
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

Area: 671.67 sq mi
County: Harris
Origin: 1836
Incorporated: 1837
2. San Antonio, Texas – Pop. 1,495,295

Area: 504.64 sq mi
County: Bexar, Comal, Medina
Origin: 1691
Incorporated: 1837
3. Dallas, Texas – Pop. 1,302,868

Area: 385.90 sq mi
County: Dallas, Collin, Denton, Kaufman, Rockwall
Origin: 1839
Incorporated: 1856
4. Austin, Texas – Pop. 979,882

Area: 326.51 sq mi
County: Travis, Hays, Williamson
Origin: 1730
Incorporated: 1839
5. Forth Worth, Texas – Pop. 978,468

Area: 355.56 sq mi
County: Tarrant, Denton, Johnson, Parker, Wise
Origin: 1848
Incorporated: 1874
6. El Paso, Texas – Pop. 678,958

Area: 259.25 sq mi
County: El Paso
Origin: 1680
Incorporated: 1873
7. Arlington, Texas – Pop. 398,431

Area: 99.41 sq mi
County: Tarrant
Origin: 1841
Incorporated: 1884
8. Corpus Christi, Texas – Pop. 316,595

Area: 488.73 sq mi
County: Nueces, Kleberg, San Patricio, Aransas
Origin: 1519
Incorporated: 1852
9. Plano, Texas – Pop. 290,190

Area:Â
County: Collin, Denton
Origin: 1840s
Incorporated: 1873
10. Lubbock, Texas – Pop. 266,878

Area: 135.85 sq mi
County: Lubbock
Origin: 1880s
Incorporated: 1909
11. Laredo, Texas – Pop. 257,602

Area: 107.96 sq mi
County: Webb
Origin: 1755
Incorporated: 1850
12. Irving, Texas – Pop. 254,373

Area: 67.97 sq mi
County: Dallas
Origin: 1889
Incorporated: 1914
13. Garland, Texas – Pop. 243,470

Area: 57.25 sq mi
County: Dallas, Collin, Rockwall
Origin: 1850
Incorporated: 1891
14. Frisco, Texas – Pop. 225,007

Area: 69.19 sq mi
County: Collin, Denton
Origin: 1902
Incorporated: 1908
15. McKinney, Texas – 213,509

Area: 67.70 sq mi
County: Collin
Origin: Early 19th Century
Incorporated: 1848
16. Amarillo, Texas – Pop. 202,408

Area: 103.86 sq mi
County: Potter, Randall
Origin: 1887
Incorporated: 1889
17. Grand Prairie, Texas – Pop. 202,134

Area: 81.47 sq mi
County: Dallas, Tarrant, Ellis
Origin: Mid 19th Century
Incorporated: 1909
18. Brownsville, Texas – Pop. 190,158

Area: 145.19 sq mi
County: Cameron
Origin: C. 1836
Incorporated: 1853
19. Killeen, Texas – Pop. 159,643

Area: 55.50 sq mi
County: Bell
Origin: 1881
Incorporated: 1882
20. Denton, Texas – Pop. 158,349

Area: 97.97 sq mi
County: Denton
Origin: 1840s
Incorporated: 1866
21. Mesquite, Texas – Pop. 147,317

Area: 49.29 sq mi
County: Dallas, Kaufman
Origin: 1680
Incorporated: 1887
22. Pasadena, Texas – Pop. 146,716

Area: 44.74 sq mi
County: Harris
Origin: Early 19th Century
Incorporated: 1923 (canceled), 1928
23. McAllen, Texas – Pop. 146,593

Area: 62.73 sq mi
County: Hidalgo
Origin: 1904
Incorporated: 1911
24. Waco, Texas – Pop. 144,816

Area: 101.15 sq mi
County: McLennan
Origin: 1824
Incorporated: 1856
25. Midland, Texas – Pop. 138,397

Area: 75.62 sq mi
County: Midland, Martin
Origin: 1881
Incorporated: 1906
26. Lewisville, Texas – Pop. 133,533

Area: 43.22 sq mi
County: Denton, Dallas
Origin: 1840s
Incorporated: 1925
27. Carrollton, Texas – Pop. 132,918

Area: 37.43 sq mi
County: Dallas, Denton, Collin
Origin: 1842
Incorporated: 1914
28. Round Rock, Texas – Pop. 130,406

Area: 38.00 sq mi
County: Williamson, Travis
Origin: Mid 19th Century
Incorporated: 1913
29. Abilene, Texas – Pop. 129,043

Area: 112.09 sq mi
County: Taylor, Jones
Origin: 1881
Incorporated: 1881
30. Pearland, Texas – Pop. 127,736

Area: 48.84 sq mi
County: Brazoria, Fort Bend, Harris
Origin: 1882
Incorporated: 1959