Quick facts
Chicago overview
Chicago (orange) and the other large cities of United States
Chicago lies in Illinois in United States at 41.85°N, 87.65°W, about 179 m above sea level. The local time zone is America/Chicago (UTC-5); GeoNames classifies it as a district seat.
It is smaller than Los Angeles (3,820,914) and larger than Houston (2,314,157). 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 956 km away; the nearest large city is Naperville, 42 km from Chicago.
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 Chicago
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Naperville Illinois | 42 km | 147,100 |
| Joliet Illinois | 51 km | 147,861 |
| Elgin Illinois | 56 km | 112,111 |
| Aurora Illinois | 56 km | 200,661 |
| South Bend Indiana | 118 km | 101,516 |
| Rockford Illinois | 128 km | 148,278 |
| Milwaukee Wisconsin | 134 km | 563,531 |
| Madison Wisconsin | 198 km | 280,305 |
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 Chicago?
Chicago has about 2,664,452 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Chicago the capital of United States?
No. The capital of United States is Washington (689,545 people), about 956 km away. Chicago is the 3rd largest city of the country and a district seat.
How big is Chicago compared with the rest of United States?
Its 2,664,452 residents are 0.8% of the 349,544,454 people living in United States today. New York City is larger with 8,804,190 people.
Where is Chicago?
In Illinois, United States, at latitude 41.85 and longitude -87.65, 179 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Naperville (42 km), Joliet (51 km), Elgin (56 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Chicago Population 2026 — United States. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/united-states/chicago/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/united-states/chicago/">Chicago 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.