diff --git a/query/defaults.js b/query/defaults.js
index 7b761ae6..ce0a5aea 100644
--- a/query/defaults.js
+++ b/query/defaults.js
@@ -89,6 +89,6 @@ module.exports = extend( false, peliasQuery.defaults, {
   'population:field': 'population',
   'population:modifier': 'sqrt',
   'population:max_boost': 2000,
-  'population:weight': 1
+  'population:weight': 2
 
 });
diff --git a/test/unit/fixture/autocomplete_linguistic_focus.js b/test/unit/fixture/autocomplete_linguistic_focus.js
index 31404731..6cd43f52 100644
--- a/test/unit/fixture/autocomplete_linguistic_focus.js
+++ b/test/unit/fixture/autocomplete_linguistic_focus.js
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ module.exports = {
                   'modifier': 'sqrt',
                   'field': 'population'
                 },
-                'weight': 1
+                'weight': 2
               }]
             }
           }]
diff --git a/test/unit/fixture/autocomplete_linguistic_focus_null_island.js b/test/unit/fixture/autocomplete_linguistic_focus_null_island.js
index 2f46b9b0..063d0804 100644
--- a/test/unit/fixture/autocomplete_linguistic_focus_null_island.js
+++ b/test/unit/fixture/autocomplete_linguistic_focus_null_island.js
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ module.exports = {
                   'modifier': 'sqrt',
                   'field': 'population'
                 },
-                'weight': 1
+                'weight': 2
               }]
             }
           }]
diff --git a/test/unit/fixture/autocomplete_linguistic_only.js b/test/unit/fixture/autocomplete_linguistic_only.js
index 65db3fc8..e60d84d9 100644
--- a/test/unit/fixture/autocomplete_linguistic_only.js
+++ b/test/unit/fixture/autocomplete_linguistic_only.js
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ module.exports = {
                   'modifier': 'sqrt',
                   'field': 'population'
                 },
-                'weight': 1
+                'weight': 2
               }]
             }
           }]
diff --git a/test/unit/fixture/search_boundary_country.js b/test/unit/fixture/search_boundary_country.js
index 76f2c44c..ffa6e6bd 100644
--- a/test/unit/fixture/search_boundary_country.js
+++ b/test/unit/fixture/search_boundary_country.js
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ module.exports = {
                   'modifier': 'sqrt',
                   'field': 'population'
                 },
-                'weight': 1
+                'weight': 2
               }]
             }
           }]
diff --git a/test/unit/fixture/search_full_address.js b/test/unit/fixture/search_full_address.js
index 0abf05b1..205576bc 100644
--- a/test/unit/fixture/search_full_address.js
+++ b/test/unit/fixture/search_full_address.js
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ module.exports = {
                   'modifier': 'sqrt',
                   'field': 'population'
                 },
-                'weight': 1
+                'weight': 2
               }]
             }
           },{
diff --git a/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_bbox.js b/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_bbox.js
index 738d1b83..8b102f9b 100644
--- a/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_bbox.js
+++ b/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_bbox.js
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ module.exports = {
                   'modifier': 'sqrt',
                   'field': 'population'
                 },
-                'weight': 1
+                'weight': 2
               }]
             }
           }]
diff --git a/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus.js b/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus.js
index c20ddbf9..2a0a8deb 100644
--- a/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus.js
+++ b/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus.js
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ module.exports = {
                   'modifier': 'sqrt',
                   'field': 'population'
                 },
-                'weight': 1
+                'weight': 2
               }]
             }
           }]
diff --git a/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_bbox.js b/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_bbox.js
index 92301fa6..3f16ce93 100644
--- a/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_bbox.js
+++ b/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_bbox.js
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ module.exports = {
                   'modifier': 'sqrt',
                   'field': 'population'
                 },
-                'weight': 1
+                'weight': 2
               }]
             }
           }]
diff --git a/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_null_island.js b/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_null_island.js
index 85e6d40a..f734d1ff 100644
--- a/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_null_island.js
+++ b/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_focus_null_island.js
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ module.exports = {
                   'modifier': 'sqrt',
                   'field': 'population'
                 },
-                'weight': 1
+                'weight': 2
               }]
             }
           }]
diff --git a/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_only.js b/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_only.js
index 65db3fc8..e60d84d9 100644
--- a/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_only.js
+++ b/test/unit/fixture/search_linguistic_only.js
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ module.exports = {
                   'modifier': 'sqrt',
                   'field': 'population'
                 },
-                'weight': 1
+                'weight': 2
               }]
             }
           }]
diff --git a/test/unit/fixture/search_partial_address.js b/test/unit/fixture/search_partial_address.js
index d60ebf36..72ef8c02 100644
--- a/test/unit/fixture/search_partial_address.js
+++ b/test/unit/fixture/search_partial_address.js
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ module.exports = {
                   'modifier': 'sqrt',
                   'field': 'population'
                 },
-                'weight': 1
+                'weight': 2
               }]
             }
           },{
diff --git a/test/unit/fixture/search_regions_address.js b/test/unit/fixture/search_regions_address.js
index 17e32ab4..047a2ffe 100644
--- a/test/unit/fixture/search_regions_address.js
+++ b/test/unit/fixture/search_regions_address.js
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ module.exports = {
                   'modifier': 'sqrt',
                   'field': 'population'
                 },
-                'weight': 1
+                'weight': 2
               }]
             }
           },{