Ugh, though I do not have photo evidence becuase I kept forgetting to paste the photo after I shut down the game, I got Gerrha up to 45,000 population.

Yes, Gerrha, a desert backwater. Had to do with an outstanding governer who added a whopping 6, yes 6% to population growth. Of course when he died, the poor city was overcome with squalor and revolted from me within two turns.