Cities in California by population

Los Angeles, CA had the highest population of 376 cities in 2024, at 3.87 million. Paradise, CA had the lowest, at 9,264. The median was 47,250 and the figure for California was 39.36 million. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest3,872,710Los Angeles, CA

Lowest9,264Paradise, CA

Median47,250376 cities

California39,364,774History

Top 40 cities, 2024

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	2024 persons	Change on 2023
1	Los Angeles, CA	3,872,710	+0.6%
2	San Diego, CA	1,400,232	+0.8%
3	San Jose, CA	987,831	+0.8%
4	San Francisco, CA	820,945	+0.5%
5	Fresno, CA	555,075	+0.9%
6	Sacramento, CA	534,834	+0.8%
7	Long Beach, CA	451,575	-0.1%
8	Oakland, CA	440,173	+0.4%
9	Bakersfield, CA	419,344	+1%
10	Anaheim, CA	342,688	+0.1%
11	Stockton, CA	324,643	+0.7%
12	Riverside, CA	323,379	+0.6%
13	Irvine, CA	317,865	+1.1%
14	Santa Ana, CA	314,799	+0.8%
15	Chula Vista, CA	276,747	+0.3%
16	Santa Clarita, CA	229,361	-0.2%
17	Fremont, CA	226,738	-0%
18	San Bernardino, CA	222,163	+0.5%
19	Modesto, CA	220,315	+0.3%
20	Fontana, CA	219,359	+1.2%
21	Moreno Valley, CA	213,976	+0.6%
22	Oxnard, CA	200,087	+0.3%
23	Huntington Beach, CA	192,619	-0.2%
24	Glendale, CA	187,947	-0.2%
25	Ontario, CA	185,669	+1.3%
26	Elk Grove, CA	182,771	+1.5%
27	Santa Rosa, CA	177,940	+0.8%
28	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	177,002	+0.7%
29	Garden Grove, CA	170,926	+0.7%
30	Oceanside, CA	170,796	-0%
31	Lancaster, CA	168,929	+1%
32	Roseville, CA	163,543	+2.6%
33	Palmdale, CA	162,490	-0.1%
34	Corona, CA	161,579	+0.6%
35	Salinas, CA	159,794	-0.1%
36	Hayward, CA	157,150	+0.2%
37	Sunnyvale, CA	155,422	+1.3%
38	Escondido, CA	147,858	-0.5%
39	Pomona, CA	147,712	+0.5%
40	Visalia, CA	146,260	+0.7%
41	Victorville, CA	141,038	+1.1%
42	Fullerton, CA	139,612	-0.2%
43	Torrance, CA	139,489	-0.5%
44	Orange, CA	138,324	-0.2%
45	Pasadena, CA	136,398	+0.5%
46	Santa Clara, CA	132,377	+1%
47	Clovis, CA	128,886	+1.5%
48	Simi Valley, CA	125,349	+0.2%
49	Thousand Oaks, CA	123,617	-0.2%
50	Vallejo, CA	123,611	+0.2%
51	Concord, CA	123,596	+0.4%
52	Fairfield, CA	122,313	+0.9%
53	Berkeley, CA	120,665	+0.8%
54	Antioch, CA	118,308	+1%
55	Menifee, CA	116,618	+2.6%
56	Richmond, CA	115,080	+0.3%
57	Carlsbad, CA	113,226	-0.5%
58	Murrieta, CA	113,169	+0.8%
59	Temecula, CA	113,082	+1.5%
60	Santa Maria, CA	110,986	+0.5%
61	San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA	109,758	+0.5%
62	Downey, CA	109,237	-0.3%
63	Costa Mesa, CA	109,010	-0.1%
64	Jurupa Valley, CA	107,844	+0.2%
65	West Covina, CA	106,267	-0%
66	Rialto, CA	105,533	+1.2%
67	El Monte, CA	104,934	+0.2%
68	Vacaville, CA	104,052	+1.1%
69	Chico, CA	103,967	+1.1%
70	Burbank, CA	103,423	-0%
71	San Mateo, CA	102,856	+0.8%
72	El Cajon, CA	102,841	-0.5%
73	Inglewood, CA	102,685	-0.6%
74	Hesperia, CA	102,166	+0.9%
75	Daly City, CA	101,093	+0.5%
76	Tracy, CA	100,414	+1.9%
77	Merced, CA	99,142	+1.6%
78	Vista, CA	98,918	-0.1%
79	Norwalk, CA	98,088	-0.5%
80	San Marcos, CA	95,524	+0.5%
81	Chino, CA	95,310	+1.5%
82	Manteca, CA	94,379	+3.1%
83	Indio, CA	94,050	+1%
84	Redding, CA	93,658	+0.7%
85	Hemet, CA	93,026	+0.9%
86	Carson, CA	91,395	-0.4%
87	Compton, CA	91,147	-0.4%
88	Mission Viejo, CA	91,112	-0%
89	South Gate, CA	90,653	-0.2%
90	Santa Monica, CA	90,506	+0.1%
91	Westminster, CA	89,227	+0.2%
92	Folsom, CA	88,351	+3.3%
93	Santa Barbara, CA	86,849	-0.2%
94	Citrus Heights, CA	86,710	0%
95	Lake Forest, CA	86,592	+0.5%
96	Whittier, CA	86,366	-0.1%
97	San Ramon, CA	86,031	+0.5%
98	San Leandro, CA	85,906	-0.4%
99	Mountain View, CA	85,384	+2.1%
100	Rancho Cordova, CA	84,934	+2.4%
101	Livermore, CA	83,924	0%
102	Hawthorne, CA	83,527	-0.5%
103	Newport Beach, CA	82,650	-0.3%
104	Perris, CA	82,602	+1.8%
105	Redwood City, CA	82,461	+0.6%
106	Buena Park, CA	82,182	0%
107	Alhambra, CA	80,218	-0.1%
108	Upland, CA	79,698	+0.4%
109	Milpitas, CA	78,737	+0.7%
110	Lakewood, CA	78,486	-0.3%
111	Tustin, CA	78,293	+0.2%
112	Chino Hills, CA	77,738	0%
113	Alameda, CA	77,226	+0.9%
114	Napa, CA	77,053	-0.8%
115	Pittsburg, CA	77,025	+1.1%
116	Bellflower, CA	75,465	-0.4%
117	Rocklin, CA	75,434	+2%
118	Apple Valley, CA	75,404	+0.1%
119	Pleasanton, CA	75,057	-0.4%
120	Redlands, CA	74,119	+0.9%
121	Lake Elsinore, CA	74,059	+1.2%
122	Turlock, CA	72,889	+0.5%
123	Tulare, CA	72,823	+1.7%
124	Eastvale, CA	70,786	+0.1%
125	Dublin, CA	70,288	+0.8%
126	Walnut Creek, CA	70,285	+0.7%
127	Yuba City, CA	69,491	+0.3%
128	Camarillo, CA	69,458	-0.4%
129	Baldwin Park, CA	69,214	-0.1%
130	Madera, CA	69,082	+0.8%
131	Lodi, CA	68,747	+1%
132	Redondo Beach, CA	67,970	-0.5%
133	Palo Alto, CA	67,217	+1%
134	Davis, CA	66,355	-0.1%
135	Yorba Linda, CA	66,189	-0.3%
136	Brentwood, CA	66,177	+1.1%
137	Union City, CA	65,696	-0.5%
138	South San Francisco, CA	64,481	+1.2%
139	Laguna Niguel, CA	63,956	+0.7%
140	Lynwood, CA	63,563	-0.2%
141	Porterville, CA	63,383	+0.2%
142	San Clemente, CA	62,702	-0%
143	Santa Cruz, CA	62,585	-0.2%
144	Woodland, CA	62,271	+0.9%
145	Hanford, CA	61,278	+1.6%
146	La Habra, CA	61,192	-0.1%
147	Encinitas, CA	61,002	-0.1%
148	Montebello, CA	60,639	+0.3%
149	La Mesa, CA	60,463	-0.2%
150	Gilroy, CA	59,955	+1.9%
151	San Rafael, CA	59,819	+0.1%
152	Beaumont, CA	59,548	+2.7%
153	Petaluma, CA	59,438	+0.7%
154	Pico Rivera, CA	59,330	-0.4%
155	Santee, CA	58,855	-0.5%
156	Gardena, CA	58,784	-0%
157	Cupertino, CA	58,210	+0.7%
158	National City, CA	58,111	+0.1%
159	Monterey Park, CA	57,946	-0.5%
160	Highland, CA	57,023	+0.8%
161	Lincoln, CA	56,126	+2.9%
162	San Jacinto, CA	55,777	+0.5%
163	Fountain Valley, CA	55,765	+0.1%
164	West Sacramento, CA	55,711	+0.6%
165	Yucaipa, CA	54,738	+0.6%
166	Arcadia, CA	54,412	-0.2%
167	Placentia, CA	53,831	+1.3%
168	Colton, CA	53,668	-0%
169	Delano, CA	53,081	+1.3%
170	Palm Desert, CA	52,957	+1.3%
171	Cathedral City, CA	52,525	+0.2%
172	Diamond Bar, CA	52,288	-0.5%
173	Novato, CA	52,180	+0.4%
174	Huntington Park, CA	52,070	-0.5%
175	Paramount, CA	51,144	-0.5%
176	Watsonville, CA	50,986	-0.3%
177	Aliso Viejo, CA	50,280	-0.4%
178	Glendora, CA	50,081	-0.4%
179	San Luis Obispo, CA	49,835	+1.5%
180	Rosemead, CA	49,557	0%
181	Covina, CA	49,327	+0.3%
182	Ceres, CA	49,227	+0.1%
183	Poway, CA	49,081	+1.1%
184	Los Banos, CA	49,055	+1.1%
185	Cypress, CA	49,048	0%
186	Azusa, CA	47,993	-0%
187	Brea, CA	47,656	-0.3%
188	Newark, CA	47,550	+0.8%
189	Oakley, CA	46,949	+2.1%
190	Cerritos, CA	46,825	-0.6%
191	La Mirada, CA	46,336	-0.5%
192	Rancho Santa Margarita, CA	46,180	-0.4%
193	Morgan Hill, CA	45,487	+1%
194	Palm Springs, CA	45,415	+0.3%
195	Hollister, CA	45,033	+1.1%
196	Coachella, CA	44,894	+2.3%
197	Rohnert Park, CA	44,828	+0.5%
198	El Centro, CA	44,552	+0.8%
199	Lompoc, CA	43,522	+0.7%
200	Danville, CA	43,361	+0.3%
201	Campbell, CA	42,482	+0.7%
202	San Bruno, CA	42,043	+0.8%
203	Lathrop, CA	40,871	+5.6%
204	Stanton, CA	40,347	+1.8%
205	Rancho Palos Verdes, CA	40,035	-0.6%
206	Culver City, CA	39,670	+0.3%
207	La Quinta, CA	39,635	+0.9%
208	Calexico, CA	38,887	+0.7%
209	Adelanto, CA	38,418	+0.7%
210	San Gabriel, CA	38,066	+0.3%
211	Monrovia, CA	37,816	+1.4%
212	Montclair, CA	37,747	-0%
213	Wildomar, CA	37,720	+1%
214	Bell Gardens, CA	37,601	-0.2%
215	Martinez, CA	36,923	+0.5%
216	Pacifica, CA	36,917	+0.5%
217	La Puente, CA	36,648	-0.3%
218	Claremont, CA	36,020	-0.3%
219	Moorpark, CA	35,433	-0.4%
220	San Juan Capistrano, CA	35,182	+0.7%
221	Temple City, CA	35,081	+0.2%
222	West Hollywood, CA	34,440	-0.4%
223	Pleasant Hill, CA	34,083	+0.3%
224	Desert Hot Springs, CA	33,866	+1%
225	Manhattan Beach, CA	33,416	-0.6%
226	San Dimas, CA	33,216	-0.4%
227	Menlo Park, CA	32,716	+1.3%
228	Los Gatos, CA	32,628	+0.5%
229	Goleta, CA	32,524	-0.3%
230	Foster City, CA	32,516	+0.3%
231	Dana Point, CA	32,485	-0.3%
232	Atwater, CA	32,235	+0.2%
233	Bell, CA	31,895	-0.4%
234	Banning, CA	31,850	+0.8%
235	Santa Paula, CA	31,754	+0.4%
236	San Pablo, CA	31,602	+0.4%
237	El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles), CA	31,520	+0.6%
238	Seaside, CA	31,306	-0.4%
239	Burlingame, CA	31,055	+2.5%
240	Beverly Hills, CA	31,021	-0.5%
241	Los Altos, CA	30,692	+1.1%
242	Laguna Hills, CA	30,275	-0.3%
243	Saratoga, CA	30,251	+1%
244	La Verne, CA	30,204	+0.1%
245	Lawndale, CA	30,162	-0.6%
246	Atascadero, CA	29,640	-0.2%
247	Suisun City, CA	29,456	+1.2%
248	San Carlos, CA	29,294	+0.4%
249	East Palo Alto, CA	28,973	+1%
250	Monterey, CA	28,875	-1%

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, 2024) [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, 2024. 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=2024. 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, 2024. 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=2024.

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, 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/population/california-cities?period=2024 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_cities_in_california_by_2024,
  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, 2024}},
  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=2024. 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, 2024
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=2024
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population/california-cities?period=2024.
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 3.87 million in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest population?

Paradise, CA, with 9,264 in 2024.

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.