Data / Rankings / Households / Counties in California

Counties in California by households

Los Angeles County had the highest households of 58 counties in 2021, at 3.34 million. Alpine County had the lowest, at 434. The median was 72,925 and the figure for California was 13.22 million. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest3,342,811Los Angeles County
Lowest434Alpine County
Median72,92558 counties
California13,217,586History

Map of counties, 2021

Alameda County: 581,683 countAlpine County: 434 countAmador County: 15,394 countButte County: 85,292 countCalaveras County: 16,809 countColusa County: 7,303 countContra Costa County: 405,106 countDel Norte County: 9,531 countEl Dorado County: 74,535 countFresno County: 314,421 countGlenn County: 9,753 countHumboldt County: 53,729 countImperial County: 45,541 countInyo County: 7,832 countKern County: 274,705 countKings County: 43,286 countLake County: 26,307 countLassen County: 8,910 countLos Angeles County: 3,342,811 countMadera County: 43,578 countMarin County: 103,751 countMariposa County: 7,588 countMendocino County: 34,183 countMerced County: 81,618 countModoc County: 3,413 countMono County: 5,361 countMonterey County: 129,977 countNapa County: 48,745 countNevada County: 40,877 countOrange County: 1,057,592 countPlacer County: 149,714 countPlumas County: 8,231 countRiverside County: 740,506 countSacramento County: 559,036 countSan Benito County: 19,144 countSan Bernardino County: 651,743 countSan Diego County: 1,139,899 countSan Francisco County: 361,222 countSan Joaquin County: 234,662 countSan Luis Obispo County: 106,790 countSan Mateo County: 264,892 countSanta Barbara County: 147,446 countSanta Clara County: 646,847 countSanta Cruz County: 96,476 countShasta County: 71,314 countSierra County: 1,151 countSiskiyou County: 18,598 countSolano County: 153,632 countSonoma County: 188,841 countStanislaus County: 175,067 countSutter County: 32,703 countTehama County: 24,551 countTrinity County: 5,492 countTulare County: 139,631 countTuolumne County: 23,103 countVentura County: 274,471 countYolo County: 75,471 countYuba County: 26,888 count
  • Under 10K
  • 10K to 30K
  • 30K to 70K
  • 70K to 150K
  • 150K to 340K
  • 340K and over
count, 2021. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households). Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2021

Los Angeles County: 3,342,811 countLos Angeles County3,342,811San Diego County: 1,139,899 countSan Diego County1,139,899Orange County: 1,057,592 countOrange County1,057,592Riverside County: 740,506 countRiverside County740,506San Bernardino County: 651,743 countSan Bernardino County651,743Santa Clara County: 646,847 countSanta Clara County646,847Alameda County: 581,683 countAlameda County581,683Sacramento County: 559,036 countSacramento County559,036Contra Costa County: 405,106 countContra Costa County405,106San Francisco County: 361,222 countSan Francisco County361,222Fresno County: 314,421 countFresno County314,421Kern County: 274,705 countKern County274,705Ventura County: 274,471 countVentura County274,471San Mateo County: 264,892 countSan Mateo County264,892San Joaquin County: 234,662 countSan Joaquin County234,662Sonoma County: 188,841 countSonoma County188,841Stanislaus County: 175,067 countStanislaus County175,067Solano County: 153,632 countSolano County153,632Placer County: 149,714 countPlacer County149,714Santa Barbara County: 147,446 countSanta Barbara County147,446Tulare County: 139,631 countTulare County139,631Monterey County: 129,977 countMonterey County129,977San Luis Obispo County: 106,790 countSan Luis Obispo County106,790Marin County: 103,751 countMarin County103,751Santa Cruz County: 96,476 countSanta Cruz County96,476Butte County: 85,292 countButte County85,292Merced County: 81,618 countMerced County81,618Yolo County: 75,471 countYolo County75,471El Dorado County: 74,535 countEl Dorado County74,535Shasta County: 71,314 countShasta County71,314Humboldt County: 53,729 countHumboldt County53,729Napa County: 48,745 countNapa County48,745Imperial County: 45,541 countImperial County45,541Madera County: 43,578 countMadera County43,578Kings County: 43,286 countKings County43,286Nevada County: 40,877 countNevada County40,877Mendocino County: 34,183 countMendocino County34,183Sutter County: 32,703 countSutter County32,703Yuba County: 26,888 countYuba County26,888Lake County: 26,307 countLake County26,307Tehama County: 24,551 countTehama County24,551Tuolumne County: 23,103 countTuolumne County23,103San Benito County: 19,144 countSan Benito County19,144Siskiyou County: 18,598 countSiskiyou County18,598Calaveras County: 16,809 countCalaveras County16,809Amador County: 15,394 countAmador County15,394Glenn County: 9,753 countGlenn County9,753Del Norte County: 9,531 countDel Norte County9,531Lassen County: 8,910 countLassen County8,910Plumas County: 8,231 countPlumas County8,231Inyo County: 7,832 countInyo County7,832Mariposa County: 7,588 countMariposa County7,588Colusa County: 7,303 countColusa County7,303Trinity County: 5,492 countTrinity County5,492Mono County: 5,361 countMono County5,361Modoc County: 3,413 countModoc County3,413Sierra County: 1,151 countSierra County1,151Alpine County: 434 countAlpine County434Los Angeles County: 3,342,811 countLos Angeles County3,342,811San Diego County: 1,139,899 countSan Diego County1,139,899Orange County: 1,057,592 countOrange County1,057,592Riverside County: 740,506 countRiverside County740,506San Bernardino County: 651,743 countSan Bernardino County651,743Santa Clara County: 646,847 countSanta Clara County646,847Alameda County: 581,683 countAlameda County581,683Sacramento County: 559,036 countSacramento County559,036Contra Costa County: 405,106 countContra Costa County405,106San Francisco County: 361,222 countSan Francisco County361,222Fresno County: 314,421 countFresno County314,421Kern County: 274,705 countKern County274,705Ventura County: 274,471 countVentura County274,471San Mateo County: 264,892 countSan Mateo County264,892San Joaquin County: 234,662 countSan Joaquin County234,662Sonoma County: 188,841 countSonoma County188,841Stanislaus County: 175,067 countStanislaus County175,067Solano County: 153,632 countSolano County153,632Placer County: 149,714 countPlacer County149,714Santa Barbara County: 147,446 countSanta Barbara County147,446Tulare County: 139,631 countTulare County139,631Monterey County: 129,977 countMonterey County129,977San Luis Obispo County: 106,790 countSan Luis Obispo County106,790Marin County: 103,751 countMarin County103,751Santa Cruz County: 96,476 countSanta Cruz County96,476Butte County: 85,292 countButte County85,292Merced County: 81,618 countMerced County81,618Yolo County: 75,471 countYolo County75,471El Dorado County: 74,535 countEl Dorado County74,535Shasta County: 71,314 countShasta County71,314Humboldt County: 53,729 countHumboldt County53,729Napa County: 48,745 countNapa County48,745Imperial County: 45,541 countImperial County45,541Madera County: 43,578 countMadera County43,578Kings County: 43,286 countKings County43,286Nevada County: 40,877 countNevada County40,877Mendocino County: 34,183 countMendocino County34,183Sutter County: 32,703 countSutter County32,703Yuba County: 26,888 countYuba County26,888Lake County: 26,307 countLake County26,307Tehama County: 24,551 countTehama County24,551Tuolumne County: 23,103 countTuolumne County23,103San Benito County: 19,144 countSan Benito County19,144Siskiyou County: 18,598 countSiskiyou County18,598Calaveras County: 16,809 countCalaveras County16,809Amador County: 15,394 countAmador County15,394Glenn County: 9,753 countGlenn County9,753Del Norte County: 9,531 countDel Norte County9,531Lassen County: 8,910 countLassen County8,910Plumas County: 8,231 countPlumas County8,231Inyo County: 7,832 countInyo County7,832Mariposa County: 7,588 countMariposa County7,588Colusa County: 7,303 countColusa County7,303Trinity County: 5,492 countTrinity County5,492Mono County: 5,361 countMono County5,361Modoc County: 3,413 countModoc County3,413Sierra County: 1,151 countSierra County1,151Alpine County: 434 countAlpine County434
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021
count
1Los Angeles County3,342,811
2San Diego County1,139,899
3Orange County1,057,592
4Riverside County740,506
5San Bernardino County651,743
6Santa Clara County646,847
7Alameda County581,683
8Sacramento County559,036
9Contra Costa County405,106
10San Francisco County361,222
11Fresno County314,421
12Kern County274,705
13Ventura County274,471
14San Mateo County264,892
15San Joaquin County234,662
16Sonoma County188,841
17Stanislaus County175,067
18Solano County153,632
19Placer County149,714
20Santa Barbara County147,446
21Tulare County139,631
22Monterey County129,977
23San Luis Obispo County106,790
24Marin County103,751
25Santa Cruz County96,476
26Butte County85,292
27Merced County81,618
28Yolo County75,471
29El Dorado County74,535
30Shasta County71,314
31Humboldt County53,729
32Napa County48,745
33Imperial County45,541
34Madera County43,578
35Kings County43,286
36Nevada County40,877
37Mendocino County34,183
38Sutter County32,703
39Yuba County26,888
40Lake County26,307
41Tehama County24,551
42Tuolumne County23,103
43San Benito County19,144
44Siskiyou County18,598
45Calaveras County16,809
46Amador County15,394
47Glenn County9,753
48Del Norte County9,531
49Lassen County8,910
50Plumas County8,231
51Inyo County7,832
52Mariposa County7,588
53Colusa County7,303
54Trinity County5,492
55Mono County5,361
56Modoc County3,413
57Sierra County1,151
58Alpine County434

Other periods

About this ranking

Number of households, which equals the number of occupied housing units. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

People living in group quarters, such as college dormitories, nursing homes and prisons, are not in households.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households) (Counties in California by households, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25003.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households), Counties in California by households, 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25003.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/households/california-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households). Counties in California by households, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25003.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/households/california-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households), Counties in California by households, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25003.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/households/california-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_california_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households): Counties in California by households, 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25003.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/households/california-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households): Counties in California by households, 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25003.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/households/california-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/households/california-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest households?

Los Angeles County, with 3.34 million in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest households?

Alpine County, with 434 in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Households: other rankings

Counties in California: more rankings