Cities grew up around factories. Many people moved to the city to live closer to the factory where they could find work. Cities also attracted people who ran shops, food stores, and other services needed by workers. Fewer people needed to farm because machines were doing much of the work. Cities became the business centers of the United States.
Top 10 Cities Ranked by Population from 1850-1910
1850
1 New York city, NY *................ 515,547 |
1870
1 New York city, NY *................ 942,292 |
1890
1 New York city, NY *................ 1,515,301
|
1910 1 New York city, NY *...... 4,766,883 2 Chicago city, IL......... 2,185,283 3 Philadelphia city, PA.... 1,549,008 4 St. Louis city, MO....... 687,029 5 Boston city, MA.......... 670,585 6 Cleveland city, OH....... 560,663 7 Baltimore city, MD....... 558,485 8 Pittsburgh city, PA *.... 533,905 9 Detroit city, MI......... 465,766 10 Buffalo city, NY......... 423,715 |
Information from the U.S. Census Bureau
1850 | 1870 | 1890 | 1910 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
New York City | 515547 | 942292 | 1515301 | 4766883 |
Baltimore | 169054 | 267354 | 434439 | 558485 |
Boston | 136881 | 250526 | 448477 | 670585 |
Philadelphia | 121376 | 674022 | 1046964 | 1549008 |
New Orleans | 116375 | 191418 | 242039 | 242039 |
Cincinnati | 115435 | 216239 | 296908 | 363591 |
Brooklyn | 96838 | 396099 | 806343 | No data |
St. Louis | 77860 | 310864 | 451770 | 687029 |
Spring Garden | 58894 | No data | No data | No data |
Albany | 50763 | 69422 | 94923 | 100253 |
Chicago | 29963 | 298977 | 1099850 | 2185283 |
San Francisco | No data | 149473 | 298997 | 416912 |
Cleveland | 17034 | 92829 | 261353 | 560663 |
Pittsburgh | 46601 | 86076 | 238617 | 533905 |
Detroit | 21019 | 79577 | 205876 | 465766 |
Cities grew in areas:
Some city problems: