In Connecticut, where I grew up, watching women’s basketball is a way of life. Thanks to Caitlin Clark, the rest of the country is finally catching on. To celebrate, here’s a sortable table of current WNBA cities by population.
Keep in mind that by cities, I actually mean metro areas.
Just for kicks, I tossed in some random tidbits.
| Metro Area (Team) | Metro Area Population in Millions (2020) | Random Tidbit |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta, GA (Dream) | 6.1 | Name references the "I Have a Dream" speech of MLK, a native son |
| Chicago, IL (Sky) | 9.4 | Share an arena with DePaul University's basketball teams |
| Dallas, TX (Wings) | 7.6 | Play in Arlington |
| Indianapolis, IN (Indiana Fever) | 2.1 | Caitlin Clark's team |
| Las Vegas, NV (Aces) | 2.3 | Vegas has everything these days! |
| Los Angeles, CA (Sparks) | 13.2 | Ownership group includes Magic Johnson |
| Minneapolis, MN (Minnesota Lynx) | 3.7 | Tied with Seattle and a now-defunct Houston team for the most championships (4) |
| New York, NY (Liberty) | 20.0 | Now play in Brooklyn |
| Norwich-New London, CT (Connecticut Sun) | 0.28 | Connecticut's compact size, its passion for women's basketball, and nearby casinos make this metro population misleading |
| Phoenix, AZ (Mercury) | 4.8 | Diana Taurasi's team for her entire career |
| Portland, OR (Name TBD) **Starting 2026** | 2.5 | The city's second WNBA team, the first having folded |
| San Francisco, CA (Golden State Valkyries) | 4.7 | Started play in 2025 |
| Seattle, WA (Storm) | 4.0 | Similar team colors as the old SuperSonics |
| Toronto, ON, Canada (Tempo) **Starting 2026** | 6.7 | Will use a different arena than the Raptors |
| Washington, DC (Mystics) | 6.3 | Arena seats 4,200, second smallest after the one in Atlanta |
Notes
The WNBA was founded in 1996 and began play in 1997.
Over almost three decades, there have been serious ups and downs, evidenced by numerous relocations and the folding of multiple teams. Significant financial support from the NBA has helped sustain the league through turbulent times.
While momentum is clear, and revenue is up, profitability has not been forthcoming.
Further league expansion may be on the horizon.
Rest assured if that occurs, and I learn how to add rows to the table above, all WNBA cities will be reflected here.
2 Responses
Nice summary,
. CT Sun may be sold in the future.
Thanks. Yes, I’ve seen those reports. I’m sure the Mohegan Tribe would get a handsome sum, though the team may unfortunately be relocated.