2023’s Tallest Cities in America

A view of the sky between tall skyscrapers taken from the ground

Which U.S. cities tower above the rest?

To mark Skyscraper Day on Sept. 3, Roof Gnome ranked 2023’s Tallest Cities in America.

We compared over 780 U.S. cities and territories based on the total number of buildings rising at least 12 stories. Bonus points were awarded to cities based on their numbers of 150-plus-, 200-plus-, and 300-plus-meter skyscrapers.

See how the tallest concrete jungles in the U.S. stack up in our ranking below. To learn how we ranked the cities, see our methodology.

Contents

Rankings

See how each city fared in our ranking:

Cross-Section View: Our Top 5

Check out the slideshow below for key stats on each of our five tallest cities.

An aerial shot of the New York City skyline with the Empire State Building in the center and One World Trade Center in the background
No. 1: New York | Overall Score: 100

Total Number of Built High-Rises (12+ Stories): 5,913
Number of Completed Buildings 150+ Meters: 314
Number of Completed Buildings 200+ Meters: 95
Number of Completed Buildings 300+ Meters: 16

Tallest Building: One World Trade Center

Photo Credit: Roberto Vivancos / Pexels / Pexels License
Two people bike along the water overlooking the Chicago skyline.
No. 2: Chicago | Overall Score: 40

Total Number of Built High-Rises (12+ Stories): 1,234
Number of Completed Buildings 150+ Meters: 137
Number of Completed Buildings 200+ Meters: 37
Number of Completed Buildings 300+ Meters: 7

Tallest Building: Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower)

Photo Credit: Chait Goli / Pexels / Pexels License
An aerial view of the Downtown Houston, Texas, skyline with clouds snaking through the buildings
No. 3: Houston | Overall Score: 13.34

Total Number of Built High-Rises (12+ Stories): 439
Number of Completed Buildings 150+ Meters: 40
Number of Completed Buildings 200+ Meters: 16
Number of Completed Buildings 300+ Meters: 2

Tallest Building: 600 Travis Street

Photo Credit: Vlad Busuioc / Unsplash / Unsplash License
The Griffith Observatory stands atop a hill overlooking the Los Angeles skyline.
No. 4: Los Angeles | Overall Score: 11.5

Total Number of Built High-Rises (12+ Stories): 511
Number of Completed Buildings 150+ Meters: 29
Number of Completed Buildings 200+ Meters: 12
Number of Completed Buildings 300+ Meters: 2

Tallest Building: Wilshire Grand Center

Photo Credit: Roberto Nickson / Pexels / Pexels License
A daytime view of the Downtown Atlanta, Georgia, skyline taken from high elevation
No. 5: Atlanta | Overall Score: 7.19

Total Number of Built High-Rises (12+ Stories): 269
Number of Completed Buildings 150+ Meters: 17
Number of Completed Buildings 200+ Meters: 10
Number of Completed Buildings 300+ Meters: 1

Tallest Building: Bank of America Plaza

Photo Credit: Kelly / Pexels / Pexels License

Elevated Insights

High-Level Overview

It’s a common assumption that the tallest U.S. cities are also the most populated. Although that’s largely true when considering the cities with skyscrapers rising at least 300 meters (roughly 984 feet), multiple cities with shorter skyscrapers of at least 150 meters (roughly 492 feet) count among them.

New York City is a foregone conclusion at No. 1 overall. However, much smaller cities like Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, and Fort Lee, New Jersey, are bigger surprises at No. 20 and No. 48, respectively.

Mostly small cities and towns landed at the bottom of our ranking, making up the “Shortest” tall cities in America.

Standout Stats

Unreachable Big Apple

  • New York City topped out across all four metrics, earning a perfect score. Topping The Big Apple by number of built high-rises — over 5,900 as of 2023 — would be a tall order for any city. Even Chicago in 2nd place couldn’t catch up anytime soon, with only a fifth (over 1,200) the number of high-rises in New York.

Tallest of the Giants

  • Of the 55 cities with built skyscrapers at least 150 meters high, only 7 rise at least 300 meters. New York (No. 1 overall) has the most at 16, over double the number in Chicago (No. 2) with 7. The other 5 cities have 2 at most.

Shortest of the Giants

  • Tied for last place overall are 230 cities, each with only 1 high-rise of at least 12 stories.

Saturated With Height

  • Of the cities with more than 1 completed tall building, Chicago (No. 2 overall) has the highest percentage of buildings rising at least 12 stories at 98.8%. Vancouver, Washington (tied for last place overall), has the lowest at 3.7%.

Tallest Little City

  • Sunny Isles Beach, Florida (No. 20 overall), might be a modest city of just over 22,200 residents, but it’s earned its seat at the table of big and tall U.S. skylines. The growing resort destination boasts 13 skyscrapers reaching at least 150 meters and 1 at least 200 meters (about 656 feet). There are 74 total completed buildings rising 12+ stories in the city.

Smallest of the Tallest

  • Although Sunny Isles Beach, Florida (No. 20 overall), stands among the 20 tallest behemoths in our ranking, it’s by no means the smallest by population. Of the 55 cities with at least 1 skyscraper rising 150+ meters, Cape Canaveral, Florida (No. 86), is the least populated with just under 10,000 residents. Cape Canaveral has 1 such building, giving it an extra boost over the other cities with just 1 high-rise with 12+ floors.

The World’s Littlest Skyscraper

  • While neither the tallest nor the shortest U.S. city, Wichita Falls, Texas (tied for 336th place), can at least claim to have “The World’s Littlest Skyscraper.” The actual structure, Newby-McMahon Building, doesn’t fit the accepted definition of a high-rise at just 40 feet tall. However, it earned the title based on the original plan to build the structure to a height of 480 feet. That ended in scandal — and a significantly shorter “skyscraper.”

Too Short to Ride (Higher)

  • Washington stands at a respectable No. 27 overall, but it may never grow taller. That’s because of the Height of Buildings Act of 1910, which restricts the height of buildings on commercial streets in the District of Columbia to 130 feet (or 160 feet on parts of Pennsylvania Avenue). Many believe buildings in DC can’t be taller than the Capitol Dome, National Cathedral, or Washington Monument, but that is a myth.

Top 10 Tallest Completed Buildings in the U.S.

One World Trade Center hovers over the Oculus aka Westfield World Trade Center in New York City.
No. 1: One World Trade Center (formerly Freedom Tower)

Location: New York
Year Built: 2014
Height: 1,776 feet
Stories: 94
Cost: $3.8 billion

Fun Fact: One World Trade Center is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.

Photo Credit: Nicolas Lh. / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
The Central Park Tower dominates the Manhattan, New York, skyline during golden hour.
No. 2: Central Park Tower aka Nordstrom Tower

Location: New York
Year Built: 2020
Height: 1,550 feet
Stories: 98
Cost: $3 billion

Fun Fact: You can live in the “highest residence in the world,” aka the Central Park Tower penthouse, for a steep price tag of $250 million.

Photo Credit: Malcolm Garret (cropped) / Pexels / Pexels License
The Willis Tower stands tall with a distinct black aluminum and bronze-tinted glass facade.
No. 3: Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower)

Location: Chicago
Year Built: 1974
Height: 1,451 feet
Stories: 108
Cost: $150 million

Fun Fact: Four states — Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan — are visible from the Willis Tower Skydeck on a clear day.

Photo Credit: Skyler Gerald / Unsplash / Unsplash License
The incredibly thin 111 West 57th Street aka Steinway Tower overlooks Central Park in New York.
No. 4: 111 West 57th Street aka Steinway Tower

Location: New York
Year Built: 2021
Height: 1,428 feet
Stories: 84
Cost: $2 billion

Fun Fact: Steinway Tower is the World’s Thinnest Skyscraper.

Photo Credit: Gabriel Beland / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
One Vanderbilt towers above Midtown Manhattan as the sun begins to set.
No. 5: One Vanderbilt

Location: New York
Year Built: 2020
Height: 1,401 feet
Stories: 62
Cost: $3.31 billion

Fun Fact: One Vanderbilt is the “tallest office tower in Midtown Manhattan” and boasts certifications from LEED, WELL, and Wired.

Photo Credit: Shinya Suzuki / Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0
432 Park Avenue, a symmetrical and rectangular building, reaches the clouds above the New York City skyline on a blue sky day.
No. 6: 432 Park Avenue

Location: New York
Year Built: 2015
Height: 1,397 feet
Stories: 85
Cost: $1.25 billion

Fun Fact: Former 432 Park Avenue tenants, actress Jennifer Lopez and baseball player Alex Rodriguez, sold their condo for $17.5 million in 2019.

Photo Credit: Shane Richards / Pexels / Pexels License
Trump Tower stands above the Chicago River and other high-rise buildings in Chicago.
No. 7: Trump International Hotel & Tower

Location: Chicago
Year Built: 2009
Height: 1,389 feet
Stories: 98
Cost: $847 million

Fun Fact: The facade of Trump International Hotel & Tower comprises 30 miles of glass.

Photo Credit: Kelly / Pexels / Pexels License
30 Hudson Yards and its triangular observation deck add a modern edge amongst older buildings along the skyline of the Hudson Yards neighborhood.
No. 8: 30 Hudson Yards

Location: New York
Year Built: 2019
Height: 1,270
Stories: 73
Cost: Part of the $25 billion Hudson Yards development

Fun Fact: 30 Hudson Yards is home to Edge, the “highest sky deck in the Western Hemisphere.”

Photo Credit: Budgeron Bach / Pexels / Pexels License
An aerial view of Manhattan, New York, with the Empire State Building in the foreground center
No. 9: Empire State Building

Location: New York
Year Built: 1931
Height: 1,250
Stories: 102
Cost: $41 million

Fun Fact: The Empire State Building has a ZIP code all to itself: 10118.

Photo Credit: Charles Parker / Pexels / Pexels License
The Bank of America Tower spire touches the clouds on an overcast day in New York.
No. 10: Bank of America Tower aka 1 Bryant Park

Location: New York
Year Built: 2009
Height: 1,200 feet
Stories: 55
Cost: $1 billion

Fun Fact: The Bank of America Tower was NYC’s first Platinum LEED-certified skyscraper.

Photo Credit: Charles Parker (cropped) / Pexels / Pexels License

10 Tallest Buildings Under Construction in the U.S. 

An aerial view of the New York City skyline on a bright day
No. 1: 270 Park Avenue aka JPMorgan Chase World Headquarters

Location: New York
Anticipated Completion Date: 2025
Height: 1,388 feet
Stories: 60
Anticipated Cost: $3 billion

Photo Credit: Lukas Kloeppel / Pexels / Pexels License
Clouds darken the sky over the New York City skyline and New York Harbor.
No. 2: 740 8th Avenue 

Location: New York
Anticipated Completion Date: 2027
Height: 1,067 feet
Stories: 52
Anticipated Cost: No public info available

Photo Credit: Nicolas Poupart / Pexels / Pexels License
Miami, Florida’s skyline towers behind a Ferris wheel along the coast.
No. 3: Waldorf Astoria Hotel and Residences Miami

Location: Miami
Anticipated Completion Date: 2026
Height: 1,041 feet
Stories: 98
Anticipated Cost: $426 million

Photo Credit: Mikhail Nilov / Pexels / Pexels License
Residential and commercial buildings stand side-by-side in Downtown Austin, Texas, on a sunny day.
No. 4: Waterline

Location: Austin
Anticipated Completion Date: 2026
Height: 1,021 feet
Stories: 74
Anticipated Cost: $520 million

Photo Credit: Pixabay / Pexels / CC0
Towers glow along the New York City skyline during sunset.
No. 5: 520 Fifth Avenue

Location: New York
Anticipated Completion Date: 2026
Height: 1,000 feet
Stories: 76
Anticipated Cost: $540 million financed so far

Photo Credit: Quintin Gellar / Pexels / Pexels License
Colorful buildings tower over the New York City Harbor on a bright, blue day.
No. 6: 262 Fifth Avenue

Location: New York
Anticipated Completion Date: 2024
Height: 1,000 feet
Stories: 54
Anticipated Cost: No public info available

Photo Credit: Aneli Marso / Pexels / Pexels License
A row of white-framed buildings with indigo-tinted windows in Miami, Florida, tower above palm trees lining a body of water in the foreground.
No. 7: Okan Tower

Location: Miami
Anticipated Completion Date: 2026
Height: 890 feet
Stories: 70
Anticipated Cost: $300 million

Photo Credit: Tory Brown / Pexels / Pexels License
Trees and towers in Downtown Austin, Texas, surround the Colorado River.
No. 8: Sixth and Guadalupe

Location: Austin
Anticipated Completion Date: 2023
Height: 875 feet
Stories: 66
Anticipated Cost: No public info available

Photo Credit: Allison Meier / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
Lights glow from streets and tower windows across New York at night.
No. 9: 42-02 Orchard Street

Location: New York
Anticipated Completion Date: 2026
Height: 811 feet
Stories: 69
Anticipated Cost: $425 million financed so far

Photo Credit: Andrea Piacquadio / Pexels / Pexels License
An aerial view of the eastern portion of Downtown Chicago, Illinois, with Lake Michigan in the background
No. 10: 1000M

Location: Chicago
Anticipated Completion Date: 2024
Height: 805 feet
Stories: 73
Anticipated Cost: $470 million

Photo Credit: Pedro Lastra / Unsplash / Unsplash License

10 Tallest Buildings in the World

The Burj Khalifa stretches into the sky on a clear blue day in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
No. 1: Burj Khalifa

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Year Built: 2010
Height: 2,717 feet
Stories: 163
Cost: $1.5 billion

Photo Credit: Denys Gromov / Pexels / Pexels License
A black-and-white view of the distinctly twisted upper exterior of the Shanghai Tower in Shanghai, China
No. 2: Shanghai Tower

Location: Shanghai, China
Year Built: 2015
Height: 2,073 feet
Stories: 128
Cost: $2.4 billion

Photo Credit: Antonella Vilardo / Unsplash / Unsplash License
Green lights emit from the clock atop the Makkah Royal Clock Tower, which hovers above tall cranes and busy streets in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
No. 3: Makkah Royal Clock Tower

Location: Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Year Built: 2012
Height: 1,972 feet
Stories: 120
Cost: Part of a $15 billion development

Photo Credit: Yasir Gürbüz / Pexels / Pexels License
The Ping An Finance Center in Shenzhen, China, towers above skyscrapers in the background with an expansive, green park in the foreground.
No. 4: Ping An Finance Center

Location: Shenzhen, China
Year Built: 2017
Height: 1,965 feet
Stories: 115
Cost: $1.5 billion

Photo Credit: Charlie fong / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
The Lotte World Tower takes center stage amongst other towers in Seoul, South Korea, as the sun sets.
No. 5: Lotte World Tower

Location: Seoul, South Korea
Year Built: 2017
Height: 1,819 feet
Stories: 123
Cost: $2.5 billion

Photo Credit: Pixabay / Pexels / CC0
One World Trade Center hovers over the Oculus aka Westfield World Trade Center in NYC.
No. 6: One World Trade Center

Location: New York, United States
Year Built: 2014
Height: 1,776 feet
Stories: 94
Cost: $3.8 billion

Photo Credit: Nicolas Lh. / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
The Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre in Guangzhou, China, stands above other silver towers, reflecting the blue sky on a bright day.
No. 7: Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre

Location: Guangzhou, China
Year Built: 2016
Height: 1,739 feet
Stories: 111
Cost: $1.5 billion

Photo Credit: xiquinhosilva / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
With curved edges, the Tianjin CTF Finance Centre in Tianjin, China, snakes into the sky on an overcast day.
No. 8: Tianjin CTF Finance Centre

Location: Tianjin, China
Year Built: 2019
Height: 1,739 feet
Stories: 97
Cost: $1.2 billion

Photo Credit: BD2412 (cropped) / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
The CITIC Tower and other unique skyscrapers encompass the Beijing, China, skyline.
No. 9: CITIC Tower aka China Zun

Location: Beijing, China
Year Built: 2018
Height: 1,731 feet
Stories: 109
Cost: $3.4 billion

Photo Credit: zhang kaiyv / Pexels / Pexels License
Blue lights glow up the sides and spire of the TAIPEI 101 building in Taipei, Taiwan, against a dark night sky.
No. 10: TAIPEI 101 (formerly Taipei World Financial Center)

Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Year Built: 2004
Height: 1,667 feet
Stories: 101
Cost: $1.8 billion

Photo Credit: Timo Volz / Pexels / Pexels License

Behind the Ranking

First, we determined the factors (metrics) that are most relevant to rank the Tallest Cities in America. We then assigned a weight to each factor based on its importance. The factors and their weights are listed in the table below.

For each of 882 U.S. cities, we then gathered data on each factor from the sources listed below the table. We eliminated any city lacking at least one high-rise — defined as a structure with at least 12 stories — resulting in a final sample size of 783 cities.

Finally, we calculated scores (out of 100 points) for each city to determine its rank in each factor, each category, and overall. A city’s Overall Score is the average of its scores across all factors and categories. The highest Overall Score ranked “Tallest” (No. 1).

  • The “Shortest” among individual factors may not be No. 783 due to ties.
  • Buildings include both commercial and residential structures.

Sources: Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat and SkyscraperPage.com

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Main Photo Credit: cosmin4000 / Canva Pro / Canva License

Research and writing contributed by Sav Maive

Richie Bernardo

Richie Bernardo is a managing editor who previously wrote about personal finance and immigration. Philippine-born, Kansas City-bred, and barbecue-fed, Richie enjoys baking, deal hunting, and binging “Ancient Aliens.”