While the Boston Commonwealth isn’t nearly as populated as it once was, Fallout 4 has a handful of cities that are home to a decent number of citizens struggling to survive in the wastes. Often times these areas are the ones players want to go to for safety, supplies, and someone relatively sane to talk to or get quests from.
Here are the largest cities in the game and how many NPCs live there. It should be noted that a few cities like The Institute are only counting named NPCs and are in actuality much larger given there are unnamed NPCs that put down roots there, but for this list only named NPCs are counted.
Updated on August 16, 2022, by Anastasia Maillot: Fallout 4 has been out for a long time now, but the love that fans have for it hasn't died down. Though Fallout 5 is only whispers in the wind at this point and is likely to be released well after Starfield's debut, it's hard to deny the excitement at a prospect of a new game. In the meantime, however, fans will have to make do by exploring the secrets of the Commonwealth in Fallout 4, including its many cities. The populations remain the same, but each city has been updated to include any valuable loot that can be found at that location that might be worth getting.
10 Covenant - NPC Population: 10
The Covenant is a small community that has done surprisingly well for itself and built up some impressive defenses. The ten residents that call this community home live in pre-War homes that have remained standing and are comfortable behind their large walls manned by turrets.
If players wish to enter this community they must first take a psychological survey to prove they aren’t a synth. Those who fail the test suffer an unfortunate fate as players find out when completing the quest Human Error.
Valuable Loot:
- Power Armor – Head to the wrecked Vertibird to find this suit.
- Justice – Penny Fitzgerald is selling this shotgun with unique properties.
- Destroyer's Helmet – Also bought from Penny Fitzgerald, part of a unique armor set.
9 Acadia - NPC Population: 12
Found in the Far Harbor add-on, Acadia was once an observatory that has since been converted into a safe haven for synths who have escaped The Institute. The residents are a mix of humans, synths, and humans who think they are synths.
It’s a relatively quiet place to live on top of a small mountain on the island that is free of the fog that plagues the rest of the area. The player can complete a number of interesting quests that can help or harm the residents found here.
Valuable Loot:
- Islander's Almanac #4 – Middle level, head over to Dejen to find it by his store.
- Sergeant Ash – Buy this flamer weapon from Dejen, with unique perks.
- Old Reliable – Also from Dejen, this rifle comes with unique perks.
- Mini nukes (3) & fusion cores (3) – Lowest floor, locked up behind a maglock door that requires the player to hack a Master-level terminal.
8 Far Harbor - NPC Population: 13
The largest city that can be found on Mount Desert Island, Far Harbor is home to humans who are desperately trying to keep themselves safe from the ever-present fog that covers the island and corrupts those who wander into it.
These hearty fishermen don’t take kindly to strangers and have been at war with the Children Of Atom who’ve developed an obsession with the fog. Players can improve the town’s defenses, solve many of the mysteries in the area and even become the new captain by completing the various quests found here.
Valuable Loot:
- Various quest-related items, including Defender's Harpoon Gun (Hull Breach 3), Bloodletter (Blood Tide), The Captain's Hat and The Captain's Feast (Rite of Passage), and Lucky Eddy (The Way Life Should Be).
7 Bunker Hill - NPC Population: 17
Bunker Hill is a formidable settlement populated by both humans and synths. It’s surrounded by tall walls that protect the strong 17 citizens that have taken up residence here. It’s a great settlement for the player to build up and plays a pivotal role in the story.
In fact during the quest The Battle Of Bunker Hill the city will come under siege during a three-way war between The Institute seeking to reclaim the defected synths, The Brotherhood of Steel who wishes to eradicate the synths, and the Railroad trying to preserve the synths' freedom.
Valuable Loot:
- Wastelander's Friend – For a unique pistol, head over to Deb to buy this.
- Destroyer's Left Arm – Buy this from Deb to complete the set.
- Black Ops armor – Also bought from Deb.
- Live & Love #5 – Go up in the obelisk to find this perk magazine.
- Mini nuke – Downstairs in the basement floor.
6 Sanctuary Hills (Pre-War) - NPC Population: 18
At the beginning of the game, the player and their spouse live in a charming suburb populated with 18 individuals whose lives all come to an abrupt end when the bombs fall. Before fleeing to the nearby Vault the player has a chance to explore the area and communicate with the citizens who are understandably distressed.
Sanctuary Hills will never be the same no matter the effort the player makes to resettle and repopulate the area. Still, it makes a fine temporary headquarters for the Minutemen and is remote enough to avoid the conflict and politics consuming the rest of the Commonwealth.
Valuable Loot:
- You're SPECIAL! – To gain a stat boost, head back to Shaun's room and search beneath his dresser to get this book.
- Grognak the Barbarian #3 – Found in the Sole Survivor's own kitchen.
5 Goodneighbor - NPC Population: 20
Goodneighbor is a city populated by 20 individuals who did not find themselves welcome or comfortable within the walls of Diamond City. Inhabited by ghouls, criminals, and outcasts Goodneighbor is a rough town. Mayor John Hancock is doing his best to bring a measure of peace and stability, but it’ll be a while before this is achieved.
For the player, this represents a great opportunity to find some action and engage in profitable work. There are over a dozen quests and many will have the player interacting with the seedy underbelly of The Commonwealth.
Valuable Loot:
- Destroyer's left leg and chest piece – Head over to Daisy to buy these and complete the set.
- Live & Love #10 – At the Hotel Rexford, found at the bar.
- Live & Love #4 – The Third Rail's bathroom.
- Devastator's armor – Can be bought from KL-E-0's store.
- Partystarter – For a missile launcher with unique perks, head to KL-E-0's store.
4 Vault 81 - NPC Population: 21
Vault 81 is one of the few vaults to possess a semblance of normalcy and ethics. The residents found here were sheltered by the wise leadership of a number of overseers who refused to carry out the horrific experiments meant to take place at this site.
It’s an interesting place to explore and perhaps the best companion and best romance option in the game can be found in the secret laboratories hidden in the abandoned sections. This vault isn’t without its dark secrets and questionable morals, but it fared better than any other vault in the area.
Valuable Loot:
- Bobblehead: Medicine – Head to Curie's lab.
- Taboo Tattoos #16 – Found at the barbershop where Horatio is working.
- Grognak the Barbarian #5 – Quest-related item (Short Stories), received in Vault 81's classroom.
3 The Institute - NPC Population: 31
The Institute is a massive facility that houses the scientists and synths belonging to the faction of the same name. Tucked beneath the C.I.T. ruins The Institute is a technologically advanced colony home to the smartest individuals in the Commonwealth.
Easily the most luxurious city in the Commonwealth, The Institute houses many pre-war amenities and newer inventions that make life in the post-apocalypse bearable. Their goals might be questionable to some and downright evil to others, but if players want to live in luxury this is the place.
Valuable Loot:
- Astoundingly Awesome Tales #12 – Head to Clayton Holdren's room to find this perk magazine.
- Various armor pieces from the synth requisition officer, including Institute division head coat in three colors, and Mark 2 and Mark 3 synth armor.
2 Diamond City - NPC Population: 52
The jewel of the Commonwealth is a settlement residing entirely within the walls of the pre-war stadium Fenway Park. The walls of the stadium have made the settlement highly defensible and the city is seen as a bastion of civilization, trade, and safety in the wastes.
If players can overlook the mysterious disappearances and the whispers of synth invasion by some of the more paranoid members of the community, it’s a decent enough place to live in a radiated world. A place where those living in the field can aspire to be among the wealthy living in the upper stands.
Valuable Loot:
- Live & Love #9 – For this perk magazine, head to the schoolhouse.
- Big Boy – Arturo Rodriguez sells this Fat Man with a unique perk.
- Old Faithful – For a unique laser pistol, head to Arturo Rodriguez's shop stand.
- Rockville Slugger – A spiked, unique baseball bat purchased from Moe Cronin.
1 Nuka-World - NPC Population: 73
The largest city in Fallout 4 is this Pre-War amusement park turned settlement Nuka-World. This massive area is home to a number of citizens living under the thumb of raiders in the area. The park has become a fortress with the once peaceful and free citizens acting as slaves and serving to amuse the raiders who’ve gained control under the leadership of Colter.
If players can stand the hostile raiders, crazy Hubologist cultists, and the other inhumanities and violent acts that occur here, they can find themselves overthrowing the overboss to become the leader of The Operators, The Disciples, and The Pack. It’s only fitting that the largest city in the Commonwealth can become the player’s personal playground to rule over.
Valuable Loot:
- Power Armor – Head to the Bradberton Overpass to challenge a Gunner wearing this suit.
- 2x Power Armor – At the Nuka-World Power Plant, these two are locked behind hackable terminals.
- SCAV! #4 – Attic of the Grandchester Mystery Mansion.
- SCAV! #2 – Nuka-World junkyard, within the big warehouse.
- SCAV! #5 – Dry Rock Gulch employee area, on top of one of the buildings.
- SCAV! #1 – At the Galactic Zone, in Starport Nuka near an employees-only doorway.
- Quantum X-01 Power Armor – Found in a glass case in Starport Nuka at the Galactic Zone.
- SCAV! #3 – Head to the Fun House at the Kiddie Kingdom. Players can find it in the hypnotic hallway.
- Thirst Zapper, Project Cobal schematics, and Nuka Quantum grenade – Hidden deep inside the Secure beverageer lab, underneath the World of Refreshment.
- Nuka T-51 Power Armor – In a maglocked display in the World of Refreshment.
- Several quest-related items, such as Nuke-Nuke Launcher (Cappy In A Haystack), The Problem Solver (speak with Mason), Aeternus, Raider power armor, BoS paint T-60 power armor, and T-45 power armor (Amoral Combat).
- Splattercannon – A unique weapon that can be purchased from the Nuka-Town market by speaking to Aaron Corbett.
- Throatslicer – Another unique weapon at the Nuka-Town market, bought from Katelyn Alden.
Fallout 4 is available for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.