America's Six Largest Cities in 1790: The First Census

1790 Census Rankings

1. Philadelphia, PA – 42,520
2. New York City, NY – 33,131
3. Boston, MA – 18,320
4. Charleston, SC – 16,359
5. Baltimore, MD – 13,503
6. Salem, MA – 7,921

These port cities dominated early American commerce and culture, setting patterns for urban growth.