Data / Rankings / Housing units / Counties in California

Counties in California by housing units

Los Angeles County had the highest housing units of 58 counties in 2021, at 3.58 million. Alpine County had the lowest, at 1,626. The median was 79,593 and the figure for California was 14.33 million. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest3,578,801Los Angeles County
Lowest1,626Alpine County
Median79,59358 counties
California14,328,539History

Map of counties, 2021

Alameda County: 617,045 countAlpine County: 1,626 countAmador County: 18,708 countButte County: 95,047 countCalaveras County: 27,476 countColusa County: 8,085 countContra Costa County: 421,239 countDel Norte County: 11,093 countEl Dorado County: 92,999 countFresno County: 336,509 countGlenn County: 10,890 countHumboldt County: 62,137 countImperial County: 56,636 countInyo County: 9,457 countKern County: 299,810 countKings County: 46,145 countLake County: 34,309 countLassen County: 12,273 countLos Angeles County: 3,578,801 countMadera County: 49,512 countMarin County: 111,570 countMariposa County: 9,832 countMendocino County: 41,276 countMerced County: 86,767 countModoc County: 4,809 countMono County: 13,616 countMonterey County: 143,094 countNapa County: 55,446 countNevada County: 53,442 countOrange County: 1,121,753 countPlacer County: 170,324 countPlumas County: 15,422 countRiverside County: 844,425 countSacramento County: 583,858 countSan Benito County: 19,961 countSan Bernardino County: 728,674 countSan Diego County: 1,221,613 countSan Francisco County: 404,720 countSan Joaquin County: 249,018 countSan Luis Obispo County: 123,033 countSan Mateo County: 282,570 countSanta Barbara County: 157,809 countSanta Clara County: 683,510 countSanta Cruz County: 106,110 countShasta County: 79,490 countSierra County: 2,099 countSiskiyou County: 23,041 countSolano County: 161,341 countSonoma County: 205,136 countStanislaus County: 182,606 countSutter County: 34,458 countTehama County: 27,347 countTrinity County: 8,233 countTulare County: 149,859 countTuolumne County: 31,413 countVentura County: 292,220 countYolo County: 79,695 countYuba County: 29,152 count
  • Under 10K
  • 10K to 30K
  • 30K to 80K
  • 80K to 160K
  • 160K to 370K
  • 370K and over
count, 2021. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2021

Los Angeles County: 3,578,801 countLos Angeles County3,578,801San Diego County: 1,221,613 countSan Diego County1,221,613Orange County: 1,121,753 countOrange County1,121,753Riverside County: 844,425 countRiverside County844,425San Bernardino County: 728,674 countSan Bernardino County728,674Santa Clara County: 683,510 countSanta Clara County683,510Alameda County: 617,045 countAlameda County617,045Sacramento County: 583,858 countSacramento County583,858Contra Costa County: 421,239 countContra Costa County421,239San Francisco County: 404,720 countSan Francisco County404,720Fresno County: 336,509 countFresno County336,509Kern County: 299,810 countKern County299,810Ventura County: 292,220 countVentura County292,220San Mateo County: 282,570 countSan Mateo County282,570San Joaquin County: 249,018 countSan Joaquin County249,018Sonoma County: 205,136 countSonoma County205,136Stanislaus County: 182,606 countStanislaus County182,606Placer County: 170,324 countPlacer County170,324Solano County: 161,341 countSolano County161,341Santa Barbara County: 157,809 countSanta Barbara County157,809Tulare County: 149,859 countTulare County149,859Monterey County: 143,094 countMonterey County143,094San Luis Obispo County: 123,033 countSan Luis Obispo County123,033Marin County: 111,570 countMarin County111,570Santa Cruz County: 106,110 countSanta Cruz County106,110Butte County: 95,047 countButte County95,047El Dorado County: 92,999 countEl Dorado County92,999Merced County: 86,767 countMerced County86,767Yolo County: 79,695 countYolo County79,695Shasta County: 79,490 countShasta County79,490Humboldt County: 62,137 countHumboldt County62,137Imperial County: 56,636 countImperial County56,636Napa County: 55,446 countNapa County55,446Nevada County: 53,442 countNevada County53,442Madera County: 49,512 countMadera County49,512Kings County: 46,145 countKings County46,145Mendocino County: 41,276 countMendocino County41,276Sutter County: 34,458 countSutter County34,458Lake County: 34,309 countLake County34,309Tuolumne County: 31,413 countTuolumne County31,413Yuba County: 29,152 countYuba County29,152Calaveras County: 27,476 countCalaveras County27,476Tehama County: 27,347 countTehama County27,347Siskiyou County: 23,041 countSiskiyou County23,041San Benito County: 19,961 countSan Benito County19,961Amador County: 18,708 countAmador County18,708Plumas County: 15,422 countPlumas County15,422Mono County: 13,616 countMono County13,616Lassen County: 12,273 countLassen County12,273Del Norte County: 11,093 countDel Norte County11,093Glenn County: 10,890 countGlenn County10,890Mariposa County: 9,832 countMariposa County9,832Inyo County: 9,457 countInyo County9,457Trinity County: 8,233 countTrinity County8,233Colusa County: 8,085 countColusa County8,085Modoc County: 4,809 countModoc County4,809Sierra County: 2,099 countSierra County2,099Alpine County: 1,626 countAlpine County1,626Los Angeles County: 3,578,801 countLos Angeles County3,578,801San Diego County: 1,221,613 countSan Diego County1,221,613Orange County: 1,121,753 countOrange County1,121,753Riverside County: 844,425 countRiverside County844,425San Bernardino County: 728,674 countSan Bernardino County728,674Santa Clara County: 683,510 countSanta Clara County683,510Alameda County: 617,045 countAlameda County617,045Sacramento County: 583,858 countSacramento County583,858Contra Costa County: 421,239 countContra Costa County421,239San Francisco County: 404,720 countSan Francisco County404,720Fresno County: 336,509 countFresno County336,509Kern County: 299,810 countKern County299,810Ventura County: 292,220 countVentura County292,220San Mateo County: 282,570 countSan Mateo County282,570San Joaquin County: 249,018 countSan Joaquin County249,018Sonoma County: 205,136 countSonoma County205,136Stanislaus County: 182,606 countStanislaus County182,606Placer County: 170,324 countPlacer County170,324Solano County: 161,341 countSolano County161,341Santa Barbara County: 157,809 countSanta Barbara County157,809Tulare County: 149,859 countTulare County149,859Monterey County: 143,094 countMonterey County143,094San Luis Obispo County: 123,033 countSan Luis Obispo County123,033Marin County: 111,570 countMarin County111,570Santa Cruz County: 106,110 countSanta Cruz County106,110Butte County: 95,047 countButte County95,047El Dorado County: 92,999 countEl Dorado County92,999Merced County: 86,767 countMerced County86,767Yolo County: 79,695 countYolo County79,695Shasta County: 79,490 countShasta County79,490Humboldt County: 62,137 countHumboldt County62,137Imperial County: 56,636 countImperial County56,636Napa County: 55,446 countNapa County55,446Nevada County: 53,442 countNevada County53,442Madera County: 49,512 countMadera County49,512Kings County: 46,145 countKings County46,145Mendocino County: 41,276 countMendocino County41,276Sutter County: 34,458 countSutter County34,458Lake County: 34,309 countLake County34,309Tuolumne County: 31,413 countTuolumne County31,413Yuba County: 29,152 countYuba County29,152Calaveras County: 27,476 countCalaveras County27,476Tehama County: 27,347 countTehama County27,347Siskiyou County: 23,041 countSiskiyou County23,041San Benito County: 19,961 countSan Benito County19,961Amador County: 18,708 countAmador County18,708Plumas County: 15,422 countPlumas County15,422Mono County: 13,616 countMono County13,616Lassen County: 12,273 countLassen County12,273Del Norte County: 11,093 countDel Norte County11,093Glenn County: 10,890 countGlenn County10,890Mariposa County: 9,832 countMariposa County9,832Inyo County: 9,457 countInyo County9,457Trinity County: 8,233 countTrinity County8,233Colusa County: 8,085 countColusa County8,085Modoc County: 4,809 countModoc County4,809Sierra County: 2,099 countSierra County2,099Alpine County: 1,626 countAlpine County1,626
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021
count
1Los Angeles County3,578,801
2San Diego County1,221,613
3Orange County1,121,753
4Riverside County844,425
5San Bernardino County728,674
6Santa Clara County683,510
7Alameda County617,045
8Sacramento County583,858
9Contra Costa County421,239
10San Francisco County404,720
11Fresno County336,509
12Kern County299,810
13Ventura County292,220
14San Mateo County282,570
15San Joaquin County249,018
16Sonoma County205,136
17Stanislaus County182,606
18Placer County170,324
19Solano County161,341
20Santa Barbara County157,809
21Tulare County149,859
22Monterey County143,094
23San Luis Obispo County123,033
24Marin County111,570
25Santa Cruz County106,110
26Butte County95,047
27El Dorado County92,999
28Merced County86,767
29Yolo County79,695
30Shasta County79,490
31Humboldt County62,137
32Imperial County56,636
33Napa County55,446
34Nevada County53,442
35Madera County49,512
36Kings County46,145
37Mendocino County41,276
38Sutter County34,458
39Lake County34,309
40Tuolumne County31,413
41Yuba County29,152
42Calaveras County27,476
43Tehama County27,347
44Siskiyou County23,041
45San Benito County19,961
46Amador County18,708
47Plumas County15,422
48Mono County13,616
49Lassen County12,273
50Del Norte County11,093
51Glenn County10,890
52Mariposa County9,832
53Inyo County9,457
54Trinity County8,233
55Colusa County8,085
56Modoc County4,809
57Sierra County2,099
58Alpine County1,626

Other periods

About this ranking

All housing units, occupied and vacant: houses, apartments, mobile homes and rooms intended as separate living quarters. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

A survey estimate averaged over five years, not a count on one date.

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 B25001: total housing units. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25001.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 B25001: total housing units (Counties in California by housing units, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25001.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units, Counties in California by housing units, 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-units/california-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units. Counties in California by housing units, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-units/california-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units, Counties in California by housing units, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-units/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 B25001: total housing units: Counties in California by housing units, 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-units/california-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units: Counties in California by housing units, 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-b25001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-units/california-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-units/california-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest housing units?

Los Angeles County, with 3.58 million in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest housing units?

Alpine County, with 1,626 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 B25001: total housing units. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Housing units: other rankings

Counties in California: more rankings