This is a list of cities in the Americas by founding year and present-day country.
| Year |
City |
State or province |
Country |
Notes |
| 700 BC |
Ticul |
Yucatán |
Mexico |
| 500 BC |
Cholula |
Puebla |
Mexico |
| 300 BC |
Teotihuacan |
México |
Mexico |
In the Valley of Mexico, North America's largest Pre-Columbian city. [1] |
| 200 |
Mitla |
Oaxaca |
Mexico |
| 650 |
Cahokia |
Illinois |
United States |
| 1000 |
Acoma Pueblo and Taos Pueblo |
New Mexico |
United States |
| 1050 |
Motul |
Yucatán |
Mexico |
| 1100 |
Oraibi |
Arizona |
United States (Hopi Reservation) |
[2] |
| 1325 |
Tenochtitlan |
Distrito Federal |
Mexico |
Today this city is known as Mexico City |
| 1450 |
Zuni Pueblo |
New Mexico |
United States |
[3] |
| 1498 |
Santo Domingo |
Distrito Nacional |
Dominican Republic |
Capital of the Dominican Republic. Oldest continuously inhabited European established settlement in the Americas. |
| 1510 |
Nombre de Dios |
Colon |
Panama |
Oldest continuously inhabited European established settlement in Panama. |
| 1511 |
Baracoa |
Guantánamo |
Cuba |
Oldest continuously inhabited European established settlement in Cuba, former capital of Cuba. |
| 1514 |
Santiago |
Santiago |
Cuba |
| 1515 |
Havana |
Havana |
Cuba |
Current Capital of Cuba |
| 1519 |
La Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz, (Veracruz) |
Veracruz |
Mexico |
Oldest continuously inhabited European established settlement in Mexico and continental America. |
| 1519[4] |
Panama City |
|
Panama |
First European city on the Pacific coast of the Americas |
| 1521 |
San Juan |
Puerto Rico |
United States |
Oldest continuously inhabited European established settlement in Puerto Rico, and in the United States. |
| 1524 |
Granada |
Granada |
Nicaragua |
Oldest continuously inhabited European established settlement in Nicaragua. |
| 1526 |
Acámbaro |
Guanajuato |
Mexico |
|
| 1532 |
Oaxaca |
Oaxaca |
Mexico |
| 1536 |
San Pedro Sula |
Cortés |
Honduras |
| 1540 |
Campeche |
Campeche |
Mexico |
| 1542 |
Yuriria |
Guanajuato |
Mexico |
|
| 1541 |
St. John's |
Newfoundland and Labrador |
Canada |
Oldest continuously inhabited European established settlement in Canada, oldest English established settlement in the Americas, oldest continuously inhabited European established settlement north of Mexico |
| 1542 |
Guadalajara |
Jalisco |
Mexico |
| 1542 |
San Miguel de Allende |
Guanajuato |
Mexico |
|
| 1552 |
San Luis de la Paz |
Guanajuato |
Mexico |
|
| 1558 |
Mérida |
Mérida |
Venezuela |
|
| 1565 |
Saint Augustine |
Florida |
United States |
Oldest continuously inhabited European established settlement in the continental United States. Preceded by Puerto Rican colonies, Pensacola, Florida, which was destroyed in 1559, and Fort Caroline, destroyed in 1565.[5] |
| 1575 |
Aguascalientes |
Aguascalientes |
Mexico |
|
| 1576 |
León |
Guanajuato |
Mexico |
|
| 1596 |
Monterrey |
Nuevo León |
Mexico |
| 1597 |
Portobelo |
Colón |
Panama |
| 1598 |
Parras |
Coahuila |
Mexico |
| 1599 |
Tadoussac |
Quebec |
Canada |
Oldest continuously inhabited French established settlement in the Americas, oldest European established settlement in Quebec. |
| 1603 |
Salamanca |
Guanajuato |
Mexico |
|
| 1604 |
Port Royal |
Nova Scotia |
Canada |
| 1607 |
Jamestown |
Virginia |
United States |
| 1607 |
Santa Fe |
New Mexico |
United States |
Oldest continuously inhabited state capital in the US. [6] |
| 1608 |
Quebec City |
Quebec |
Canada |
| 1610 |
Hampton |
Virginia |
United States |
Oldest continuously occupied English settlement in the United States. |
| 1610 |
Kecoughtan |
Virginia |
United States |
| 1610 |
Harbour Grace |
Newfoundland and Labrador |
Canada |
| 1612 |
St. George's |
|
Bermuda |
Oldest continuously inhabited European established settlement in Bermuda. |
| 1613 |
Newport News, Virginia |
Virginia |
United States |
| 1614 |
Albany, New York |
New York |
United States |
Oldest settlement in the United States north of Virginia |
| 1620 |
Plymouth |
Massachusetts |
United States |
| 1623 |
Dover |
New Hampshire |
United States |
|
| 1623 |
Portsmouth |
New Hampshire |
United States |
| 1623 |
New Castle |
New Hampshire |
United States |
| 1623 |
Rye |
New Hampshire |
United States |
[7] |
| 1623 |
Gloucester |
Massachusetts |
United States |
| 1625 |
New Amsterdam |
New York |
United States |
Now New York City. |
| 1626 |
Salem |
Massachusetts |
United States |
| 1627 |
Basseterre |
|
Saint Kitts and Nevis |
| 1628 |
Bridgetown |
|
Barbados |
| 1629 |
Charlestown |
Massachusetts |
United States |
| 1630 |
Boston |
Massachusetts |
United States |
| 1631 |
Saint John |
New Brunswick |
Canada |
| 1631 |
Lewes |
Delaware |
United States |
Because Lewes was the earliest town founded in the state, and because Delaware was the first state to ratify the constitution, the town refers to itself as "The first town in the first state." |
| 1631 |
Cambridge |
Massachusetts |
United States |
Drake, Samuel Adams (1880). History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts. 1. Boston: Estes and Lauriat. pp. 305-16. http://books.google.com/books?id=QGolOAyd9RMC&pg=PA316&lpg=PA305&dq=newetowne&source=bl&ots=bWCYe4Smmz&sig=SqBiih-2JOSzUBFnLaYU72oUmBI&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result#PPA305,M1. Retrieved on 2008-12-26. |
| 1632 |
Williamsburg |
Virginia |
United States |
| 1632 |
St. John's |
|
Antigua and Barbuda |
| 1634 |
Green Bay |
Wisconsin |
United States |
| 1634 |
St. Mary's City |
Maryland |
United States |
| 1634 |
Trois-Rivières |
Quebec |
Canada |
| 1634 |
Willemstad |
|
Netherlands Antilles |
| 1635 |
Concord |
Massachusetts |
United States |
| 1636 |
Providence |
Rhode Island |
United States |
| 1637 |
Hartford |
Connecticut |
United States |
[8]
|
| 1637 |
Taunton |
Massachusetts |
United States |
[9]
|
| 1638 |
Hampton |
New Hampshire |
United States |
|
| 1638 |
New Haven |
Connecticut |
United States |
[10]
|
| 1638 |
Wilmington |
Delaware |
United States |
Grew from Fort Christina, part of the New Sweden colony. Originally called Willington. |
| 1639 (prior to) |
St. Marks |
Florida |
United States |
[11] |
| 1639 |
Bridgeport |
Connecticut |
United States |
| 1639 |
Newport |
Rhode Island |
United States |
| 1642 |
Montreal |
Quebec |
Canada |
| 1642 |
Lexington |
Massachusetts |
United States |
[12] |
| 1643 |
Basse-Terre |
|
Guadeloupe |
Territorial capital. |
| 1643 |
Dolores Hidalgo |
Guanajuato |
Mexico |
| 1644 |
Salvatierra |
Guanajuato |
Mexico |
|
| 1646 |
New London |
Connecticut |
United States |
| 1649 |
Annapolis |
Maryland |
United States |
| 1651 |
New Castle |
Delaware |
United States |
Grew from Fort Casimir |
| 1659 |
Ciudad Juárez |
Chihuahua |
Mexico |
| 1659 |
Jamestown |
|
Saint Helena |
| 1660 |
Placentia |
Newfoundland |
Canada |
French Capital unil 1713, originally called Plaisance |
| 1660 |
Rye |
New York |
United States |
| 1664 |
Albany |
New York |
United States |
| 1665 |
Port-de-Paix |
Nord-Ouest Department |
Haiti |
| 1666 |
Newark |
New Jersey |
United States |
| 1668 |
Sault Ste. Marie |
Michigan |
United States |
[13], oldest city in Michigan. |
| 1670 |
Charleston |
South Carolina |
United States |
| 1673 |
Kingston |
Ontario |
Canada |
Grew from Fort Frontenac. |
| 1674 |
Waterbury |
Connecticut |
United States |
| 1680 |
South Orange |
New Jersey |
United States |
Grew from Newark (later Orange). |
| 1681 |
Cockburn Town |
|
Turks and Caicos Islands |
| 1682 |
Philadelphia |
Pennsylvania |
United States |
| 1682 |
Norfolk |
Virginia |
United States |
| 1683 |
Dover |
Delaware |
United States |
| 1685 |
Prairie du Chien |
Wisconsin |
United States |
| 1687 |
New Britain |
Connecticut |
United States |
| 1693 |
Kingston |
|
Jamaica |
| 1694 |
Newark |
Delaware |
United States |
| 1696 |
Rimouski |
Quebec |
Canada |
| 1698 |
Pensacola |
Florida |
United States |
| 1699 |
Biloxi |
Mississippi |
United States |
| 1699 |
Baton Rouge |
Louisiana |
United States |
| 1701 |
Detroit |
Michigan |
United States |
| 1702 |
Mobile |
Alabama |
United States |
| 1706 |
Albuquerque |
New Mexico |
United States |
| 1709 |
Chihuahua |
Chihuahua |
Mexico |
| 1710 |
Chatham |
New Jersey |
United States |
On land purchased in 1680. |
| 1714 |
Natchitoches |
Louisiana |
United States |
Oldest settlement in the Louisiana Purchase |
| 1715 (prior to) |
Kekionga |
Indiana |
United States |
Capital of the Miami tribe. |
| 1716 |
Natchez |
Mississippi |
United States |
Dates to the founding of Fort Rosalie by the French.[14] |
| 1718 |
New Orleans |
Louisiana |
United States |
| 1718 |
San Antonio |
Texas |
United States |
| 1719 |
Trenton |
New Jersey |
United States |
| 1721 |
Cortazar |
Guanajuato |
Mexico |
| 1725 |
Concord |
New Hampshire |
United States |
| 1728 |
Fredericksburg |
Virginia |
United States |
| 1729 |
Baltimore |
Maryland |
United States |
| 1733 |
Richmond |
Virginia |
United States |
[15] |
| 1733 |
Savannah |
Georgia |
United States |
| 1735 |
Ste. Genevieve |
Missouri |
United States |
French-Colonial settlement. Oldest continually-inhabited settlement in Missouri. |
| 1738 |
Fort Rouge |
Manitoba |
Canada |
Now Winnipeg, Manitoba. |
| 1749 |
Alexandria |
Virginia |
United States |
| 1749 |
Port-au-Prince |
Ouest Department |
Haiti |
| 1749 |
Halifax, Nova Scotia |
Nova Scotia |
Canada |
| 1749 |
Windsor |
Ontario |
Canada |
Oldest continually-inhabited settlement in Canada west of Montreal |
| 1750 |
Erie |
Pennsylvania |
United States |
Grew from the French Fort Presque Isle. |
| 1754 |
Augusta |
Maine |
United States |
| 1755 |
Charlotte |
North Carolina |
United States |
| 1758 |
Pittsburgh |
Pennsylvania |
United States |
| 1761 |
Charlottesville |
Virginia |
United States |
| 1762 |
Shepherdstown |
West Virginia |
United States |
Originally known as Mecklenburg. |
| 1762 |
Allentown |
Pennsylvania |
United States |
Incorporated as Northamptontown. |
| 1763 |
St. Louis |
Missouri |
United States |
| 1763 |
Burlington |
Vermont |
United States |
| 1769 |
Santa Cruz |
California |
United States |
| 1769 |
San Diego |
California |
United States |
Grew from Presidio of San Diego. |
| 1770 |
Monterey |
California |
United States |
Grew from Presidio of Monterey. Original capital of California [16] |
| 1775 |
Tucson |
Arizona |
United States |
The town of Tucson had existed for over 2000 years at this point but this is the date the Spanish built a presidio and formally recognized the town |
| 1775 |
Lexington |
Kentucky |
United States |
| 1775 |
Boonesborough |
Kentucky |
United States |
Grew from Fort Boonesborough, built by pioneer Daniel Boone. |
| 1776 |
San Francisco |
California |
United States |
| 1777 |
San Jose |
California |
United States |
Originally known as El Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe, the first town in the Spanish colony of Nueva California, which later became Alta California. |
| 1778 |
Louisville |
Kentucky |
United States |
Grew from Fort Nelson, established by explorer George Rogers Clark. |
| 1779 |
Jonesborough |
Tennessee |
United States |
Later organized as the lost State of Franklin with Jonesborough as capital 1784. [17] |
| 1779 |
Nashville |
Tennessee |
United States |
Grew from Fort Nashborough |
| 1781 |
Montpelier |
Vermont |
United States |
| 1781 |
Los Angeles |
California |
United States |
| 1785 |
Harrisburg |
Pennsylvania |
United States |
| 1785 |
Asheville |
North Carolina |
United States |
| 1786 |
Columbia |
South Carolina |
United States |
| 1786 |
Florissant |
Missouri |
United States |
Originally known as St. Ferdinand. |
| 1786 |
Tallahassee |
Florida |
United States |
| 1786 |
Frankfort |
Kentucky |
United States |
| 1786 |
Portland |
Maine |
United States |
| 1788 |
Marietta |
Ohio |
United States |
First permanent American settlement in the Northwest Territory |
| 1788 |
Cincinnati |
Ohio |
United States |
| 1788 |
Charleston |
West Virginia |
United States |
Grew from Fort Lee. [18] |
| 1789 |
Buffalo |
New York |
United States |
| 1790 |
Washington |
District of Columbia |
United States |
| 1791 |
Jacksonville |
Florida |
United States |
Known as "Cowford". |
| 1791 |
Knoxville |
Tennessee |
United States |
| 1791 |
Bangor |
Maine |
United States |
| 1792 |
Raleigh |
North Carolina |
United States |
| 1793 |
Toronto |
Ontario |
Canada |
Originally known as York, renamed in 1834. |
| 1794 |
Fort Wayne |
Indiana |
United States |
| 1795 |
Edmonton |
Alberta |
Canada |
Grew from Fort Edmonton. |
| 1796 |
Cleveland |
Ohio |
United States |
| 1797 |
Franklinton |
Ohio |
United States |
Eventually absorbed by Columbus, Ohio. |
| 1798 |
Shepherdstown |
West Virginia |
United States |
Formerly known as Mecklenburg. |
| 1800 |
Hull |
Quebec |
Canada |
Formerly known as Wrightville. |
| 1803 |
Chicago |
Illinois |
United States |
Grew from Fort Dearborn. |
| 1805 |
Huntsville |
Alabama |
United States |
| 1810 |
Manchester |
New Hampshire |
United States |
| 1812 |
Columbus |
Ohio |
United States |
| 1815 |
Hamilton |
Ontario |
Canada |
| 1816 |
Chattanooga |
Tennessee |
United States |
Originally named Ross's Landing. |
| 1816 |
Cambridge |
Ontario |
Canada |
Original settlement in 1816 named Shades Mill, ON, renamed Galt, ON in 1827. City of Galt amalgamated with the towns of Preston and Hespeler, village of Blair and parts of Waterloo township to form City of Cambridge in 1973. Oldest settled area of Regional Municipality of Waterloo. |
| 1816 |
Saginaw |
Michigan |
United States |
| 1817 |
Fort Smith |
Arkansas |
United States |
| 1819 |
Montgomery |
Alabama |
United States |
State capital, grew from the 1540 French settlement Fort Toulouse. |
| 1819 |
Springfield |
Illinois |
United States |
| 1819 |
Memphis |
Tennessee |
United States |
Near the site of the earlier French Fort Prudhomme. |
| 1821 |
Little Rock |
Arkansas |
United States |
| 1821 |
Indianapolis |
Indiana |
United States |
| 1822 |
Jackson |
Mississippi |
United States |
| 1823 |
Tampa |
Florida |
United States |
Grew from earlier military post Fort Brooke. |
| 1825 |
Vicksburg |
Mississippi |
United States |
| 1825 |
Grand Rapids |
Michigan |
United States |
| 1825 |
Irapuato |
Guanajuato |
Mexico |
Becomes villa in 1825 and ciudad in 1893. |
| 1826 |
London |
Ontario |
Canada |
| 1827 |
Guelph |
Ontario |
Canada |
| 1827 |
St. Andrews |
Florida |
United States |
Now part of Panama City |
| 1828 |
Key West |
Florida |
United States |
| 1833 |
Milwaukee |
Wisconsin |
United States |
| 1833 |
Kitchener |
Ontario |
Canada |
Formerly Berlin ON, renamed Kitchener ON in 1916. |
| 1836 |
Shreveport |
Louisiana |
United States |
| 1836 |
Madison |
Wisconsin |
United States |
| 1837 |
Lansing |
Michigan |
United States |
| 1837 |
Houston |
Texas |
United States |
| 1841 |
Dallas |
Texas |
United States |
| 1843 |
Atlanta |
Georgia |
United States |
Originally known as Marthasville, Georgia. |
| 1843 |
Victoria |
British Columbia |
Canada |
| 1847 |
Brantford |
Ontario |
Canada |
Originally known as Brant's ford. |
| 1847 |
Salt Lake City |
Utah |
United States |
Originally known as Great Salt Lake City. |
| 1848 |
Sacramento |
California |
United States |
| 1850 |
Bytown |
Ontario |
Canada |
Now Ottawa, Ontario. |
| 1856 |
O'Fallon |
Missouri |
United States |
| 1857 |
Waterloo |
Ontario |
Canada |
| 1858 |
Denver |
Colorado |
United States |
| 1864 |
Salinas |
California |
United States. |
[19] |
| 1867 |
Minneapolis |
Minnesota |
United States |
| 1868 |
Phoenix |
Arizona |
United States |
| 1870 |
Wichita |
Kansas |
United States |
| 1871 |
Birmingham |
Alabama |
United States |
| 1872 |
Anniston |
Alabama |
United States |
| 1875 |
Orlando |
Florida |
United States |
| 1875 |
Calgary |
Alberta |
Canada |
Grew from Fort Calgary |
| 1882 |
Regina |
Saskatchewan |
Canada |
| 1883 |
Saskatoon |
Saskatchewan |
Canada |
| 1886 |
Vancouver |
British Columbia |
Canada |
| 1886 |
Nelson |
British Columbia |
Canada |
| 1887 |
Gulfport |
Mississippi |
United States |
[20] |
| 1896 |
Miami |
Florida |
United States |
| 1911 |
Las Vegas |
Nevada |
United States |
| 1915 |
Prince George |
British Columbia |
Canada |
Grew from Fort George |
