As of 2023, the five largest cities in China by population are Chongqing (31.91 million), Shanghai (24.87 million), Beijing (21.86 million), Chengdu (21.403 million) and Guangzhou (18.827 million). As of 2024, there are 18 megacities (cities with a population of over 10 million), including Chongqing, Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Tianjin, Xi'an, Suzhou, Zhengzhou, Hangzhou, Shijiazhuang, Linyi, Dongguan, Qingdao, Changsha and Hefei.

Among them, the total permanent population of Chongqing, Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu is above 20 million. Shanghai is China's most populous urban area, while Chongqing is its largest city proper, the only city in China with the largest permanent population of over 30 million.

As of 2021, there were 113 Chinese cities with over 1 million people in urban areas.

Definition and classification According to the administrative divisions of China, there are three major levels of cities, namely direct-administered municipalities (), prefecture-level cities (), and county-level cities (). Not included in this administrative classification list are the special administrative regions () of Hong Kong and Macau as well as the cities controlled by the Republic of China. Prefecture-level cities nearly always contain multiple counties (), county-level cities, and other such sub-divisions.

Municipalities and prefecture-level cities are not each a 'city' in the strictest sense of the term, but are instead an administrative unit typically comprising both the urban core (a city in the strict sense) and surrounding rural or less-urbanized areas. The term "" (shì qū; "urban area") is used to distinguish a city's actual urban center from its administratively defined boundaries. However, even this term often encompasses large suburban regions, often greater than , or sometimes only the urban core, whereas the agglomeration overtakes the city limits. Thus, the "urban core" would be roughly comparable to the American term "city limit", and the "shì qū", or "urban area", would be roughly comparable to a city's "metropolitan area." The municipality is a political designation defining regions under control of a municipal government, which has no comparable designation in America.

While in 2013, Chongqing had the largest population total of any special municipality, 28 million, only 4.5 million of the people were in the actual Chongqing urban area, with the rest of the population in suburban and rural areas.

List of major cities by population The list contains all the cities with the administrative designation of "national central city" () and "sub-provincial city" () – including five "cities with independent planning status" () and ten large "provincial capital cities" (), as well as some large "special economic zones" (), "open coastal cities" (), and "prefecture-level cities" (), as well as other cities that have a population of over 1 million.

This list defines a city's population as the population of a city's urban population, rather than the entire population of its municipal boundaries. Legend: ⍟ National Capital City

# National Central City

* Provincial Capital City

~ Open Coastal City

† Special Economic Zone Direct-Administered Municipality City with Independent Planning Status Sub-Provincial City Prefecture-Level City

City Province 2020Census 2010Census %change Shanghai#~ municipality Beijing⍟# municipality Shenzhen† Guangdong Guangzhou#*~ Guangdong Chengdu#* Sichuan Tianjin#~ municipality Wuhan#* Hubei Dongguan Guangdong Chongqing# municipality Xi'an#* Shaanxi Hangzhou* Zhejiang Foshan Guangdong Nanjing* Jiangsu Shenyang* Liaoning Zhengzhou#* Henan Qingdao~ Shandong Suzhou Jiangsu Jinan* Shandong Changsha* Hunan Kunming* Yunnan Harbin* Heilongjiang Shijiazhuang* Hebei Hefei* Anhui Dalian~ Liaoning Xiamen† Fujian Nanning* Guangxi Changchun* Jilin Taiyuan* Shanxi Guiyang* Guizhou Wuxi Jiangsu Ürümqi* Xinjiang Zhongshan Guangdong Shantou† Guangdong Ningbo~ Zhejiang Fuzhou*~ Fujian Nanchang* Jiangxi Changzhou Jiangsu Lanzhou* Gansu Nantong~ Jiangsu Huizhou Guangdong Xuzhou Jiangsu Zibo Shandong Linyi Shandong Wenzhou~ Zhejiang Tangshan Hebei Hohhot* Inner Mongolia Haikou* Hainan Shaoxing Zhejiang Yantai~ Shandong Luoyang Henan ZhuhaiGuangdong LiuzhouGuangxi BaotouInner Mongolia HandanHebei YangzhouJiangsu WeifangShandong BaodingHebei DatongShanxi Huai'anJiangsu JiangmenGuangdong GanzhouJiangxi JiningShandong XiangyangHubei Xining*Qinghai ZunyiGuizhou Yinchuan*Ningxia KunshanJiangsu DaqingHeilongjiang WuhuAnhui MianyangSichuan PutianFujian QinhuangdaoHebei ZhuzhouHunan JilinJilin TaizhouZhejiang YiwuZhejiang XingtaiHebei AnshanLiaoning QuanzhouFujian CixiZhejiang Tai'anShandong JinjiangFujian NanyangHenan ZhanjiangGuangdong GuilinGuangxi YanchengJiangsu ZaozhuangShandong TaizhouJiangsu ShangraoJiangxi WeihaiShandong ZhangjiakouHebei JiangyinJiangsu MaomingGuangdong HezeShandong YichangHubei XinxiangHenan HuainanAnhui NanchongSichuan ChaozhouGuangdong JieyangGuangdong ChangshuJiangsu FushunLiaoning QingyuanGuangdong KaifengHenan XianyangShaanxi FuyangAnhui JiaxingZhejiang AnyangHenan HengyangHunan RizhaoShandong DazhouSichuan LuzhouSichuan YueyangHunan ZhenjiangJiangsu BaojiShaanxi YibinSichuan ChangdeHunan ChifengInner Mongolia HuzhouZhejiang SuqianJiangsu Wanzhou DistrictChongqing municipality BengbuAnhui LianyungangJiangsu Lu'anAnhui ZhangjiagangJiangsu ChangzhiShanxi PingdingshanHenan JinhuaZhejiang ZhaoqingGuangdong ShangqiuHenan QiqiharHeilongjiang JinzhouLiaoning LiaochengShandong XinyangHenan YuyaoZhejiang Rui'anZhejiang

Map of the 50 most populous cities

List of cities with a population between 100,000 and 1,000,000 This list includes all cities with a population between 100,000 and 1,000,000. Many of these cities are prefecture-level cities, sub-prefectural or county-level cities, or any distinct urban area within a city or region. This list defines a city's population as the population of a city's urban area, rather than the entire population of its municipal boundaries. (This list is still a work in progress and only includes certain provinces' cities so far). City Province-level division 2020Census 2010Census %change Puning Guangdong GuigangGuangxi LangfangHebei HengshuiHebei YangjiangGuangdong JiangjinChongqing YongchuanChongqing ShaoguanGuangdong FulingChongqing HechuanChongqing SanheHebei CangzhouHebei FuqingFujian SanyaHainan BoluoGuangdong JiamusiHeilongjiang MeizhouGuangdong Ordos CityInner Mongolia HeyuanGuangdong GuipingGuangxi BeihaiGuangxi TongliaoInner Mongolia HuidongGuangdong YanjiJilin JixiHeilongjiang KaizhouChongqing ChengdeHebei BobaiGuangxi Hui'anFujian DingzhouHebei BeiliuGuangxi LhasaTibet HezhouGuangxi SongyuanJilin LufengGuangdong HaifengGuangdong BishanChongqing BinyangGuangxi WuhaiInner Mongolia HegangHeilongjiang DazuChongqing QijiangChongqing AnxiFujian YunyangChongqing GaozhouGuangdong SipingJilin ChangshouChongqing HuazhouGuangdong Qian'anHebei HuanghuaHebei GaobeidianHebei RenqiuHebei BazhouHebei SihuiGuangdong DanzhouHainan LianjiangGuangdong HuilaiGuangdong TaishanGuangdong KaipingGuangdong TongliangChongqing ShizuishanNingxia XinyiGuangdong FangchenggangGuangxi BayannurInner Mongolia LeizhouGuangdong TonghuaJilin LiaoyuanJilin TongnanChongqing WuzhongNingxia RongchangChongqing YingdeGuangdong CenxiGuangxi Fu'anFujian RaopingGuangdong UlanqabInner Mongolia LingshanGuangxi BaishanJilin WuchuanGuangdong GongzhulingJilin YunfuGuangdong BaichengJilin HengzhouGuangxi FengjieChongqing XingningGuangdong BinyangGuangxi YangchunGuangdong HulunbuirInner Mongolia FudingFujian NanchuanChongqing ZhongxianChongqing ShanweiGuangdong NingjinHebei Gu'anHebei WenchangHainan BaiseGuangxi HeshanGuangdong WuhuaGuangdong FengfengkuangHebei XilinhotInner Mongolia LianjiangFujian LiangpingChongqing AchengHeilongjiang DianjiangChongqing UlanhotInner Mongolia DamingHebei LuodingGuangdong HepuGuangxi CaofeidianHebei ChengmaiHainan HejianHebei MeihekouJilin LinzhangHebei SuixiGuangdong QianjiangChongqing LuanzhouHebei FengduChongqing HechiGuangxi GuyuanNingxia ChongzuoGuangxi BotouHebei QionghaiHainan DehuaFujian DongfangHainan YouyangChongqing PengshuiChongqing FengshunGuangdong QingheHebei YushuJilin QuyangHebei EnpingGuangdong JungarInner Mongolia ZhongweiNingxia Du'anGuangxi QuzhouHebei DunhuaJilin LaotingHebei FujinHeilongjiang YakeshiInner Mongolia XuwenGuangdong JinzhouHebei LuannanHebei CixianHebei ManzhouliInner Mongolia LixianHebei DingxingHebei PingquanHebei ChangliHebei QingxianHebei Jian'ouFujian WanningHainan ShizhuChongqing XiushanChongqing JiutaiJilin HelanNingxia HuaijiGuangdong PingshanHebei JingxianHebei DachengHebei Bei'anHeilongjiang LongyaoHebei ChangtingFujian HuailaiHebei LingaoHainan LingchuanGuangxi JianyangFujian JiexiGuangdong YongningNingxia GuchengHebei ZijinGuangdong DaladInner Mongolia DatongQinghai DehuiJilin LingwuNingxia WushanChongqing QianxiHebei LechangGuangdong LongchuanGuangdong GolmudQinghai Nong'anJilin AndaHeilongjiang LishuJilin FusuiGuangxi AnpingHebei AnguoHebei YangxiGuangdong HunchunJilin HeiheHeilongjiang FeixiangHebei Ejin HoroInner Mongolia WanshengChongqing AnxinHebei XinxingGuangdong FusongJilin HuadianJilin HulinHeilongjiang NangongHebei Cheng'anHebei HailinHeilongjiang PingxiangHebei ShulanJilin LianzhouGuangdong WulongChongqing ZalantunInner Mongolia NanxiongGuangdong DongguangHebei FularjiHeilongjiang JiaoheJilin AlxaInner Mongolia HailunHeilongjiang GuangningGuangdong ZhongningNingxia PanshiJilin LaishuiHebei PingluoNingxia LaiyuanHebei BinxianHeilongjiang DatianFujian Qian GorlosJilin GutianFujian YunanGuangdong ShuangyangJilin LingshuiHainan GuantaoHebei WuxiChongqing BaoqingHeilongjiang DongxingGuangxi DabuGuangdong YangshanGuangdong NingchengInner Mongolia LiuchengGuangxi JingxiGuangxi FengningHebei GaoyangHebei LipuGuangxi ShuangliaoJilin ChengdeHebei LongmenGuangdong RongchengHebei LedongHainan AohanInner Mongolia JuluHebei QingtongxiaNingxia LingshouHebei DongshanFujian JizeHebei GuangpingHebei JalaidInner Mongolia LinxiHebei ChangjiangHainan KuanchengHebei TongxinNingxia LonghuaHebei NanpiHebei Da'anJilin FogangGuangdong Urad FrontInner Mongolia QinglongHebei BayanHeilongjiang DahuaGuangxi JiagedaqiHeilongjiang LuheGuangdong JingxingHebei MinheQinghai NaimanInner Mongolia HolingolInner Mongolia LuanpingHebei OroqenInner Mongolia OtogInner Mongolia FuchengHebei OngniudInner Mongolia ChanglingJilin CangxianHebei LeduQinghai FuyuJilin ArunInner Mongolia LianchengFujian FengkaiGuangdong HuinanJilin LulongHebei KailuInner Mongolia FengzhenInner Mongolia HuzhuQinghai Horqin Left MiddleInner Mongolia JarudInner Mongolia HaiyuanNingxia Tumed RightInner Mongolia NeiqiuHebei TaonanJilin Ding'anHainan HepingGuangdong WengyuanGuangdong TunchangHainan WangqingJilin HuananHeilongjiang Hanggin RearInner Mongolia FuchuanGuangxi BoyeHebei TongyuJilin DongfengJilin QiuxianHebei WuyuanInner Mongolia HuanjiangGuangxi YitongJilin LinxiInner Mongolia BairinInner Mongolia DachangHebei EwenkiInner Mongolia HarqinInner Mongolia Ar HorqinInner Mongolia Horqin Left BackInner Mongolia BoliHeilongjiang ZhenlaiJilin Tumed LeftInner Mongolia LianpingGuangdong AntuJilin MengcunHebei LiuheJilin FuyuHeilongjiang XinfengGuangdong GuangzongHebei DaxinGuangxi JiaolingGuangdong GaoyiHebei FupingHebei ChichengHebei

Cities by urban population