California’s population stands at 39,529,000 residents as of the latest Vintage 2025 Census Bureau estimate, holding its title as the most populous U.S. state. Growth has slowed to just 0.05% annually, with positive international migration barely offsetting continued domestic outmigration.
California Population 2026 – Introduction
The california population in 2026 tells a story of a state still leading the nation in raw numbers while facing genuinely slower growth than at any point in its modern history. With 39,529,000 residents as of the July 2025 estimate from the California Department of Finance, California remains America’s most populous state by a wide margin, well ahead of second-place Texas at 31.3 million and third-place Florida at 23.4 million. Yet the 0.05% annual growth rate recorded between 2024 and 2025 marks the third consecutive year of growth following two pandemic-era declines, and it remains far below the double-digit decade-over-decade gains California posted through most of the 20th century.
This report breaks down the california population 2026 picture across every dimension that matters to residents, planners, and businesses: total counts, historical growth trends, racial and ethnic composition, age structure, gender balance, the state’s largest cities, housing and density, and near-term projections through 2030. California’s demographic story is now defined by a rare combination: rebounding international migration, persistent domestic outmigration, declining birth rates, and a population where no single racial or ethnic group holds a majority. Understanding these forces is essential for anyone tracking the nation’s largest state economy and electorate.
Interesting Facts About California Population in 2026
| Population Fact | 2026 Data |
|---|---|
| Total Population (Vintage 2025) | 39,529,000 |
| National Ranking | 1st Largest U.S. State |
| Annual Change (2024-2025) | +19,200 residents (+0.05%) |
| 2020 Census Population | 39,538,223 |
| Population Change Since 2020 | -9,223 (-0.02%, first-ever decline) |
| Net International Migration (2025) | +126,000 |
| Net Domestic Migration (2025) | -89,000+ net loss |
| Median Age | 37.0 years |
| Gender Split | 50.04% Female / 49.96% Male |
| Largest City | Los Angeles (3,869,089) |
| Most Populous County | Los Angeles County (9.9 million) |
| Median Household Income | $91,905 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.6% |
| Projected 2030 Population | ~39.7 million |
Data Source: California Department of Finance Vintage 2025 Estimates, U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 Population Estimates
The numbers above capture a state whose growth engine has fundamentally changed gears. The california population grew by just 19,200 residents between July 2024 and July 2025, a +0.05% rate that marks the slowest sustained expansion in California’s recorded history, yet still represents the third straight year of growth after the state posted its first-ever population decline between the 2020 Census and 2021. That historic dip, followed by gradual recovery, reflects a state absorbing the shock of pandemic-era outmigration while international arrivals slowly rebuilt the population base.
The mechanics behind this slow growth are unusual. Net international migration reached 126,000 people in the year ending July 2025, continuing a rebound from pandemic lows and marking one of the largest immigration inflows the state has recorded since 2018. However, net domestic migration losses exceeded 89,000 residents, meaning more people left California for other states than arrived from abroad and domestically combined would offset. With birth rates at a record low, down 30% since 2008, and deaths declining as the state moves further past the pandemic’s peak mortality, natural increase alone can no longer drive meaningful growth, leaving international migration as the state’s primary demographic lifeline.
California Population Total 2026 | Official Count & Latest Figures
California Population (2020-2025)
2020 |████████████████████████████████████████ 39,538,223
2022 |███████████████████████████████████████▌ 39,142,991
2023 |███████████████████████████████████████▌ 39,242,785
2024 |███████████████████████████████████████▌ 39,509,799
2025 |███████████████████████████████████████▌ 39,529,000
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Official Population (Vintage 2025) | 39,529,000 |
| 2020 Decennial Census Count | 39,538,223 |
| National Ranking | 1st of 50 states |
| Share of U.S. Population | ~11.4% |
| Number of Counties | 58 |
| Largest County | Los Angeles County (9.9 million) |
| Smallest County | Alpine County (~1,150 residents) |
Data Source: California Department of Finance Vintage 2025 Population Estimates, Press Release December 2025
The california population figure of 39,529,000 keeps the state firmly in first place nationally, representing roughly 11.4% of the entire U.S. population concentrated in a single state. California’s 58 counties range enormously in scale, from Los Angeles County’s 9.9 million residents, alone larger than 40 individual U.S. states, down to tiny Alpine County’s roughly 1,150 people. This concentration means California’s demographic and political weight rests disproportionately in its coastal metro counties.
Of California’s 58 counties, 21 have grown since the 2020 Census while the majority have shrunk. Riverside County posted the largest numeric increase at 65,000 residents, while Los Angeles County recorded the steepest loss at 146,000 residents, reflecting continued flight from the state’s most expensive urban core toward more affordable inland regions. Placer, Madera, and Yuba Counties posted the state’s highest percentage growth rates at 5% each, while Lassen County saw the sharpest decline at -15%, underscoring how unevenly California’s population shifts are distributed across its geography.
California Population Growth Trends 2026 | Historical Growth & Recent Slowdown
California Population Growth by Decade
1970 |██████████████████████████ 19,971,069
1990 |████████████████████████████████ 29,760,021
2000 |████████████████████████████████████ 33,871,648
2010 |█████████████████████████████████████ 37,253,956
2020 |████████████████████████████████████████ 39,538,223
2025 |████████████████████████████████████████ 39,529,000
| Period | Population | Change | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 19,971,069 | – | – |
| 1990 | 29,760,021 | +9,788,952 | +49.0% |
| 2000 | 33,871,648 | +4,111,627 | +13.8% |
| 2010 | 37,253,956 | +3,382,308 | +10.0% |
| 2020 (Census) | 39,538,223 | +2,284,267 | +6.1% |
| 2025 (Estimate) | 39,529,000 | -9,223 | -0.02% |
Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census, California Department of Finance Vintage 2025 Estimates
The california population 2026 growth trend shows a state whose expansion has decelerated in every decade since 1970. Growth of nearly 49% in the 1970s and 1980s gave way to steadily shrinking decade-over-decade gains, down to just 6.1% between 2010 and 2020, itself the slowest rate ever recorded up to that point, similar to the deceleration patterns tracked in US Population by State data showing California’s growth trailing fast-expanding Sun Belt states like Texas and Florida.
What makes the current period historically unusual is that California actually posted a net loss of 9,223 residents between the 2020 Census and the 2025 estimate, the first sustained multi-year decline in the state’s history as a U.S. state. The recovery since 2022 has been genuine but modest: the state has now grown for three consecutive years, but the +0.05% rate posted in 2025 remains a fraction of the growth California once took for granted. The California Department of Finance expects this slow-growth pattern to persist, projecting the population will reach only 39.7 million by 2030 and 40.5 million by 2040, a far cry from the rapid expansion of prior decades.
California Population by Race and Ethnicity 2026
California Population by Race (2026)
Hispanic/Latino |████████████████ 41%
White |█████████████ 34%
Asian/Pacific Isl. |███████ 17%
Black |██ 5%
Multiracial |█ 3%
American Indian/AK |▏ <1%
| Race/Ethnicity | Population | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino (Any Race) | ~16.2 million | 41% |
| White | ~13.4 million | 34% |
| Asian American/Pacific Islander | ~6.7 million | 17% |
| Black or African American | ~2.0 million | 5% |
| Multiracial (Two or More Races) | ~1.2 million | 3% |
| American Indian/Alaska Native | <400,000 | <1% |
Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey Estimates, Public Policy Institute of California
California stands out nationally as one of a handful of states where no single racial or ethnic group forms a majority, a demographic reality documented in the Percentage of Hispanic Population in US report, which shows California’s Hispanic share nearing parity with Texas among the nation’s largest states. Hispanic or Latino residents make up the largest single group at 41% of the california population, or roughly 16.2 million people, driven overwhelmingly by Mexican-origin Californians who account for over 80% of the state’s Hispanic population. White residents, at 34%, have fallen from comprising more than 80% of the state’s population through most of the 20th century to a plurality-but-not-majority group today.
Asian American and Pacific Islander residents represent 17% of Californians, the second-highest Asian population share of any state after Hawaii, concentrated heavily in the Bay Area, Los Angeles County, and Orange County. Black Californians comprise 5% of the population, while the multiracial population at 3% continues to grow as interracial marriage rates rise and younger generations increasingly self-identify with multiple racial backgrounds. Over the past decade, Asian Americans and Latinos accounted for the vast majority of the state’s population growth, together making up more than half of all Californians.
California Population by Age 2026
California Age Distribution (2026)
Under 18 |████████ 22.2%
18-64 |███████████████████████████ 62.6%
65+ |██████ 15.2%
| Age Group | Approximate Population | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | ~8.73 million | 22.2% |
| 18 to 64 | ~24.79 million | 62.6% |
| 65 and Over | ~5.99 million | 15.2% |
| Median Age | 37.0 years | – |
Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates
California’s age distribution shows a state that remains slightly younger than the national average, with a median age of 37.0 years against a U.S. median closer to 38.9 years. The under-18 population of 8.73 million represents 22.2% of all Californians, a share that has been slowly declining as the state’s record-low birth rates work through the population pyramid. Younger, immigrant-heavy demographic groups including Hispanic and Asian Californians continue to skew the state’s overall age profile younger than aging Rust Belt and Northeastern states.
The working-age population from 18 to 64 anchors California’s economy at 62.6% of residents, supporting the state’s massive technology, entertainment, agriculture, and service sectors. Seniors aged 65 and older now account for 15.2% of the california population, a share that continues climbing as Baby Boomers age and as declining birth rates shrink the base of younger residents relative to retirees. This aging trend, combined with declining fertility, is the core driver behind California’s now-heavy reliance on international migration simply to sustain positive population growth.
California Population by Gender 2026
California Gender Distribution (2026)
Female |████████████████████████████ 50.04%
Male |███████████████████████████ 49.96%
| Gender | Population | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Female | ~19.79 million | 50.04% |
| Male | ~19.75 million | 49.96% |
| Male-to-Female Ratio | ~99.8 males per 100 females | – |
| National Ratio | ~97 males per 100 females | – |
Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates
Women hold a narrow majority of the california population, comprising 50.04% of residents against 49.96% male, a virtually even split that yields a ratio of roughly 99.8 males per 100 females. This ratio actually runs slightly higher than the national average of 97 males per 100 females, meaning California’s gender balance is somewhat more even than the country as a whole, a pattern also explored from a national angle in the Female Population in US report, which found women comprising 50.7% of the entire U.S. population.
As in most states, the gender gap widens substantially at older ages, with women significantly outnumbering men among residents 85 and older, reflecting women’s longer average life expectancy. Younger age brackets show the opposite pattern, with slightly more boys than girls born each year, consistent with the natural biological sex ratio at birth of roughly 105 boys per 100 girls. These patterns matter for California’s rapidly aging senior population, since disproportionately female elderly cohorts often require different housing, healthcare, and long-term care planning than younger residents.
California’s Largest Cities Population 2026
Largest California Cities (2025)
Los Angeles |████████████████████████████████████████ 3,869,089
San Diego |██████████████ 1,389,526
San Jose |██████████ 990,138
San Francisco|████████ 830,235
Fresno |█████▌ 545,970
Sacramento |█████▌ 528,706
| City | 2025 Population | State Rank | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 3,869,089 | 1st | #2 |
| San Diego | 1,389,526 | 2nd | #8 |
| San Jose | 990,138 | 3rd | #12 |
| San Francisco | 830,235 | 4th | #17 |
| Fresno | 545,970 | 5th | #35 |
| Sacramento (Capital) | 528,706 | 6th | #37 |
Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 Population Estimates, American Community Survey 2024
Los Angeles anchors California’s urban hierarchy with 3,869,089 residents, making it the nation’s second-largest city behind only New York and dwarfing every other California city by a factor of nearly three. The Los Angeles metropolitan area extends this dominance further, with Los Angeles County alone housing nearly 10 million people, a population larger than 40 individual U.S. states. San Diego ranks second statewide at 1,389,526, buoyed by its military presence, biotech sector, and border proximity to Mexico.
San Jose, the unofficial capital of Silicon Valley, holds 990,138 residents and anchors the tech-heavy South Bay economy alongside neighboring giants like Google and Apple. San Francisco, despite its outsized cultural and economic influence, ranks only fourth statewide at 830,235, reflecting the city’s small geographic footprint of under 47 square miles. Inland cities Fresno and Sacramento, the state capital, round out the top six, both benefiting from lower housing costs than coastal metros and continuing to attract residents priced out of Los Angeles and the Bay Area.
California Population Density and Housing 2026
California Housing & Density Snapshot
Density (per sq mi) |████████ 259
Median Household Inc. |██████████████████ 92
Poverty Rate (%) |████████████ 12.6
| Housing/Density Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Land Area | ~155,779 square miles |
| Population Density | ~259 per square mile |
| Median Household Income | $91,905 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.6% |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5% |
| GDP Per Capita | $89,540 |
| State GDP (If Independent Nation) | 4th-5th Largest Globally |
Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2023, Bureau of Economic Analysis
California’s population density of roughly 259 residents per square mile masks enormous internal variation, from urban cores in Los Angeles and the Bay Area exceeding thousands of residents per square mile to vast, sparsely populated desert and mountain counties in the state’s interior and north. This density figure sits well above the national average but far below dense Northeastern states like New Jersey, reflecting California’s mix of hyper-dense coastal cities and vast rural expanses in the Central Valley and eastern mountains.
Economically, California’s median household income of $91,905 ranks among the nation’s highest, yet the state’s poverty rate of 12.6% exceeds the national average of roughly 11.5%, a contradiction driven by California’s extraordinarily high cost of living, particularly housing. The state’s GDP per capita of $89,540 underpins an economy that, if California were an independent nation, would rank as the world’s 4th or 5th largest, surpassing the United Kingdom, India, and France. This combination of enormous aggregate wealth alongside elevated poverty rates defines much of the state’s ongoing housing affordability and cost-of-living debates.
California Population Projections Through 2030
California Population Projections
2025 |████████████████████████████████████ 39,529,000
2026 |████████████████████████████████████ 39,570,000
2028 |████████████████████████████████████▌ 39,640,000
2030 |█████████████████████████████████████ 39,700,000
| Year | Projected Population | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 (Actual) | 39,529,000 | – |
| 2026 (Projected) | ~39,570,000 | +0.1% annually |
| 2028 (Projected) | ~39,640,000 | +0.1% annually |
| 2030 (Projected) | ~39,700,000 | +0.1% annually |
| 2040 (Projected) | ~40,500,000 | Long-term trajectory |
Data Source: California Department of Finance Official Population Projections
The california population is projected to grow only marginally through the remainder of the decade, reaching approximately 39.7 million by 2030, according to official California Department of Finance projections. This translates to an average annual growth rate hovering near 0.1%, a pace that would have been considered a demographic crisis by historical California standards but now represents the new normal for a state balancing rebounding immigration against sustained domestic outmigration and record-low birth rates.
Longer-term projections extend this same trajectory outward, with the state expected to reach only 40.5 million residents by 2040, representing just 2.5% cumulative growth over 15 years. Analysts caution that the exact pace remains sensitive to federal immigration policy, since net international migration has become the single largest lever available to sustain any growth at all. If policy changes reduce immigration flows further, or if domestic outmigration accelerates due to housing costs or other factors, California could see renewed outright population decline before the decade’s end.
California Population 2026 – Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of California in 2026? The california population stands at 39,529,000 based on the most recent Vintage 2025 estimate from the California Department of Finance, with only marginal further growth expected through 2026.
Is California’s population growing or shrinking? California’s population is growing very slowly, adding just 19,200 residents between 2024 and 2025, a +0.05% rate that marks the third straight year of growth after the state’s first-ever population decline following the 2020 Census.
Why did California’s population decline after 2020? California lost 9,223 residents cumulatively between the 2020 Census and 2025, driven by pandemic-era outmigration, reduced international immigration, and net domestic migration losses exceeding 89,000 residents in the most recent year alone.
What is the racial makeup of California’s population? California is 41% Hispanic or Latino, 34% White, 17% Asian American or Pacific Islander, 5% Black, and 3% multiracial, with no group forming a majority.
What is the median age in California? The median age in California is 37.0 years, slightly younger than the national median of roughly 38.9 years.
What is California’s largest city? Los Angeles is California’s largest city with 3,869,089 residents, ranking as the second-largest city in the United States after New York.
Are there more men or women in California? Women hold a narrow majority in California at 50.04% of the population, compared to 49.96% male residents.
How does California’s population compare to Texas? California, with 39,529,000 residents, remains the most populous U.S. state, ahead of second-place Texas at 31.3 million and third-place Florida at 23.4 million.
What is California’s population density? California has a population density of approximately 259 residents per square mile across its roughly 155,779 square miles of land area.
What is California’s projected population for 2030? The California Department of Finance projects the state will reach approximately 39.7 million residents by 2030, with growth continuing at a slow pace of around 0.1% annually.
Disclaimer: The data research report we present here is based on information found from various sources. We are not liable for any financial loss, errors, or damages of any kind that may result from the use of the information herein. We acknowledge that though we try to report accurately, we cannot verify the absolute facts of everything that has been represented.
