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The 100 largest cities in the U.S. by population 2023

Census Says...

(Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports)
(Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports)

The rise and fall—and the repeat or reversal of the trend—of U.S. populations in the largest cities across the map has recently focused on the Golden State. Most often, the general understanding is that Californians are heading out of town to new zip codes — and they’re doing so in a hurried collective, with a few celebs at the forefront to add pop-culture appeal to the rush.

But is the California exodus a concrete fact?

When looking at the updated data for the 100 largest cities in America, which highlights the decrease or increase for each from 2022 until now, some of the claims are certainly true … but … the numbers also uncover a more significant trend.

Take a look.

100. San Bernardino, California

(Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
(Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)

2023 population: 223,044 (.19% increase)

99. Richmond, Virginia

(Scott P. Yates/Rockford Register Star via USA TODAY NETWORK)
(Scott P. Yates/Rockford Register Star via USA TODAY NETWORK)

2023 population: 226,472 (.03% decrease)

98. Frisco, Texas

(Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
(Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)

2023 population: 227,528 (3.91% increase)

97. Spokane, Washington

(Photo by Jeff T. Green/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jeff T. Green/Getty Images)

2023 population: 229,513 (0.1% increase)

96. Norfolk, Virginia

(Peter Casey – USA TODAY NETWORK)
(Peter Casey – USA TODAY NETWORK)

2023 population: 230,163 (1.05% decrease)

95. Garland, Texas

(File)
(File)

2023 population: 235,293 (1.4% decrease)

94. Boise, Idaho

(Brian Losness-USA TODAY Sports)
(Brian Losness-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 240,713 (.69% increase)

93. Port St. Lucie, Florida

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 240,777 (5.21% increase)

92. Scottsdale, Arizona

(AP Photo/Anna Johnson)
(AP Photo/Anna Johnson)

2023 population: 244,402 (.34% increase)

91. Irving, Texas

(James D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports)
(James D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 248,931 (1.04% decrease)

90. Glendale, Arizona

(Photo by John Medina/Getty Images)
(Photo by John Medina/Getty Images)

2023 population: 251,305 (.34% increase)

89. Winston-Salem, North Carolina

(Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports)
(Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 252,274 (.39% increase)

88. Chesapeake, Virginia

(Photo by Gary C. Knapp/Getty Images)
(Photo by Gary C. Knapp/Getty Images)

2023 population: 254,479 (.64% increase)

87. St. Petersburg, Florida

(Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)
(Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 257,290 (.18% decrease)

86. Laredo, Texas

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 257,795 (.32% increase)

85. Toledo, Ohio

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 265,468 (.57% decrease)

84. Lubbock, Texas

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

2023 population: 267,329 (1.21% increase)

83. Jersey City, New Jersey

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 268,578 (2.74% decrease)

82. Fort Wayne, Indiana

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 269,621 (.68% increase)

81. Madison, Wisconsin

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 269,897 (.13% increase)

80. Buffalo, New York

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 274,618 (.4% decrease)

79. Reno, Nevada

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 278,577 (1.79% increase)

78. Chula Vista, California

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 278,734 (.27% increase)

77. St. Louis, Missouri

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 279,390 (2.4% decrease)

76. Gilbert, Arizona

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 281,169 (1.46% increase)

75. Anchorage, Alaska

(Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
(Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

2023 population: 283,154 (.87% decrease)

74. Chandler, Arizona

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 283,301 (.69% increase)

73. Durham, North Carolina

(Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports)
(Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 287,794 (.4% increase)

72. Plano, Texas

(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

2023 population: 291,450 (.55% increase)

71. North Las Vegas, Nevada

(AP)
(AP)

2023 population: 295,097 (3.75% increase)

70. Lincoln, Nebraska

(AP)
(AP)

2023 population: 295,222 (.44% increase)

69. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 295,793 (.78% decrease)

68. Greensboro, North Carolina

(File)
(File)

2023 population: 299,175 (.15% increase)

67. St. Paul, Minnesota

(KAREN BLEIER/AFP via Getty Images)
(KAREN BLEIER/AFP via Getty Images)

2023 population: 299,830 (1.21% decrease)

66. Newark, New Jersey

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 301,055 (1.01% decrease)

65. Cincinnati, Ohio

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 306,592 (.38% decrease)

64. Santa Ana, California

(Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)
(Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

2023 population: 308,549 (.14% decrease)

63. Orlando, Florida

(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 312,280 (.5% increase)

62. Irvine, California

(Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
(Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

2023 population: 312,280 (.86% increase)

61. Corpus Christi, Texas

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 317,615 (.03% decrease)

60. Lexington, Kentucky

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 320,576 (.19% decrease)

59. Riverside, California

(Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
(Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)

2023 population: 322,538 (.83% increase)

58. Stockton, California

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 324,888 (.43% increase)

57. Henderson, Nevada

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 328,516 (.98% increase)

56. Honolulu, Hawaii

(Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)
(Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 337,088 (1.23% decrease)

55. Anaheim, California

(Photo by Paul Hiffmeyer/Disney Parks via Getty Images)
(Photo by Paul Hiffmeyer/Disney Parks via Getty Images)

2023 population: 343,654 (.33% decrease)

54. Cleveland, Ohio

(AP Photo)
(AP Photo)

2023 population: 360,040 (1.09% decrease)

53. New Orleans, Louisiana

(Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)
(Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)

2023 population: 364,659 (1.65% decrease)

52. Arlington, Texas

(Photo by Darren Carroll/Getty Images)
(Photo by Darren Carroll/Getty Images)

2023 population: 390,399 (.3% decrease)

51. Wichita, Kansas

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 392,878 (.36% decrease)

50. Tampa, Florida

(Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)
(Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 393,264 (.8% increase)

49. Aurora, Colorado

(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

2023 population: 394,941 (.72% increase)

48. Tulsa, Oklahoma

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 408,956 (.3% decrease)

47. Bakersfield, California

(Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

2023 population: 416,175 (1.04% increase)

46. Minneapolis, Minnesota

(Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports)
(Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 418,075 (.86% decrease)

45. Oakland, California

(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 422,994 (1.26% decrease)

44. Miami, Florida

(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 435,919 (.45% decrease)

43. Long Beach, California

(Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)
(Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

2023 population: 439,153 (1.87% decrease)

42. Virginia Beach, Virginia

(Andy Lyons /Allsport)
(Andy Lyons /Allsport)

2023 population: 454,289 (.37% decrease)

41. Raleigh, North Carolina

(Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports)
(Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 472,540 (.36% increase)

40. Omaha, Nebraska

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 479,655 (.79% decrease)

39. Atlanta, Georgia

(Photo by Davis Turner/Getty Images)
(Photo by Davis Turner/Getty Images)

2023 population: 490,270 (.63% decrease)

38. Colorado Springs, Colorado

(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

2023 population: 491,530 (.78% increase)

37. Kansas City, Missouri

(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

2023 population: 509,319 (.09% increase)

36. Mesa, Arizona

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 516,783 (.71% increase)

35. Sacramento, California

(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

2023 population: 528,306 (.31% increase)

34. Tuscon, Arizona

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 546,019 (.26% increase)

33. Fresno, California

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 549,242 (.43% increase)

32. Milwaukee, Wisconsin

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 555,640 (1.21% decrease)

31. Albuquerque, New Mexico

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 558,523 (.36% decrease)

30. Baltimore, Maryland

(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

2023 population: 563,455 (1.14% decrease)

29. Boston, Massachusetts

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

2023 population: 617,459 (2.89% decrease)

28. Portland, Oregon

(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 619,286 (1.72% decrease)

27. Detroit, Michigan

(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)
(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

2023 population: 621,193 (.9% decrease)

26. Louisville, Kentucky

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 621,764 (.55% decrease)

25. Memphis, Tennessee

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 621,777 (.51% decrease)

24. Washington, D.C.

(Andrew P. Scott-USA TODAY)
(Andrew P. Scott-USA TODAY)

2023 population: 631,693 (2.9% decrease)

23. Las Vegas, Nevada

(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 653,843 (.54% increase)

22. Nashville, Tennessee

(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 658,525 (1.51% decrease)

21. El Paso, Texas

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 678,049 (.03% decrease)

20. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

(Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman)
(Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman)

2023 population: 697,763 (.73% increase)

19. Denver, Colorado

(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

2023 population: 699,288 (.86% decrease)

18. San Francisco, California

(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 715,717 (6.3% decrease)

17. Seattle, Washington

(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 725,487 (.58% decrease)

16. Indianapolis, Indiana

(Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
(Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 871,449 (.6% decrease)

15. Charlotte, North Caroliina

(Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports)
(Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 885,663 (.34% increase)

14. Columbus, Ohio

(Doral Chenoweth-The Columbus Dispatch)
(Doral Chenoweth-The Columbus Dispatch)

2023 population: 907,865 (.07% increase)

13. San Jose, California

(John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports)
(John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 930,862 (2.71% decrease)

12. Fort Worth, Texas

(Photo by VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)
(Photo by VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)

2023 population: 961,885 (1.4% increase)

11. Jacksonville, Florida

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 962,970 (.44% increase)

10. Austin, Texas

(Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)
(Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 966,292 (.11% increase)

9. Dallas, Texas

(Photo by VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)
(Photo by VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)

2023 population: 1,259,404 (1.13% decrease)

8. San Diego, California

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 1,374,076 (.27% decrease)

7. San Antonio, Texas

(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 1,479,493 (.95% increase)

6. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

(Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)
(Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 1,527,886 (1.55% decrease)

5. Phoenix, Arizona

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 1,651,344 (.82% increase)

4. Houston, Texas

(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 2,264,876 (.51% decrease)

3. Chicago, Illinois

(Jerry Lai-USA TODAY NETWORK)
(Jerry Lai-USA TODAY NETWORK)

2023 population: 2,608,425 (1.65% decrease)

2. Los Angeles, California

(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

2023 population: 3,769,485 (1.04% decrease)

1. New York City, New York

(USA TODAY)
(USA TODAY)

2023 population: 7,888,121 (3.48% decrease)

Story originally appeared on List Wire