Discover the 15 Largest Cities in New York State in 2024

New York State is one of the most populous of the United States. At certain points in the country’s history, it occupied the top slot. This is mostly due to the constant presence and rapid growth of New York City over the past few centuries.

There’s more to the state’s urban existence than just NYC, however. New York State has over a dozen cities of interest, each showcasing this iconic US State’s diverse and dynamic nature. Due to its diverse, resilient economy and immense cultural history, New York’s status as one of the more impactful states in the country likely isn’t going to change anytime soon.

The 2020 US census estimated New York State’s population to be approximately 20 million people within its borders. This makes it the fourth most populous in the nation after California, Texas, and Florida.

If you’re interested in learning more, here’s a list of the 15 largest cities in New York State ranked from smallest to largest.

15. Long Beach

This list starts off with a modestly sized oceanfront community on the western end of Long Island. One of the largest islands in the contiguous United States, Long Island is home to many interesting natural and manmade sights. This includes the NYC boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, technically speaking.

The city isn’t huge by any stretch of the imagination — as of 2024, it houses only 34,399 people within the borders of its technical jurisdiction. Still, this is enough people to make it one of the larger population centers on Long Island.

The economy of Long Beach is mainly centered around short-distance tourism from NYC and the surrounding areas. Many people find that it’s just a short jaunt from the city to enjoy some sun and spray.

This seaside community is close enough to New York City that some consider it an honorary suburb and a beach getaway for residents of America’s great metropolis. That being said, the oceanic community has its own governance and infrastructure.

14. Binghamton

This city is a charming community that sits in one of New York State’s lesser-known regions — the Southern Tier. This section of the state shares its border with Pennsylvania.

Although this region isn’t as flashy as some of the other parts of New York State, visitors will find it doesn’t disappoint. 46,651 residents will wholeheartedly agree.

Especially for the errant history buff, it has plenty of interesting tidbits. It was traditionally a transportation and manufacturing hub for this region of the country.

Nowadays, the city is experiencing the positive benefits of urban renewal. This is largely thanks to pushes from the healthcare and education industries. Much of this is spearheaded by the notable Binghamton University.

13. Niagara Falls

This entry is one of New York State’s better-known communities, despite the fact that there are a good number with higher populations. The primary reason for this is due to its proximity to an icon of both New York State and the country itself — the nominal Niagara Falls.

The city is named for a set of massive waterfalls that straddles the border between Canada and the United States. It serves as an important source of Hydroelectric power for New York and several other U.S. States.

In 2024, the community is home to 47,670 residents, which is a steep decline from a historic peak of around 100,000 around 1960. This decline has primarily occurred due to the loss of manufacturing jobs in the region.

12. Troy

Named after the ancient Turkish city featured in Homer’s The Iliad, Troy, NY, is a place of more modest stature but one that still manages to impress. Home to 49,534 residents, it’s the 12th biggest city in New York State.

Nestled adjacent to the scenic Hudson River, Troy offers visitors a delightful mix of history and progressivism. It’s close enough to NYC and cheap enough to have fostered a small community of contemporary artists.

Troy, NY, is close enough to the state’s capital, Albany, that many consider it to be a satellite community of that city. However, Troy has a distinct enough infrastructure and identity that it remains distinct.

11. White Plains

Coming in at number 11 is the NYC satellite community of White Plains, NY. White Plains is close enough to NYC that many consider it to be an honorary neighborhood of the Big Apple. However, it’s technically its own city and behaves as such.

White Plains fosters a healthy commuter presence, and during the work week, its normal permanent population of 59,412 swells to more than 250,000. White Plains serves as a liaison between New York City and “upstate” New York. This makes these commuter-based population swells less surprising.

Part of the city’s rising profile and population can also be attributed to the rising cost of living in many of NYC’s inner-city boroughs.

10. Utica

Lodged squarely in the middle of New York State’s rust-best is another historic manufacturing-era gem, the city known as Utica.

Home to 62,731 permanent residents in 2024, Utica has undergone many of the same economic and population fluctuations that have defined cities of a similar character and history.

That being said, the future looks bright for Utica, as the city is experiencing some level of urban renewal. The city is attractive to both native-born US citizens and international immigrants due to its low cost of living.

Those of the outdoor persuasion also will find much to like about Utica. The city is nestled at the southern end of the massive Adirondack Wilderness Park, one of the first protected natural areas in the country.

9. Schenectady

This city is the state’s ninth-largest urban area, with 67,324 residents calling this historical city home.

The city figures prominently in several books and films. This is partially owing to its prominent place in some of the most pivotal moments in the country’s history in both a historical and economic sense.

The city used to be nicknamed “The City That Lights the World” — a reference to the fact that it was the headquarters of the GE Corporation. This company operated out of the city for several decades after its initial formation.

It was also of some importance in an even earlier period of American history. Early Dutch traders used it as a focal point for their exploratory trading periods with the Mohawk peoples who inhabited this period before colonization. In fact, the city’s name is derived from the Mohawk word “skahnéhtati,” meaning “beyond the pines.”

8. Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon is another NYC-adjacent community. Nevertheless, it maintains a personal sense of history and identity.

Home to 69,941 permanent residents, Mount Vernon has the distinction of being one of the country’s largest African-American-majority communities.

Mount Vernon carries the additional distinction of fostering some very notable names in American arts and letters. This is partially due to its rich cultural heritage and proximity to New York City. Some of the famous names that were born in its borders include Sean Combs, Nina Simone, and Denzel Washington.

7. New Rochelle

This city is a next-door neighbor of the previous entry in this list, Mount Vernon. It’s another piece of the great puzzle that comprises the massive Tri-State area. Contiguously, this urban area represents the largest population group in the United States.

The place itself is home to 84,750 residents, which makes it slightly larger than Mount Vernon. The city is packed full of history and is home to several historic sites of both local and national interest.

In 2020, the city became notable for another set of reasons of a different stripe. The city was, unfortunately, one of the first epicenters of the COVID-19 pandemic in the continental US.

6. Albany

Coming in at number six is the capital city of Albany, NY. Albany is home to the central governing bodies of the New York State congressional and executive branches.

Albany represents a significant jump in size from the preceding entries in this list. There are 97,085 people that inhabit the metropolitan area itself. Combined with the cities of Troy and Schenectady, it’s part of what is known as the “Capital District.” This area is home to over 1.1 Million people and the third-largest population center in the state.

Albany holds the distinction of being one of the longest continuously inhabited places in the continental US, at least in terms of settlers. In existence since the formation of the original 13 colonies, Albany has provided a home to New Yorkers continuously since that time period.

Nowadays, aside from being the political center of New York State, Albany is a city of immigrants. It hosts a thriving and diverse ethnic population.

5. Syracuse

Rounding out the top five most populated cities In New York is Syracuse, NY, which is home to 143,349 permanent residents in 2024.

Syracuse is one of the major cultural, industrial, and educational centers of the Central New York region. This area is home to over 1 million residents.

Syracuse has quite a bit going for it in terms of education. The two biggest employers in the city are SUNY (State University of New York), Upstate Medical University, and the renowned Syracuse University.

There are also several important educational institutions in the surrounding area. While they miss being within the city borders themselves, Cornell University, Ithaca College, Colgate University, and SUNY Cortland are all located within a stone’s throw.

Aside from higher education, the Syracuse region has also traditionally been a manufacturing and industrial center. Although this identity is changing with the times, there has been a revival of interest in the region from industry. This is largely due to its affordability and convenience. Micron Technology has a plan to invest over 20 billion in a series of computer chip plants in the city’s northern suburbs. This stands as a testament to this sense of faith.

4. Yonkers

This entry is another New York City satellite community, lying just north of The Bronx along the Hudson River. With 205,269 residents, the city would be large even without its proximity to the largest in the US.

It’s the first stop on the Metro-North rail system from Manhattan and thus serves as a commuter community in many senses. This is true for both individuals coming from further north, as well as people leaving the community to work in NYC.

Due to its proximity to New York City, the city features prominently in many works of literature and film that are set in the Big Apple. On its own terms, the city is a diverse community, housing many immigrants who are priced out of the more expensive Boroughs of New York City.

Given its pristine location along the gorgeous Hudson River, there’s a lot to like about this place. There’s also a lot of potential to be uncovered beyond its adjacency to New York City.

3. Rochester

Embanked along the great lakes in the western point of the state, Rochester is New York State’s fourth largest city. It has a population of over 209,599 in its metropolitan area.

Beyond the urban core, Rochester is part of a series of communities that is home to over 1,000,000 people. An economic powerhouse and a burgeoning science and research center, Rochester is giving these people much to feel excited about.

Rochester, like many cities in New York State, has a manufacturing identity that has morphed over the decades. Recently, it has found itself the subject of a certain amount of urban renewal. Several notable US companies were born in Rochester, among them Kodak, Xerox, Paychex, and Western Union.

Rochester is also a cultural center and oftentimes ranks highly in livability and quality of life indexes. Some notable contributors to this cultural identity include the University of Rochester and the Eastman School of Music. The latter is one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious music conservatories.

Rochester also lays claim to a progressive attitude in terms of its history with some of the country’s most significant social movements. The city is a historical center for the slavery abolition movement and the women’s rights movement.

2. Buffalo

Coming up is the state’s second-largest city, Buffalo, which houses 273,530 residents within the city proper and over 1 million in its combined statistical area.

This lake-side city is a place with a very strong cultural and historical identity and has fathered many iconic elements of American culture. Some examples include Buffalo wings, the Bills Football Team, and Beef on Weck.

Like many of the cities in New York State, this city has a heavily industrial history. It came to fruition as a destination due to the economic opportunities offered through its factories and commercialism in the early 20th century.

Nowadays, it also presides over an economy almost as diverse as its residents. Like many places in New York State, it’s home to a high number of foreign-born residents.

Buffalo also attracts due to the strength of its cultural institutions and festive atmosphere. The city is home to several summer festivals and houses several noteworthy museums. Examples include the Albright-Knox Art Gallery and the it’s Museum of Science.

1. New York City

It probably won’t come as much of a surprise to most readers what the largest city in New York State is. With 7,613,466 residents in just the city proper alone as of the beginning of 2024, New York City is the largest city in the United States and one of the largest in the world.

New York City is a powerhouse in every sense of the word. With its cuisine, history, culture, and economy, the city functions as the spiritual and intellectual capital of the country. It’s one of the most, if not the most, influential urban centers of the world.

Separated into five boroughs, New York City is the core of the Tri-State Metropolitan Area. This is the largest population center in the United States and home to over 20 Million people. New York City is also the largest city in New York State by total land area, covering a massive 300 square miles.

There’s so much to see and do in New York City that volumes are written about just its individual neighborhoods. As the home of cultural institutions such as The New York City Stock Exchange, Times Square, Broadway, and the United Nations, the city serves as an essential component of what we consider to be a modern globalized society.

New York’s popularity seems only to be gaining. Between 2010 and 2020, the city welcomed over 600,000 new residents.

Excelsior

New York State is one of the top destinations in the United States, both economically and culturally, and it’s not difficult to see why.

From the mountains of the Adirondacks and the beaches of Long Island to the dense urban landscapes of Manhattan, the sheer amount of variety in New York State gives it an edge over many other places in the country and the world.

By studying the demographic and economic patterns in a place like New York State, both academics and laymen can gain valuable insights into socioeconomic trends. This can ultimately contribute toward working for a higher quality of life for more people.

As time moves forward, it’s quite possible that New York State will again occupy the top slot in terms of being the most populous state in the country. The strong economic and cultural incentives seem to draw people back in.

Summary of the Largest Cities by Population