Quick facts
Philadelphia overview
Philadelphia (orange) and the other large cities of United States
Philadelphia lies in Pennsylvania in United States at 39.95°N, 75.16°W, about 12 m above sea level. The local time zone is America/New_York (UTC-4); GeoNames classifies it as a district seat.
It is smaller than Phoenix (1,650,070) and larger than San Antonio (1,526,656). 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 199 km away; the nearest large city is Allentown, 78 km from Philadelphia.
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 Philadelphia
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Allentown Pennsylvania | 78 km | 120,207 |
| Edison New Jersey | 90 km | 102,548 |
| Elizabeth New Jersey | 113 km | 129,007 |
| Newark New Jersey | 121 km | 281,944 |
| Jersey City New Jersey | 126 km | 264,290 |
| New York City New York | 130 km | 8,804,190 |
| Paterson New Jersey | 136 km | 147,754 |
| Baltimore Maryland | 144 km | 585,708 |
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 Philadelphia?
Philadelphia has about 1,573,916 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Philadelphia the capital of United States?
No. The capital of United States is Washington (689,545 people), about 199 km away. Philadelphia is the 6th largest city of the country and a district seat.
How big is Philadelphia compared with the rest of United States?
Its 1,573,916 residents are 0.5% of the 349,544,454 people living in United States today. New York City is larger with 8,804,190 people.
Where is Philadelphia?
In Pennsylvania, United States, at latitude 39.95 and longitude -75.16, 12 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Allentown (78 km), Edison (90 km), Elizabeth (113 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Philadelphia Population 2026 — United States. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/united-states/philadelphia/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/united-states/philadelphia/">Philadelphia 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.