origin: 1691
Incorporated: 1837
3. Dallas, Texas – Pop. 1,302,868
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 385.90 sq mi
County: Dallas, Collin, Denton, Kaufman, Rockwall
Origin: 1839
Incorporated: 1856
4. Austin, Texas – Pop. 979,882
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 326.51 sq mi
County: Travis, Hays, Williamson
Origin: 1730
Incorporated: 1839
5. Forth Worth, Texas – Pop. 978,468
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
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 259.25 sq mi
County: El Paso
Origin: 1680
Incorporated: 1873
7. Arlington, Texas – Pop. 398,431
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 99.41 sq mi
County: Tarrant
Origin: 1841
Incorporated: 1884
8. Corpus Christi, Texas – Pop. 316,595
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 488.73 sq mi
County: Nueces, Kleberg, San Patricio, Aransas
Origin: 1519
Incorporated: 1852
9. Plano, Texas – Pop. 290,190
Source:Apple Maps
Area:
County: Collin, Denton
Origin: 1840s
Incorporated: 1873
10. Lubbock, Texas – Pop. 266,878
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 135.85 sq mi
County: Lubbock
Origin: 1880s
Incorporated: 1909
11. Laredo, Texas – Pop. 257,602
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 107.96 sq mi
County: Webb
Origin: 1755
Incorporated: 1850
12. Irving, Texas – Pop. 254,373
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 67.97 sq mi
County: Dallas
Origin: 1889
Incorporated: 1914
13. Garland, Texas – Pop. 243,470
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 57.25 sq mi
County: Dallas, Collin, Rockwall
Origin: 1850
Incorporated: 1891
14. Frisco, Texas – Pop. 225,007
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 69.19 sq mi
County: Collin, Denton
Origin: 1902
Incorporated: 1908
15. McKinney, Texas – 213,509
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 67.70 sq mi
County: Collin
Origin: Early 19th Century
Incorporated: 1848
16. Amarillo, Texas – Pop. 202,408
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 103.86 sq mi
County: Potter, Randall
Origin: 1887
Incorporated: 1889
17. Grand Prairie, Texas – Pop. 202,134
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 81.47 sq mi
County: Dallas, Tarrant, Ellis
Origin: Mid 19th Century
Incorporated: 1909
18. Brownsville, Texas – Pop. 190,158
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 145.19 sq mi
County: Cameron
Origin: C. 1836
Incorporated: 1853
19. Killeen, Texas – Pop. 159,643
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 55.50 sq mi
County: Bell
Origin: 1881
Incorporated: 1882
20. Denton, Texas – Pop. 158,349
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 97.97 sq mi
County: Denton
Origin: 1840s
Incorporated: 1866
21. Mesquite, Texas – Pop. 147,317
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 49.29 sq mi
County: Dallas, Kaufman
Origin: 1680
Incorporated: 1887
22. Pasadena, Texas – Pop. 146,716
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 44.74 sq mi
County: Harris
Origin: Early 19th Century
Incorporated: 1923 (canceled), 1928
23. McAllen, Texas – Pop. 146,593
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 62.73 sq mi
County: Hidalgo
Origin: 1904
Incorporated: 1911
24. Waco, Texas – Pop. 144,816
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 101.15 sq mi
County: McLennan
Origin: 1824
Incorporated: 1856
25. Midland, Texas – Pop. 138,397
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 75.62 sq mi
County: Midland, Martin
Origin: 1881
Incorporated: 1906
26. Lewisville, Texas – Pop. 133,533
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 43.22 sq mi
County: Denton, Dallas
Origin: 1840s
Incorporated: 1925
27. Carrollton, Texas – Pop. 132,918
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 37.43 sq mi
County: Dallas, Denton, Collin
Origin: 1842
Incorporated: 1914
28. Round Rock, Texas – Pop. 130,406
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 38.00 sq mi
County: Williamson, Travis
Origin: Mid 19th Century
Incorporated: 1913
29. Abilene, Texas – Pop. 129,043
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 112.09 sq mi
County: Taylor, Jones
Origin: 1881
Incorporated: 1881
30. Pearland, Texas – Pop. 127,736
Source:Apple Maps
Area: 48.84 sq mi
County: Brazoria, Fort Bend, Harris
Origin: 1882
Incorporated: 1959
