These Are The 15 Largest US Cities By GDP

The United States has the largest GDP in the world in nominal terms, and urban areas are a major contributor to the country’s economic might. In fact, metropolitan areas account for roughly 90% of U.S. economic output.

In the infographic below, Visual Capitalist’s Avery Koop and Joyce Max rank the economic output of the top 15 U.S. cities from New York City to Minneapolis, using data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. The data covers 2021, which is the most recent release from BEA.

It’s important to note that the data considers entire surrounding metropolitan areas, so as an example, New York City includes neighboring population centers such as Newark, NJ, as well as Jersey City⁠—reaching a GDP of nearly $2 trillion.

Measuring a city’s economy at the metro level can provide a more accurate representation of its economic activity. This is because the metropolitan areas include not only the central city but also the surrounding suburban and rural areas that are economically connected to it.

America’s Economic Hubs

There are some obvious winners when it comes to the largest U.S. cities by GDP, including NYC, Los Angeles, Dallas, and San Francisco.

In the table below, we’ve listed each of the 384 metropolitan areas out of the dataset all the way down to last place, Sebring-Avon Park, Florida, alongside respective ranks and GDP:

Rank
City
GDP (in thousands)
#1
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
$1,992,779,274
#2
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$1,124,682,354
#3
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
$764,583,227
#4
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA
$668,677,573
#5
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$607,628,505
#6
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
$598,333,263
#7
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
$537,066,232
#8
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
$531,671,846
#9
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
$479,966,484
#10
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
$477,580,629
#11
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA
$473,823,474
#12
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL
$417,147,866
#13
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$410,418,579
#14
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ
$316,090,586
#15
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
$296,969,112
#16
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
$283,660,258
#17
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$267,973,544
#18
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
$253,399,051
#19
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
$222,967,241
#20
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$213,183,465
#21
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
$207,866,150
#22
Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX
$193,773,558
#23
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
$190,708,533
#24
St. Louis, MO-IL
$187,569,544
#25
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
$186,570,323
#26
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
$171,737,526
#27
Pittsburgh, PA
$168,021,049
#28
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
$167,279,974
#29
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
$163,031,737
#30
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN
$162,062,985
#31
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$160,542,566
#32
Columbus, OH
$154,509,800
#33
Kansas City, MO-KS
$154,328,892
#34
Cleveland-Elyria, OH
$147,637,827
#35
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
$144,384,474
#36
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV
$136,198,676
#37
Salt Lake City, UT
$118,494,536
#38
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
$111,479,649
#39
Raleigh-Cary, NC
$108,288,115
#40
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
$107,067,798
#41
Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT
$106,507,622
#42
Jacksonville, FL
$101,367,263
#43
Richmond, VA
$99,388,754
#44
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT
$98,751,750
#45
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
$96,913,356
#46
Oklahoma City, OK
$86,662,243
#47
Memphis, TN-MS-AR
$86,493,147
#48
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN
$82,866,115
#49
New Orleans-Metairie, LA
$81,829,573
#50
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
$76,991,435
#51
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
$73,995,509
#52
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA
$73,876,512
#53
Birmingham-Hoover, AL
$70,874,148
#54
Rochester, NY
$69,341,714
#55
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI
$68,401,313
#56
Urban Honolulu, HI
$67,383,319
#57
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
$61,171,285
#58
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
$60,814,699
#59
Tulsa, OK
$60,392,165
#60
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$58,332,732
#61
New Haven-Milford, CT
$57,541,201
#62
Madison, WI
$56,636,713
#63
Baton Rouge, LA
$56,199,218
#64
Worcester, MA-CT
$54,941,620
#65
Knoxville, TN
$52,343,257
#66
Greenville-Anderson, SC
$52,328,843
#67
Bakersfield, CA
$52,239,044
#68
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
$50,960,155
#69
Charleston-North Charleston, SC
$50,704,392
#70
Tucson, AZ
$50,231,611
#71
Fresno, CA
$49,987,063
#72
Dayton-Kettering, OH
$49,548,210
#73
Albuquerque, NM
$49,480,431
#74
Columbia, SC
$48,214,448
#75
Syracuse, NY
$46,414,861
#76
Greensboro-High Point, NC
$45,574,221
#77
North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL
$44,746,013
#78
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
$43,867,213
#79
Trenton-Princeton, NJ
$43,633,044
#80
Boise City, ID
$43,601,402
#81
Colorado Springs, CO
$43,522,096
#82
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
$42,669,983
#83
Midland, TX
$42,035,915
#84
Akron, OH
$41,058,875
#85
Wichita, KS
$40,586,374
#86
Toledo, OH
$40,546,884
#87
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL
$39,813,620
#88
Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY
$39,375,465
#89
Portland-South Portland, ME
$39,089,209
#90
Winston-Salem, NC
$38,504,784
#91
El Paso, TX
$37,507,586
#92
Springfield, MA
$37,189,530
#93
Provo-Orem, UT
$36,866,060
#94
Stockton, CA
$36,790,065
#95
Reno, NV
$35,471,910
#96
Ogden-Clearfield, UT
$35,071,325
#97
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$34,450,601
#98
Chattanooga, TN-GA
$34,425,793
#99
Huntsville, AL
$34,086,472
#100
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$33,306,884
#101
Boulder, CO
$33,182,418
#102
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
$33,144,404
#103
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR
$33,102,945
#104
Vallejo, CA
$33,100,194
#105
Lancaster, PA
$33,048,548
#106
Lexington-Fayette, KY
$32,851,535
#107
Manchester-Nashua, NH
$32,729,580
#108
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
$32,178,609
#109
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC
$31,718,339
#110
Jackson, MS
$30,785,111
#111
Salinas, CA
$30,712,263
#112
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
$30,589,541
#113
Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA
$30,040,721
#114
Lansing-East Lansing, MI
$29,363,629
#115
Ann Arbor, MI
$28,604,834
#116
Anchorage, AK
$28,210,676
#117
Modesto, CA
$26,519,792
#118
Sioux Falls, SD
$26,063,548
#119
Savannah, GA
$25,681,434
#120
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL
$25,516,019
#121
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX
$25,508,724
#122
Salisbury, MD-DE
$25,194,103
#123
Fort Wayne, IN
$25,156,180
#124
Corpus Christi, TX
$24,937,471
#125
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL
$24,603,801
#126
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX
$24,407,762
#127
Fort Collins, CO
$24,381,467
#128
Asheville, NC
$24,350,043
#129
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL
$24,309,017
#130
Fayetteville, NC
$24,254,218
#131
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA
$24,153,731
#132
Naples-Marco Island, FL
$24,020,049
#133
Springfield, MO
$23,930,761
#134
Mobile, AL
$23,876,616
#135
Peoria, IL
$23,599,643
#136
York-Hanover, PA
$23,406,852
#137
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA
$23,284,271
#138
Lafayette, LA
$22,650,406
#139
Lincoln, NE
$22,492,557
#140
Greeley, CO
$22,082,249
#141
Reading, PA
$22,055,785
#142
Green Bay, WI
$21,991,068
#143
Killeen-Temple, TX
$21,967,641
#144
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC
$21,787,862
#145
Salem, OR
$21,487,178
#146
Evansville, IN-KY
$21,248,968
#147
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS
$21,177,139
#148
Port St. Lucie, FL
$20,762,211
#149
Norwich-New London, CT
$20,743,047
#150
Visalia, CA
$20,580,771
#151
Montgomery, AL
$20,250,047
#152
Canton-Massillon, OH
$20,167,014
#153
Tallahassee, FL
$20,148,962
#154
Cedar Rapids, IA
$19,793,178
#155
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$19,639,637
#156
Elkhart-Goshen, IN
$19,271,838
#157
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL
$18,899,397
#158
Eugene-Springfield, OR
$18,848,436
#159
Gainesville, FL
$18,353,884
#160
Roanoke, VA
$18,297,657
#161
Wilmington, NC
$18,203,444
#162
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$18,076,112
#163
Spartanburg, SC
$17,914,096
#164
Kennewick-Richland, WA
$17,836,850
#165
Fargo, ND-MN
$17,706,417
#166
Flint, MI
$17,234,628
#167
Longview, TX
$17,134,932
#168
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI
$17,031,977
#169
Rockford, IL
$17,005,386
#170
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
$16,787,117
#171
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH
$16,470,842
#172
Columbus, GA-AL
$16,456,091
#173
Lubbock, TX
$16,402,001
#174
Amarillo, TX
$16,313,319
#175
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
$16,245,024
#176
Appleton, WI
$16,202,188
#177
Bellingham, WA
$16,036,428
#178
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI
$15,946,455
#179
Duluth, MN-WI
$15,905,385
#180
College Station-Bryan, TX
$15,896,707
#181
Lake Charles, LA
$15,791,901
#182
Charlottesville, VA
$15,762,678
#183
Burlington-South Burlington, VT
$15,669,774
#184
Rochester, MN
$15,644,852
#185
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ
$15,313,041
#186
Barnstable Town, MA
$15,150,695
#187
Bloomington, IL
$15,140,725
#188
Waco, TX
$15,125,143
#189
Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
$15,104,427
#190
Utica-Rome, NY
$14,678,570
#191
Clarksville, TN-KY
$14,546,292
#192
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA
$14,373,182
#193
Laredo, TX
$13,581,543
#194
Gainesville, GA
$13,561,088
#195
Charleston, WV
$13,553,478
#196
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
$13,225,538
#197
Champaign-Urbana, IL
$13,219,093
#198
Topeka, KS
$13,204,822
#199
Springfield, IL
$13,019,072
#200
Tyler, TX
$13,002,122
#201
Tuscaloosa, AL
$12,913,789
#202
Ocala, FL
$12,907,979
#203
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV
$12,755,632
#204
Bend, OR
$12,618,710
#205
Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN
$12,537,390
#206
Erie, PA
$12,509,399
#207
Napa, CA
$12,387,136
#208
Binghamton, NY
$12,314,327
#209
St. Cloud, MN
$12,202,920
#210
Columbia, MO
$12,077,178
#211
Iowa City, IA
$11,989,228
#212
Yakima, WA
$11,864,827
#213
Macon-Bibb County, GA
$11,818,017
#214
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI
$11,586,606
#215
Billings, MT
$11,570,641
#216
Athens-Clarke County, GA
$11,562,554
#217
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC
$11,497,194
#218
Lynchburg, VA
$11,430,306
#219
Odessa, TX
$11,399,343
#220
Wausau-Weston, WI
$11,250,695
#221
Wheeling, WV-OH
$11,239,365
#222
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
$11,197,979
#223
Florence, SC
$11,018,873
#224
Medford, OR
$10,949,122
#225
Fort Smith, AR-OK
$10,920,156
#226
Greenville, NC
$10,841,765
#227
Merced, CA
$10,465,518
#228
Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI
$10,356,019
#229
Eau Claire, WI
$10,308,773
#230
Panama City, FL
$10,269,545
#231
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD
$10,111,866
#232
Chico, CA
$10,006,052
#233
Dover, DE
$9,984,324
#234
Idaho Falls, ID
$9,915,330
#235
El Centro, CA
$9,912,905
#236
Jacksonville, NC
$9,900,984
#237
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL
$9,891,548
#238
Jackson, TN
$9,779,929
#239
State College, PA
$9,750,456
#240
Harrisonburg, VA
$9,499,442
#241
Redding, CA
$9,419,468
#242
Saginaw, MI
$9,363,549
#243
Houma-Thibodaux, LA
$9,350,744
#244
La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN
$9,294,924
#245
Johnson City, TN
$9,219,695
#246
Racine, WI
$9,100,374
#247
Warner Robins, GA
$8,993,124
#248
Yuma, AZ
$8,977,170
#249
Lima, OH
$8,962,374
#250
Jefferson City, MO
$8,956,976
#251
Abilene, TX
$8,848,793
#252
Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ
$8,796,885
#253
Monroe, LA
$8,699,152
#254
Kingston, NY
$8,622,165
#255
Morgantown, WV
$8,597,534
#256
California-Lexington Park, MD
$8,554,244
#257
Janesville-Beloit, WI
$8,530,214
#258
Terre Haute, IN
$8,502,107
#259
East Stroudsburg, PA
$8,493,417
#260
Niles, MI
$8,455,695
#261
Flagstaff, AZ
$8,444,850
#262
Winchester, VA-WV
$8,419,006
#263
Bowling Green, KY
$8,368,247
#264
Las Cruces, NM
$8,339,710
#265
St. George, UT
$8,338,042
#266
Joplin, MO
$8,319,062
#267
San Angelo, TX
$8,284,455
#268
Bloomington, IN
$8,272,024
#269
Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA
$8,271,597
#270
Bismarck, ND
$8,243,740
#271
Coeur d’Alene, ID
$8,112,478
#272
Yuba City, CA
$8,104,050
#273
Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL
$8,063,835
#274
Dalton, GA
$7,950,074
#275
Decatur, IL
$7,856,804
#276
Dubuque, IA
$7,840,579
#277
Manhattan, KS
$7,818,079
#278
Bangor, ME
$7,813,558
#279
Rocky Mount, NC
$7,799,020
#280
Sheboygan, WI
$7,747,640
#281
Pittsfield, MA
$7,682,977
#282
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA
$7,659,302
#283
Jackson, MI
$7,651,976
#284
Santa Fe, NM
$7,636,186
#285
Dothan, AL
$7,636,116
#286
Ames, IA
$7,583,257
#287
Rapid City, SD
$7,565,027
#288
Battle Creek, MI
$7,528,043
#289
Glens Falls, NY
$7,446,782
#290
Grand Junction, CO
$7,444,077
#291
Burlington, NC
$7,440,110
#292
Pueblo, CO
$7,436,671
#293
Logan, UT-ID
$7,425,275
#294
Wenatchee, WA
$7,403,597
#295
Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ
$7,376,321
#296
Auburn-Opelika, AL
$7,335,523
#297
Decatur, AL
$7,282,688
#298
Kankakee, IL
$7,282,382
#299
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$7,258,824
#300
Columbus, IN
$7,205,692
#301
Hattiesburg, MS
$7,181,156
#302
Wichita Falls, TX
$7,096,972
#303
Ithaca, NY
$7,044,555
#304
Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ
$7,037,905
#305
Alexandria, LA
$7,037,021
#306
Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
$6,972,539
#307
Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH
$6,966,489
#308
Lebanon, PA
$6,911,784
#309
Punta Gorda, FL
$6,911,071
#310
Madera, CA
$6,907,890
#311
Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA
$6,846,649
#312
Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
$6,819,777
#313
Muskegon, MI
$6,795,782
#314
Missoula, MT
$6,780,085
#315
Altoona, PA
$6,736,868
#316
Monroe, MI
$6,716,820
#317
St. Joseph, MO-KS
$6,700,369
#318
Cheyenne, WY
$6,608,922
#319
Williamsport, PA
$6,562,069
#320
Valdosta, GA
$6,529,753
#321
Jonesboro, AR
$6,494,679
#322
Fairbanks, AK
$6,477,984
#323
Albany, GA
$6,462,473
#324
New Bern, NC
$6,436,366
#325
Owensboro, KY
$6,434,476
#326
Ocean City, NJ
$6,279,126
#327
Grand Forks, ND-MN
$6,226,443
#328
Morristown, TN
$6,218,224
#329
Carbondale-Marion, IL
$6,206,570
#330
Mankato, MN
$6,157,026
#331
Texarkana, TX-AR
$6,086,205
#332
Longview, WA
$6,047,768
#333
Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL
$5,989,958
#334
Casper, WY
$5,887,565
#335
Twin Falls, ID
$5,878,885
#336
Staunton, VA
$5,865,980
#337
Sherman-Denison, TX
$5,852,474
#338
Midland, MI
$5,836,461
#339
Fond du Lac, WI
$5,817,790
#340
Goldsboro, NC
$5,761,092
#341
Farmington, NM
$5,698,394
#342
Lawton, OK
$5,636,670
#343
Lewiston-Auburn, ME
$5,614,156
#344
Albany-Lebanon, OR
$5,608,491
#345
Lawrence, KS
$5,586,561
#346
Sumter, SC
$5,539,578
#347
The Villages, FL
$5,507,387
#348
Cleveland, TN
$5,423,969
#349
Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ
$5,399,087
#350
Mansfield, OH
$5,251,489
#351
Homosassa Springs, FL
$5,247,686
#352
Corvallis, OR
$5,242,566
#353
Johnstown, PA
$5,197,201
#354
Springfield, OH
$5,162,330
#355
Brunswick, GA
$5,136,201
#356
Anniston-Oxford, AL
$5,108,424
#357
Victoria, TX
$5,082,222
#358
Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA
$4,916,778
#359
Hammond, LA
$4,897,538
#360
Grand Island, NE
$4,871,762
#361
Cape Girardeau, MO-IL
$4,838,122
#362
Beckley, WV
$4,563,061
#363
Rome, GA
$4,539,453
#364
Michigan City-La Porte, IN
$4,521,182
#365
Kokomo, IN
$4,488,369
#366
Muncie, IN
$4,486,204
#367
Hinesville, GA
$4,427,847
#368
Gettysburg, PA
$4,310,644
#369
Elmira, NY
$4,230,830
#370
Carson City, NV
$4,225,603
#371
Bay City, MI
$4,158,772
#372
Great Falls, MT
$4,150,622
#373
Cumberland, MD-WV
$4,025,355
#374
Parkersburg-Vienna, WV
$4,000,337
#375
Pine Bluff, AR
$3,996,508
#376
Hot Springs, AR
$3,907,112
#377
Pocatello, ID
$3,732,010
#378
Grants Pass, OR
$3,666,285
#379
Danville, IL
$3,645,245
#380
Walla Walla, WA
$3,642,288
#381
Lewiston, ID-WA
$3,274,461
#382
Gadsden, AL
$3,175,372
#383
Enid, OK
$2,926,730
#384
Sebring-Avon Park, FL
$2,894,022
 
All U.S. Metro Areas
$20,943,239,585

As the graphic above makes obvious, NYC’s GDP towers over the rest. The Big Apple is the nerve center for a number of high-impact industries, including finance and media.

Moving down the ranking, LA has a $1.1 trillion economy, followed by Chicago, with a GDP of just over $760 billion.

The Fastest Growing Cities

Although many of the top ranking cities are not surprising, there are a number of up-and-coming cities in the list. A report from the Kenan Institute, at the University of North Carolina’s Business School, reveals the fastest growing cities in the U.S. in terms of GDP growth year-over-year. Here’s a look at the top 10:

Rank
City
State
GDP Growth (2022)
#1
San Francisco/Bay Area
California
4.8%
#2
Austin
Texas
4.3%
#3
Seattle
Washington
3.5%
#4
Raleigh/Durham
North Carolina
3.4%
#5
Dallas
Texas
3.1%
#6
Denver
Colorado
3.0%
#7
Salt Lake City
Utah
2.8%
#8
Charlotte
North Carolina
2.5%
#9
New Orleans
Louisiana
2.4%
#10
Orlando
Florida
2.4%

San Francisco, Seattle, and Dallas appear on both the overall GDP size and growth lists. Dallas’ economy is driven in large part by a growing healthcare industry. The city also continues to attract talent being home to large companies AT&T, CBRE Group, and Texas Instruments.

North Carolina is home to two of the fastest growing metropolitan areas, Raleigh-Durham and Charlotte. These cities may be ones to watch as they are becoming hubs of tech, research, and manufacturing. In fact, North Carolina was recently ranked as the most attractive U.S. state to do business in and both cities are among the fastest growing in terms of population.

The economic center of gravity within the U.S. could be shifting away from the traditional centers of power towards booming cities in the South and West of the United States. The Kenan Institute found that the recovery of hospitality and leisure sectors has helped destinations in these regions like New Orleans and Orlando. Additionally, the shift towards high-tech industry jobs, remote work, and cheaper housing have made these cities very attractive.

Of course, the sunny climate in these cities is an attractive selling point as well.