Cities in California by population

Los Angeles, CA had the highest population of 376 cities in 2023, at 3.85 million. Paradise, CA had the lowest, at 8,512. The median was 47,140 and the figure for California was 39.18 million. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest3,848,289Los Angeles, CA

Lowest8,512Paradise, CA

Median47,140376 cities

California39,181,667History

Top 40 cities, 2023

persons. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

Rank	Cities	2023 persons	Change on 2022
1	Los Angeles, CA	3,848,289	+0.4%
2	San Diego, CA	1,388,747	+0.4%
3	San Jose, CA	980,125	+0.4%
4	San Francisco, CA	816,926	+0.5%
5	Fresno, CA	550,189	+0.7%
6	Sacramento, CA	530,494	+0.7%
7	Long Beach, CA	451,843	-0.5%
8	Oakland, CA	438,301	+0.5%
9	Bakersfield, CA	415,043	+0.5%
10	Anaheim, CA	342,196	-0.3%
11	Stockton, CA	322,353	+0.4%
12	Riverside, CA	321,596	+0.4%
13	Irvine, CA	314,442	+0.6%
14	Santa Ana, CA	312,247	+0.2%
15	Chula Vista, CA	275,851	+0.2%
16	Santa Clarita, CA	229,837	-0%
17	Fremont, CA	226,837	-0.1%
18	San Bernardino, CA	221,061	0%
19	Modesto, CA	219,600	+0.5%
20	Fontana, CA	216,759	+0.9%
21	Moreno Valley, CA	212,761	+0.5%
22	Oxnard, CA	199,531	-0.4%
23	Huntington Beach, CA	193,011	-0.8%
24	Glendale, CA	188,309	-0.7%
25	Ontario, CA	183,328	+1.3%
26	Elk Grove, CA	180,067	+0.9%
27	Santa Rosa, CA	176,493	+0.2%
28	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	175,732	+0.3%
29	Oceanside, CA	170,812	-0.6%
30	Garden Grove, CA	169,802	+0.1%
31	Lancaster, CA	167,313	-0.3%
32	Palmdale, CA	162,629	-0.5%
33	Corona, CA	160,607	+0.5%
34	Salinas, CA	160,002	-0.6%
35	Roseville, CA	159,436	+2.2%
36	Hayward, CA	156,799	0%
37	Sunnyvale, CA	153,473	+0.8%
38	Escondido, CA	148,594	-0.4%
39	Pomona, CA	146,962	+0.2%
40	Visalia, CA	145,201	+1%
41	Torrance, CA	140,129	-0.8%
42	Fullerton, CA	139,941	-0.6%
43	Victorville, CA	139,460	+1.4%
44	Orange, CA	138,558	+0.1%
45	Pasadena, CA	135,719	0%
46	Santa Clara, CA	131,036	+1.3%
47	Clovis, CA	126,967	+1.5%
48	Simi Valley, CA	125,123	+0.1%
49	Thousand Oaks, CA	123,926	-0.6%
50	Vallejo, CA	123,383	-0.5%
51	Concord, CA	123,151	-0.2%
52	Fairfield, CA	121,185	+0.8%
53	Berkeley, CA	119,717	+0.4%
54	Antioch, CA	117,148	+0.9%
55	Richmond, CA	114,762	-0.4%
56	Carlsbad, CA	113,756	-0.6%
57	Menifee, CA	113,677	+2.9%
58	Murrieta, CA	112,306	+0.1%
59	Temecula, CA	111,412	+0.4%
60	Santa Maria, CA	110,453	+0.1%
61	Downey, CA	109,573	-0.6%
62	San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA	109,212	-0.1%
63	Costa Mesa, CA	109,084	-0.8%
64	Jurupa Valley, CA	107,591	+0.4%
65	West Covina, CA	106,287	+0.2%
66	El Monte, CA	104,732	-0.7%
67	Rialto, CA	104,311	+0.3%
68	Burbank, CA	103,464	-0.4%
69	El Cajon, CA	103,371	-0.7%
70	Inglewood, CA	103,350	-0.8%
71	Vacaville, CA	102,894	+0.8%
72	Chico, CA	102,848	+0.1%
73	San Mateo, CA	102,078	+0.1%
74	Hesperia, CA	101,291	+0.6%
75	Daly City, CA	100,577	-0.1%
76	Vista, CA	98,996	-0.2%
77	Norwalk, CA	98,611	-0.7%
78	Tracy, CA	98,535	+1.7%
79	Merced, CA	97,584	+1.9%
80	San Marcos, CA	95,053	+1%
81	Chino, CA	93,886	-0.1%
82	Indio, CA	93,156	+1.4%
83	Redding, CA	92,968	-0%
84	Hemet, CA	92,156	+1%
85	Carson, CA	91,789	-0.7%
86	Manteca, CA	91,557	+3.2%
87	Compton, CA	91,526	-0.7%
88	Mission Viejo, CA	91,156	-0.6%
89	South Gate, CA	90,810	-0.6%
90	Santa Monica, CA	90,459	-0.1%
91	Westminster, CA	89,084	-0.5%
92	Santa Barbara, CA	86,984	-0.6%
93	Citrus Heights, CA	86,692	-0%
94	Whittier, CA	86,438	-0.4%
95	San Leandro, CA	86,271	-0.6%
96	Lake Forest, CA	86,188	+0.2%
97	San Ramon, CA	85,583	-0.3%
98	Folsom, CA	85,546	+2.5%
99	Hawthorne, CA	83,977	-0.8%
100	Livermore, CA	83,919	-0.5%
101	Mountain View, CA	83,636	+1.8%
102	Rancho Cordova, CA	82,939	+1.3%
103	Newport Beach, CA	82,929	-0.8%
104	Buena Park, CA	82,180	-0.4%
105	Redwood City, CA	81,971	+0.3%
106	Perris, CA	81,178	+1.6%
107	Alhambra, CA	80,280	-0.4%
108	Upland, CA	79,400	+0.2%
109	Lakewood, CA	78,732	-0.8%
110	Milpitas, CA	78,181	+0.9%
111	Tustin, CA	78,163	-0.4%
112	Chino Hills, CA	77,705	-0.3%
113	Napa, CA	77,638	-0.7%
114	Alameda, CA	76,535	+1%
115	Pittsburg, CA	76,156	+0.6%
116	Bellflower, CA	75,768	-0.7%
117	Apple Valley, CA	75,366	-0.2%
118	Pleasanton, CA	75,343	-0.9%
119	Rocklin, CA	73,943	+1%
120	Redlands, CA	73,438	+0.6%
121	Lake Elsinore, CA	73,175	+0.5%
122	Turlock, CA	72,498	+0.4%
123	Tulare, CA	71,586	+1.1%
124	Eastvale, CA	70,688	-0.1%
125	Walnut Creek, CA	69,789	+0.4%
126	Dublin, CA	69,759	-0.3%
127	Camarillo, CA	69,702	-0.4%
128	Baldwin Park, CA	69,315	-0.5%
129	Yuba City, CA	69,294	-0%
130	Madera, CA	68,550	+1.3%
131	Redondo Beach, CA	68,322	-0.8%
132	Lodi, CA	68,084	+0.8%
133	Palo Alto, CA	66,576	+0.3%
134	Yorba Linda, CA	66,407	-0.8%
135	Davis, CA	66,392	-0.7%
136	Union City, CA	65,993	-1%
137	Brentwood, CA	65,435	+0.7%
138	South San Francisco, CA	63,726	+0.6%
139	Lynwood, CA	63,712	-0.3%
140	Laguna Niguel, CA	63,510	-0.4%
141	Porterville, CA	63,232	+0.4%
142	Santa Cruz, CA	62,734	-0.4%
143	San Clemente, CA	62,722	-0.5%
144	Woodland, CA	61,721	-0.2%
145	La Habra, CA	61,244	-0.7%
146	Encinitas, CA	61,071	-0.4%
147	La Mesa, CA	60,593	-0.1%
148	Montebello, CA	60,440	-0.2%
149	Hanford, CA	60,325	+0.6%
150	San Rafael, CA	59,759	-0.8%
151	Pico Rivera, CA	59,544	-0.7%
152	Santee, CA	59,174	-0.1%
153	Petaluma, CA	59,030	+0.2%
154	Gilroy, CA	58,848	+1.3%
155	Gardena, CA	58,796	-0.2%
156	Monterey Park, CA	58,240	-0.9%
157	National City, CA	58,031	-0.5%
158	Beaumont, CA	58,009	+3.5%
159	Cupertino, CA	57,777	0%
160	Highland, CA	56,545	-0.1%
161	Fountain Valley, CA	55,712	-0.4%
162	San Jacinto, CA	55,501	0%
163	West Sacramento, CA	55,399	+0.7%
164	Lincoln, CA	54,541	+3.2%
165	Arcadia, CA	54,538	-0.6%
166	Yucaipa, CA	54,394	+0.1%
167	Colton, CA	53,684	-0.3%
168	Placentia, CA	53,127	+1%
169	Diamond Bar, CA	52,539	-0.9%
170	Cathedral City, CA	52,440	+0.1%
171	Delano, CA	52,402	+0.5%
172	Huntington Park, CA	52,347	-0.8%
173	Palm Desert, CA	52,284	+1%
174	Novato, CA	51,970	-0.7%
175	Paramount, CA	51,387	-0.7%
176	Watsonville, CA	51,149	-0.7%
177	Aliso Viejo, CA	50,482	-0.9%
178	Glendora, CA	50,274	-0.7%
179	Rosemead, CA	49,557	-0.2%
180	Covina, CA	49,186	-0.6%
181	Ceres, CA	49,159	-0.1%
182	San Luis Obispo, CA	49,090	+1.3%
183	Cypress, CA	49,035	-0.5%
184	Poway, CA	48,543	+0.5%
185	Los Banos, CA	48,512	+0.9%
186	Azusa, CA	48,010	-0.4%
187	Brea, CA	47,812	+0.9%
188	Newark, CA	47,161	+0.6%
189	Cerritos, CA	47,119	-1%
190	La Mirada, CA	46,552	-0.9%
191	Rancho Santa Margarita, CA	46,368	-1%
192	Oakley, CA	45,965	+2%
193	Palm Springs, CA	45,273	+0.4%
194	Morgan Hill, CA	45,036	+0.4%
195	Rohnert Park, CA	44,623	+0.4%
196	Hollister, CA	44,554	+0.9%
197	El Centro, CA	44,185	+0.2%
198	Coachella, CA	43,903	+2.3%
199	Lompoc, CA	43,224	-2.6%
200	Danville, CA	43,219	-0.3%
201	Campbell, CA	42,202	+0.1%
202	San Bruno, CA	41,717	-0.1%
203	Rancho Palos Verdes, CA	40,271	-0.9%
204	Stanton, CA	39,652	+1.2%
205	Culver City, CA	39,548	-0.1%
206	La Quinta, CA	39,279	+1.7%
207	Lathrop, CA	38,699	+10.1%
208	Calexico, CA	38,600	+0.5%
209	Adelanto, CA	38,134	+1.9%
210	San Gabriel, CA	37,952	-0.5%
211	Montclair, CA	37,754	-0.1%
212	Bell Gardens, CA	37,693	-0.8%
213	Wildomar, CA	37,347	+0.6%
214	Monrovia, CA	37,288	+0.2%
215	La Puente, CA	36,756	-0.6%
216	Pacifica, CA	36,742	+0.1%
217	Martinez, CA	36,734	+0.2%
218	Claremont, CA	36,124	-0.6%
219	Moorpark, CA	35,577	-0.4%
220	Temple City, CA	35,004	-0.5%
221	San Juan Capistrano, CA	34,938	+0.3%
222	West Hollywood, CA	34,577	-0.6%
223	Pleasant Hill, CA	33,986	-0.3%
224	Manhattan Beach, CA	33,604	-1.1%
225	Desert Hot Springs, CA	33,517	+1.1%
226	San Dimas, CA	33,350	-0.8%
227	Goleta, CA	32,616	-0.1%
228	Dana Point, CA	32,593	-0.4%
229	Los Gatos, CA	32,465	+0.4%
230	Foster City, CA	32,430	-0.1%
231	Menlo Park, CA	32,295	+0.7%
232	Atwater, CA	32,170	-0.2%
233	Bell, CA	32,038	-0.8%
234	Santa Paula, CA	31,631	+0.5%
235	Banning, CA	31,595	+1.2%
236	San Pablo, CA	31,476	-0.5%
237	Seaside, CA	31,446	-0.4%
238	El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles), CA	31,319	-0.1%
239	Beverly Hills, CA	31,181	-0.9%
240	Laguna Hills, CA	30,363	-0.9%
241	Los Altos, CA	30,347	+0.2%
242	Lawndale, CA	30,343	-0.9%
243	Burlingame, CA	30,284	+1%
244	La Verne, CA	30,180	-0.6%
245	Saratoga, CA	29,953	+0.3%
246	Atascadero, CA	29,687	0%
247	San Carlos, CA	29,172	-0.2%
248	Monterey, CA	29,166	-1.5%
249	Suisun City, CA	29,118	+0.4%
250	East Palo Alto, CA	28,691	+0.5%

Showing the top 250 of 376. The Excel download has every row.

Other periods

About this ranking

Resident population. Spain and the EU: 1 January, with Spanish figures from the official municipal register (Padrón). Norway: Statistics Norway, 1 January. Iceland and its municipalities: Statistics Iceland, 1 January. United States: Census Bureau population estimates for 1 July. United Kingdom regions and local authorities: Office for National Statistics estimates for 30 June. Other countries and the World: World Bank mid-year estimates, which count all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. UN World Population Prospects estimates for 1 July cover the years before 1960 and the areas the World Bank does not publish, such as Taiwan.

The World Bank series exists for every country, so use it (through compare) to rank countries on one basis.

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

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. 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). Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals) (Cities in California by population, 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/

MLA 9

Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals), Cities in California by population, 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 14 May 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population/california-cities?period=2023. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals). Cities in California by population, 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population/california-cities?period=2023.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals), Cities in California by population, 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/population/california-cities?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_cities_in_california_by_2023,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals): Cities in California by population, 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population/california-cities?period=2023. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}

RIS

TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals): Cities in California by population, 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/05/14
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/population/california-cities?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population/california-cities?period=2023.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -

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Rank Cities in California by population using official data, and cite the source.

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Questions

Which city has the highest population?

Los Angeles, CA, with 3.85 million in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest population?

Paradise, CA, with 8,512 in 2023.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals). Retrieved 2026-10-12.