Quick facts
Boston overview
Boston (orange) and the other large cities of United States
Boston lies in Massachusetts in United States at 42.36°N, 71.06°W, about 14 m above sea level. The local time zone is America/New_York (UTC-4); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than El Paso (678,815) and larger than Portland (652,503). The largest city in United States is New York City with 8,804,190 people; the capital, Washington, has 689,545.
The national capital, Washington, is about 634 km away; the nearest large city is Cambridge, 4 km from Boston.
United States as a whole has a live population of 349,544,454 (+0.5% a year) and ranks #3 of 238 countries — see the United States population page for the full statistics and the United States atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Boston
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge Massachusetts | 4 km | 110,402 |
| Lowell Massachusetts | 37 km | 110,699 |
| Worcester Massachusetts | 62 km | 206,518 |
| Providence Rhode Island | 66 km | 190,934 |
| Manchester New Hampshire | 78 km | 110,229 |
| New Bedford Massachusetts | 81 km | 101,079 |
| Springfield Massachusetts | 129 km | 154,341 |
| Hartford Connecticut | 150 km | 121,054 |
Largest cities in United States
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York City | New York | 8,804,190 |
| 2 | Los Angeles | California | 3,820,914 |
| 3 | Chicago | Illinois | 2,664,452 |
| 4 | Houston | Texas | 2,314,157 |
| 5 | Phoenix | Arizona | 1,650,070 |
| 6 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1,573,916 |
| 7 | San Antonio | Texas | 1,526,656 |
| 8 | San Diego | California | 1,404,452 |
| 9 | Dallas | Texas | 1,326,087 |
| 10 | Jacksonville | Florida | 1,009,833 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Boston?
Boston has about 653,833 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Boston the capital of United States?
No. The capital of United States is Washington (689,545 people), about 634 km away. Boston is the 24th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Boston compared with the rest of United States?
Its 653,833 residents are 0.2% of the 349,544,454 people living in United States today. New York City is larger with 8,804,190 people.
Where is Boston?
In Massachusetts, United States, at latitude 42.36 and longitude -71.06, 14 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Cambridge (4 km), Lowell (37 km), Worcester (62 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Boston Population 2026 — United States. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/united-states/boston/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/united-states/boston/">Boston Population 2026 — United States</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.