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List of city nicknames in the United States

This partial list of city nicknames in the United States compiles the aliases, sobriquets and slogans that cities are sometimes known by, officially and unofficially, to locals, outsiders or their tourism boards.

A separate list of city nicknames is also available; that list covers other countries as well as certain common types of nicknames such as birthplaces, self-proclaimed capitals, and comparative nicknames.

• Akron, Ohio
  • Rubber City
• Albany, Georgia
  • Good Life City
• Albany, Oregon
  • Home of the Timber Carnival
• Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • The Duke City
• Alpine, Texas
  • Gateway to the Big Bend
• Anchorage, Alaska
  • The End of the World
• Annapolis, Maryland
  • Crabtown
• Albion, Michigan
  • The Smart City
• Allentown, Pennsylvania
  • Cement City
• Altus, Oklahoma
  • The City With a Future to Share
• Amsterdam, New York
  • The Carpet City
• Atlanta, Georgia
  • A-Town -- popular among hip hop fans
  • Hotlanta
  • The Athens of the South
  • The A-T-L
  • The Phoenix City (of the South)
  • The New York of the South
  • The City Too Busy to Hate
  • Dogwood City
  • Gate City of the South
• Augusta, Georgia
  • The Garden City
  • Home of the Masters
• Aurora, Colorado
  • Gateway to the Rockies
• Baldwin Park, California
  • The City That Time Forgot
• Baltimore, Maryland
  • Balmo or Balmer -- imitations of the local pronunciation of Baltimore
  • Charm City
  • Mob Town
  • Monument City
• Bandon, Oregon
  • Storm Capital of the World
• Bangor, Maine
  • The Queen City
• Battle Creek, Michigan
  • Cereal City
• Beaver, Oklahoma
  • Cow Chip Throwing Capital of the World
• Bemidji, Minnesota
  • Home of Paul Bunyan & Babe the Blue Ox
• Berkeley, California
  • Berzerkeley
  • The People's Republic of Berkeley
• Bickleton, Washington
  • Bluebird Capital of the World
• Binghamton, New York
  • Parlor City
  • Carousel Capital of the World
• Birmingham, Alabama
  • The Pittsburgh of the South
  • The Magic City
• Boston, Massachusetts
  • Athens of America
  • Beantown
  • The City of Kind Hearts
  • The Cradle of Liberty
  • The Hub -- short for hub of the universe
  • Purity City
• Boise, Idaho
  • The City of Trees
• Brainerd, Minnesota
  • Home of Paul Bunyan & Babe the Blue Ox
• Bridgeport, Connecticut
  • Park City
• Bristol, Tennessee
  • Food City
• Bristol, Rhode Island
  • America's most patriotic town
• Brockton, Massachusetts
  • The City of Champions
• Bryan, Ohio
  • The Fountain City
• Buffalo, New York
  • Bison City
  • The City of Good Neighbors
  • The Flour City
  • The Nickel City
  • The Queen City (of the Great Lakes)
• Burlington, Iowa
  • The Loader/Backhoe Capital of the World
• Burlington, Vermont
  • The Queen City
  • The People's Republic of Burlington (used when Bernie Sanders was mayor)
• Butte, Montana
  • Copper City
• Cambridge, Massachusetts
  • The People's Republic of Cambridge
• Cape Girardeau, Missouri
  • The Rose City
• Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
  • The Graveyard of the Atlantic
• Castroville, California
  • Artichoke Center of the World
• Champaign-Urbana, Illinois
  • Chambana
  • Shampoo-Banana
  • Urpaign
• Charleston, South Carolina
  • America's Most Historic City
  • Palmetto City
  • The Holy City
• Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Hornet's Nest
  • Queen City
• Chattanooga, Tennessee
  • Dynamo of Dixie
  • The Scenic City
• Chicago, Illinois
  • Chitown
  • City of Big Shoulders
  • Cowtown
  • Hog Butcher of the World
  • Second City
  • Slaughterhouse of the World
  • Windy City
• Churubusco, Indiana
  • Turtle Town, U.S.A.
• Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Queen City (of the West)
  • Porkopolis
• Cleveland, Ohio
  • America's North Coast
  • Mistake on the Lake
• Cody, Wyoming
  • Rodeo Capital of the World
• Columbia, Maryland
  • The Next America
• Columbus, Ohio
  • Cowtown
  • The Crossroads of Ohio
• Cooperstown, New York
  • Birthplace of baseball
• Coos Bay, Oregon
  • City With a Future
• Council Bluffs, Iowa
  • Iowa's Leading Edge
• Crestwood, Kentucky
  • Whiskers
• Dallas, Texas
  • Big D
  • Cowtown
• Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
  • Metroplex
• Danbury, Connecticut
  • Hat City
• Dayton, Ohio
  • Gem City
  • Birthplace of aviation
• Davenport/Bettendorf, Iowa / Moline/East Moline/Rock Island, Illinois
  • The Quad Cities
• Denver, Colorado
  • City of the Plains
  • Convention City
  • Gateway to the Rockies
  • The Mile-High City
  • Queen City
• Detroit, Michigan
  • The City of Champions
  • The Motor City
  • Motown
• Douglas, Wyoming
  • Jackalope Capital of the World
• Duncanville, Texas
  • The City of Champions
• Durham, North Carolina
  • Bull City
  • City of Medicine
• East Orange, New Jersey
  • Illtown -- popular among hip hop fans
• El Cajon, California
  • Polite City of El Cajon
  • Hub of East County
• Erie, Pennsylvania
  • The Gem
• Fallbrook, California
  • Avocado Capital of the World
• Fort Collins, Colorado
  • The Choice City
• Fort Myers, Florida
  • The City of Palms
• Fort Wayne, Indiana
  • Summit City
  • City of Churches
• Fort Worth, Texas
  • Cowtown
  • Fort Worthless
• Frannie, Wyoming
  • The Biggest Little Town in Wyoming
• Frederick, Maryland
  • Fredneck -- derogatory reference to rednecks
• Fresno, California
  • Raisin Capital of the World
  • Armpit of California
• Fulton, New York
  • City With a Future
• Gainesville, Florida
  • Hogtown
• Galena, Illinois
  • The City That Time Forgot
• Gallup, New Mexico
  • Drunk-Driving Capital of America
• Geneva, New York
  • Lake Trout Capital of the World
• Gilroy, California
  • Garlic Capital of the World
• Gold Beach, California
  • City of Gold
• Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • Furniture City
  • Second City of Michigan
  • The Valley City
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
  • Titletown U S A
• Greenfield, California
  • Broccoli Capital of the World
• Hammondsport, New York
  • Cradle of Aviation
• Hawthorne, California
  • The City of Good Neighbors
• Hershey, Pennsylvania
  • Chocolate Town
• Hollywood, California
  • Hollyweird
  • Show Business Capital of the World
  • Tinseltown
• Holtville, California
  • The Carrot Capital of the World
• Hood River, Oregon
  • Windsurfing Capital of the World
• Hoople, North Dakota
  • Tater Town
• Houston, Texas
  • Bayou City
  • Clutch City
  • H-Town
  • Magnolia City
  • Oil capital of the world
  • Space City - "Houston" first word uttered on the moon by Neil Armstrong to NASA
• Huntsville, Alabama
  • Rocket City
• Idaho Falls, Idaho
  • I.F.
• Indianapolis, Indiana
  • Circle City
  • Naptown
  • Railroad City
• Indio, California
  • Date Capital of the World
• International Falls, Minnesota
  • The Icebox of the United States
• Isleton, California
  • Crawdad Town
• Jackson, Michigan
  • Birthplace of the Republican Party
• Jackson, Mississippi
  • Chimneyville
• Jersey City, New Jersey
  • Chilltown -- popluar among hip hop fans
• Joliet, Illinois
  • The City of Champions
• Jonesboro, Arkansas
  • The City of Churches
  • The Crepe Myrtle City
  • J-Town
  • Joneburr
• Kalamazoo, Michigan
  • Celery City
  • Kazoo (often spelled in print as "K'zoo")
• Kansas City, Missouri
  • City of Fountains
  • Cowtown
  • Heart of America
• Keizer, Oregon
  • Iris Capital of the World
• Kelseyville, California
  • Pear Capital of the World
• Kenai, Alaska
  • The Village With a Past, the City With a Future
• Knoxville, Tennessee
  • The Marble City
  • K-Town
  • The Streaking Capital of the World
• Kokomo, Indiana
  • City of Firsts
• Lancaster, Pennsylvania
  • Red Rose City (In honor of Lancaster, England in the War of the Roses)
• Lansing, Kansas
  • City With a Future
• Laramie, Wyoming
  • Gem City of the Plains
• Las Vegas, Nevada
  • City of Lights
  • Entertainment Capital of the World
  • Sin City
  • Lost Wages
• Lemon Grove, California
  • Best Climate on Earth
• Leominster, Massachusetts
  • Pioneer Plastic City. (Note: it is where the original plastic pink lawn flamingoes were first manufactured)
• Lilburn, Georgia
  • The City of Champions
• Little Rock, Arkansas
  • The City of Roses
• Lodi, California
  • The Grape Capital of the World
• Louisville, Kentucky
  • City of Beautiful Churches
  • Falls City
• Los Angeles, California
  • The Big Orange
  • City of Angels
  • The City of Champions
  • City of Flowers and Sunshine
  • La-La Land -- although this is more commonly used to refer to Hollywood, which is a part of Los Angeles)
• Lowell, Arkansas
  • The Town With a Past, the City With a Future
• Lowell, Wyoming
  • The Rose City of Wyoming
• Lynn, Massachusetts
  • Lynn, Lynn, City of Sin
  • City of Firsts (1989-1995)
  • The Phoenix (1970s-1980s)
• Madison, Wisconsin
  • Four Lake City
  • Mad City
• Mankato, Minnesota
  • City With a Future
• Marshall, Texas
  • Athens of Texas
  • City of Seven Flags
  • Gateway to Texas
  • Pottery Capital of the World
• Marysville, California
  • Gateway to the Gold Fields
• Massillon, Ohio
  • City With a Future
• Memphis, Tennessee
  • Birthplace of the Blues
  • The River City
  • Bluff City
• Miami, Florida
  • Magic City
  • Little Cuba
• Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Cream City
  • Flour City
  • Beer City
• Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Mill City
  • The Minni Apple
  • Murderopolis -- during the early 1990s
  • The City of Lakes
  • Flour City (19th Century early 20th)
• Monett, Minnesota
  • City With a Future
• Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
  • The Twin Cities
• Mobile, Alabama
  • The City of Five Flags
• Monterey, California
  • The Cradle of History
• Mountain Iron, Minnesota
  • Taconite Capital of the World
• Muncie, Indiana
  • Middletown
• Nashville, Tennessee
  • The Athens of the South
  • Music City
  • The Protestant Vatican
• Newark, New Jersey
  • Brick City -- popular among hip hop fans
  • The Armpit of New Jersey
• New Haven, Connecticut
  • Elm City
• New Orleans, Louisiana
  • The Big Easy
  • The City That Time Forgot
  • The Crescent City
  • The Queen City of the South
• New York, New York
  • The Big Apple
  • Bagdad-on-the-Hudson (an O. Henry name for it)
  • The Capital of the World
  • The City
  • The City So Nice They Named It Twice
  • The City That Never Sleeps (from a song by Kander and Ebb)
  • Empire City
  • Gotham
  • The Melting Pot
• Oakdale, California
  • Cowboy Capital of the World
  • Oaktown
• Oakland, California
  • Oaktown
• Oak Ridge, Tennessee
  • The Secret City
  • The Atomic City
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • The Renaissance City
  • The City (of Oklahoma)
• Oroville, California
  • City of Gold
• Oxnard, California
  • Strawberry Capital of the World
• Pasadena, California
  • City of Roses
• Patterson, California
  • Apricot Capital of the World
• Pearsonville, California
  • Hubcap Capital of the World
• Pendelton, Oregon
  • The Real West
• Petaluma, California
  • Egg Basket of the World
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • City of Brotherly Love
  • Philly (never used by locals)
  • Rebel Capital of the World
• Phoenix, Arizona
  • Valley of the Sun
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • The Birmingham of America
  • The 'Burgh
  • City of Bridges
  • The City of Champions
  • Iron City
  • Steel City
• Placerville, California
  • Hangtown
• Portland, Maine
  • Forest City
  • Hill City
• Portland, Oregon (see section in the city's main article for more examples)
  • City of Roses
  • Rip City
  • Stumptown
• Providence, Rhode Island
  • Beehive of Industry
• Redmond, Washington
  • Mordor
  • Nerdburg
• Reno, Nevada
  • The Biggest Little City in the World
  • Skeeno -- among punk rock fans
• Reseda, California
  • The Hub of the West Valley -- referring to the San Fernando Valley
• Rigby, Idaho
  • Birthplace of TV
• Rochester, New York
  • Kodak City
  • Snapshot City
• Rockport, Massachusetts
  • The Mendocino of the East
• Rogue Valley, Oregon
  • Pear Capital of the World
• Rye, New York
  • Border Town
• Sacramento, California
  • River City
• St. Louis, Missouri
  • City With a Future
  • The Gateway City
  • Gateway to the West
  • St. Louie (strongly discouraged in most contexts)
  • The "Lou"
  • The Mound City
• St. Paul, Minnesota
  • Moscow on the Mississippi
• Salem, Massachusetts
  • City of Witches
  • The Witch City
• Salem, Oregon
  • The Cherry City
• San Antonio, Texas
  • Alamo City
  • Mission City
• San Diego, California
  • America's Finest City
  • The Plymouth of the West
  • Slow Death -- among punk rock fans
• San Francisco, California
  • Baghdad by the Bay
  • City of Love
  • Frisco (never used by locals)
  • Golden Gate City
  • Shaky Town
  • Fog City/Fogtown
  • The City
• San Jose, California
  • San Ho
  • San Hose
  • The Capital of Silicon Valley
  • The Garden City
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
  • The City Different
• Santa Rosa, New Mexico
  • The Scuba Capital of New Mexico
• Saratoga Springs, New York
  • The Spa City
  • Toga (slang term, less used)
• Schenectady, New York
  • The Electric City
• Seattle, Washington
  • Emerald City -- official since 1982
  • Jet City
  • Queen City (of the Pacific Northwest) -- official from 1869-1982
• Selma, California
  • The Raisin Capital of the World
• Sonoma, California
  • The Queen of the Southern Mines
• Stockton, California
  • California's Sunrise Seaport
• Sturgis, Michigan
  • Curtain Rod Capital of the World
• Sumner, Iowa
  • City With a Future
• Syracuse, New York
  • Salt City
  • Central City
  • The 'Cuse
  • Typewriter City
  • City of Bridges
• Tacoma, Washington
  • City of Destiny
• Thousand Oaks, California
  • T.O.
• Toledo, Ohio
  • The Glass City
  • Frog Town
  • Corn City
• Toppenish, Washington
  • Where The West Lives On
  • City of Murals
  • City of Murals and Museums
• Tremonton, Utah
  • City With a Future
• Troy, New York
  • The Collar City
• Tucson, Arizona
  • The Old Pueblo
• Tulelake, California
  • Horesradish Capital of the World
• Tyler, Texas
  • City of Roses
  • Rose Capital of the World
• Vicksburg, Mississippi
  • The Gibraltar of America
• Victor, California
  • City of Gold
• Walla Walla, Washington
  • The City That Was So Nice They Named It Twice
  • Walla2
  • Wallyworld
• Washington DC
  • Capital City
  • Chocolate City -- referring to the number of African-Americans and the a name of a song by Parliament
  • News Capital of the World
• Waterbury, Connecticut
  • Brass City
• Wenatchee, Washington
  • The Apple Capital of the World
• Westfield, Massachusetts
  • The Whip City
• West Hollywood, California
  • Boystown
  • The Creative City
• West Palm Beach, California
  • Orchid City
• Westwood, California
  • Home of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox
• Wheeling, West Virginia
  • Nail City
• Wichita, Kansas
  • Cowtown
  • Emerald City
• Yakima, Washington
  • The Palm Springs of Washington
• York, Pennsylvania
• White Rose City (In honor of York, England in the War of the Roses)
• Youngstown, Ohio
  • Murdertown, USA (1963-?)
  • Y-town
  • Yo. (often used in mailing addresses)