This is a comparison and contrast of just how much the makeup of American cities has changed over 50 years. The comparisons are derived using 1950 census figures and 2000 census figures (PDF). It's interesting to note the land areas and how much of a role they play in city population change and difference, considering the type of development (read: car based and suburban) in that same time frame. This does not take into consideration metropolitan areas—this is strictly within city limits.


Change in population 1950-2000 for (2000's) ten largest cities & growth rates:

city_____________1950 pop (rank)___2000 pop (rank)__pop change___% change
New York, NY______7,891,957 (1)____8,008,278 (1)____+116,321_____+1.5%
Los Angeles, CA___1,970,358 (4)____3,694,820 (2)__+1,724,462____+87.5%
Chicago, IL_______3,620,962 (2)____2,896,016 (3)____-724,946____-20.0%
Houston, TX_________596,163 (14)___1,953,631 (4)__+1,357,468___+227.7%
Philadelphia, PA__2,071,605 (3)____1,517,550 (5)____-554,055____-26.7%
Phoenix, AZ_________106,818 (99)___1,321,045 (6)__+1,214,227__+1136.7%
San Diego, CA_______334,387 (31)___1,223,400 (7)____+889,013___+265.9%
Dallas, TX__________434,462 (22)___1,188,580 (8)____+754,118___+173.6%
San Antonio, TX_____408,442 (25)___1,144,646 (9)____+736,204___+182.0%
Detroit, MI_______1,849,568 (5)______951,270 (10)___-898,298____-48.6%
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Boston, MA__________801,444 (10)_____589,141 (20)___-212,303____-26.5%
Washington, DC______802,178 (9)______572,059 (21)___-230,119____-28.7%
Baltimore, MD_______949,708 (6)______651,154 (17)___-298,554____-31.4%
San Francisco, CA___775,357 (11)_____776,733 (13)_____+1,376______+.2%
Pittsburgh, PA______676,806 (12)_____334,563 (52)___-342,243____-50.6%
St Louis, MO________856,796 (8)______348,189 (48)___-508,607____-59.4%
Jacksonville, FL____204,517 (49)_____735,617 (14)___+531,100___+259.7%
Atlanta, GA_________331,314 (33)_____416,474 (39)____+85,160____+25.7%
Cleveland, OH_______914,808 (7)______478,403 (33)___-436,405____-47.7%
Denver, CO__________415,786 (24)_____554,636 (24)___+138,850____+33.4%
Seattle, WA_________467,591 (19)_____563,374 (23)____+95,783____+20.5%
Minneapolis, MN_____521,718 (17)_____382,618 (45)___-139,100____-26.7%


Change in land area 1950-2000 for (2000's) ten largest cities & growth rates:

city________1950 area__2000 area__area change__% change
New York, NY_______315.1____303.3_____-11.8_____-3.7%
Los Angeles, CA ___450.9____469.1_____+18.2_____+4.0%
Chicago, IL________207.5____227.1_____+19.6_____+9.4%
Houston, TX________160.0____579.4____+419.4___+262.1%
Philadelphia, PA___127.2____135.1______+7.9_____+6.2%
Phoenix, AZ_________17.1____474.9____+457.8__+2677.2%
San Diego, CA_______99.4____324.3____+224.9___+226.2%
Dallas, TX_________112.0____342.5____+230.5___+205.8%
San Antonio, TX_____69.5____407.6____+338.1___+486.5%
Detroit, MI________139.6____138.8______-0.8______-.5%
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Boston, MA__________47.8_____48.4_______+.6_____+1.2%
Washington, DC______61.4_____61.4_______-0-_______-0-
Baltimore, MD_______78.7_____80.8______+2.1_____+2.7%
San Francisco, CA___44.6_____46.7______+2.1_____+4.7%
Pittsburgh, PA______54.2_____55.6______+1.4_____+2.6%
St Louis, MO________61.0_____61.9_______+.9_____+1.5%
Jacksonville, FL____30.2____757.7____+727.5__+2408.9%
Atlanta, GA_________36.9____131.7_____+94.8___+256.9%
Cleveland, OH_______75.0_____77.6______+2.6_____+3.5%
Denver, CO__________66.8____153.4_____+86.6___+129.6%
Seattle, WA_________70.8_____83.9______13.1____+18.5%
Minneapolis, MN_____53.8_____54.9______+1.1_____+2.0%


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