Can You Identify These Major Western US Cities from One Image?

By: Jaclyn Lavine
Image: Aaron Eakin/Moment/Getty Images

About This Quiz

Which do you prefer, East Coast cities or West Coast cities? If you answered West Coast cities, or if you've spent an extensive amount of time traveling the Western part of America, then this quiz is for you!

Many of America's major cities are on the East Coast of the country. Whether or not a city can be defined as "major" depends on the size of its population. The Big Apple is jam-packed with people, making it the most populated city in the country, But what are the major cities west of the Mississippi River?  

Some cities are apparent. For example, Los Angeles is undoubtedly a major western city, in fact, it is the second-largest city in the country. But what other major cities are found in the west? How populated are these cities? Are they just as big as Philadelphia or Boston?

Whether you lived in some of the West's major cities or you went on an epic cross-country road trip that took you through them, this quiz is the perfect challenge for you! Find out if you can identify these 40 major Western cities based on an image.

Take this quiz now!


The City of Angels, i.e., Los Angeles, is the largest city in the west. It also happens to be the second-largest metro area in the entire United States.

Albuquerque is the largest city in New Mexico. It is known for its art scene. The city has been hosting the New Mexico Arts and Crafts Fair since 1961.

Kansas City is the second-largest city in Missouri. It is known for its BBQ, fountains, and jazz heritage.

Long Beach is a city in Southern California and is home to one of the world's largest shipping ports. The city is also considered the "Aquatic Capital of America" and is a great place to live if you like the beach.

Houston, Texas, is America's fourth-largest city. Houston is known for its diverse food scene and for being an affordable city in which to live.

Tucson, Arizona, is known for its desolate beauty, such as the Sonoran Desert. It is home to an estimated 980,263 people (2015).

Colorado Springs is the largest city in Colorado. It sits at the base of Pikes Peak, one of the most famous American mountains.

Oakland City is known for the Port of Oakland, the busiest port in the San Francisco Bay area. It is the eighth largest city in California.

The 2017 estimated population of Fresno was 527,438 people. The city was named Fresno, which means ash tree in Spanish, because of its copious number of ash trees.

Phoenix is the state capital and largest city in Arizona. It is the fifth most populated city in the country, with 1,626,078 people calling this city home,

Sacramento is the state capital of California and is the sixth largest city in the state. Sacramento is known for its sun and tree canopy. It has also been labeled the most hipster city in the state.

The most prized treasure of Mesa, Arizona, is the Mesa Grande Cultural Par. The park houses a large old mound where many artifacts of the ancient Hokoam people were found,

With a population of 408,959, Omaha is the largest city in Nebraska. The world's richest man, Warren Buffet, lives in Omaha, as do many other multi-millionaires.

Minnesota is known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes." Minneapolis means "City of Lakes" and the water is a central part of life for the 422,331 people living there,

Wichita is the largest city in Kansas, Nestled on the Arkansas River, the city is an industrial hub and cultural center. Wichita is known as the "Air Capital City" because it was home to aircraft manufacturing companies such as Beechcraft, Learjet, Cessna, and Boeing Military.

San Antonio is the seventh largest city in the country, and therefore one of the major cities of the west. San Antonio's most famous landmark may be the Alamo Mission, but there are plenty of other things to see in this city.

Tulsa, Oklahoma, has a population of 403,505 people, making it one of the major cities in the Western United States. Tulsa is best known for oil. In fact, during the 20th century, it was known as the "Oil Capital of the World."

The city of Arlington has a population of about 379,577, making it one of the smaller cities in this quiz. Did you know the original Six Flags is located here?

Las Vegas is the most populated city in Nevada. The city is open 24 hours a day and is an entertainment paradise, which is why it's called the "Entertainment Capital of the World."

Portland, Oregon, is a hipster's paradise. If you like a walkable and bikeable city with farm-to-table restaurants this city is for you!

With just 365,000 people, Bakersfield may not be the largest city in the country, but it is a major city in the Western half of the US. Bakersfield is best known for its agriculture and oil production.

Honolulu is one of the more difficult cities to get to in the Western U.S. Despite this, 359,870 make Honolulu their home. Perhaps it's because of the weather and pristine beaches.

Oklahoma City is the state capital of Oklahoma. It has one of the largest livestock markets in the entire world. Other popular industries include oil and natural gas.

San Diego is famous for its zoo and SeaWorld. San Diego's beautiful beaches and warm weather make it the second-largest city in California and one of the largest in the West.

Aurora may not be as large as Denver in terms of population, but it is still considered one of the major cities in the Western U.S. In fact, Aurora isn't your typical urban city; it's more of a suburb of Denver.

With 336,265 people living there, Anaheim is the 10th most populated city in California. Anaheim's claim to fame is Disney Land, which opened in 1955.

Corpus Christi received its name when Spanish explorer Alonso Alvarez de Pineda discovered the bay in 1519. Today, it is home to roughly 320,434 people.

Home to the Dallas Cowboys, the city of Dallas, Texas, is the fourth most populated city in the United States. Dallas is one of the fasted growing cities in the nation and, therefore, one of the major cities in the West.

Located in Southern California, Santa Ana is situated near the Santa Ana River and 10 miles from the ocean. The Santa Ana winds bring seasonal wildfires to the town as well as throughout Southern California.

Riverside, California, is the birthplace of the citrus industry. One of the city's most prized landmarks is the Riverside Fox Theater, where the first showing of "Gone With the Wind" premiered in 1939. The city is also home to the world's largest paper cup, which is actually made out of concrete.

St. Paul lies on the east bank of the Mississippi River and is the capital of Minnesota. The city is known for its high literacy right.

Across from the Mexico-United States border sits El Paso. In 2010 and 2018, El Paso received the "All-American City Award." It has also been ranked the safest largest U.S. city for a few years running.

In 2017, Austin had a population of 950,715 people, but the number keeps growing. Austin is known as "The Live Music Capital of the World" because of its famous Austin City Limits Music Festival is held there each year. The city is also known for its long-running PBS show, "Austin City Limits."

Seattle, Washington is famous for several things, one of which is the television show, "Grey's Anatomy," Known for its overcast, rainy weather, this city is fast-growing, especially with companies such as Amazon and Microsoft calling it home.

Did you know that Stockton, California, is the first California city to have a name that isn't Spanish or Native American in origin? In 2017, Stockton had an estimated population of about 320,554 people.

St. Louis was built on the western bank of the Mississippi River and is home to roughly 306,626 people. The city's economy is fueled by manufacturing, service, trade, tourism, and transportation of goods.

San Francisco is know for its fog, hills, and landmarks, such as the Golden Gate Bridge. The city is also the highest-rated American city in the world in terms of livability!

Denver is one of the major cities of the west. It's so well-known, that restaurants across the country have an omelet named after it on their menus: the Southwest Denver omelet.

Arlington, Texas, is home to 379,577 people. It is also home to AT&T Stadium, formerly known as Dallas Cowboys Stadium.

Fort Worth, Texas, is home to many museums, including the Kimbell Art Museum. The city is the 15th largest in the United States and is considered a major western city.

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