Skip to main content
Population Review

California Population & Demographics

California has a population of 39,242,785, ranking #1 among US states. The median household income is $96,334 and the median age is 37.6.

California on US population map

US states by population — California is #1

39,242,785

Population

#1

By Population

$96,334

Median Income

37.6

Median Age

Age Distribution

Under 5
5.6%
5–9
6.0%
10–14
6.6%
15–19
6.6%
20–24
6.5%
25–34
14.9%
35–44
13.8%
45–54
12.6%
55–59
6.2%
60–64
5.9%
65–74
9.0%
75–84
4.4%
85+
1.9%

Male: 50.0% · Female: 50.0%

Race & Ethnicity

White44.0%
Black or African American5.5%
Asian0.0%
American Indian & Alaska Native1.1%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander1.2%
Two or More Races0.1%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)2.8%

Economy & Income

$96,334

Median Household Income

$47,977

Per Capita Income

8.4%

Poverty Rate

4.1%

Unemployment Rate

$136,730

Mean Household Income

59.3%

Employment Rate

Education

84.6%

High School Graduate+

36.5%

Bachelor's Degree+

Housing

$695,400

Median Home Value

$1,956

Median Rent

14,532,683

Total Housing Units

55.8%

Owner-Occupied

44.2%

Renter-Occupied

7.6%

Vacant

Commute

3.2%

Drive Alone

2.4%

Carpool

15.5%

Work From Home

29.0 min

Avg Commute

Largest Cities in California

#CityPopulationMedian IncomeMedian Home Value
1Los Angeles city3,857,897$80,366$879,500
2San Diego city1,385,061$104,321$848,500
3San Jose city990,054$141,565$1,187,800
4San Francisco city836,321$141,446$1,380,500
5Fresno city543,615$66,804$348,500
6Sacramento city524,802$83,753$484,600
7Long Beach city458,491$83,969$762,200
8Oakland city438,072$97,369$924,700
9Bakersfield city408,366$77,397$347,300
10Anaheim city344,553$90,583$771,700
11Stockton city320,470$76,851$412,900
12Riverside city316,241$88,575$542,100
13Santa Ana city311,639$88,354$657,800
14Irvine city308,160$129,647$1,115,400
15Chula Vista city275,030$105,173$697,400
16Santa Clarita city229,021$119,926$721,000
17Fremont city228,518$176,350$1,289,400
18San Bernardino city221,774$63,988$384,900
19Modesto city218,614$77,899$415,600
20Fontana city211,921$98,187$558,500

Counties in California

#CountyPopulationMedian Income
1Los Angeles County9,848,406$87,760
2San Diego County3,282,782$102,285
3Orange County3,164,063$113,702
4Riverside County2,449,909$89,672
5San Bernardino County2,187,816$82,184
6Santa Clara County1,903,297$159,674
7Alameda County1,651,949$126,240
8Sacramento County1,584,047$88,724
9Contra Costa County1,161,458$125,727
10Fresno County1,012,152$71,434
11Kern County910,433$67,660
12Ventura County838,259$107,327
13San Francisco County836,321$141,446
14San Joaquin County787,416$88,531
15San Mateo County745,100$156,000
16Stanislaus County552,250$79,661
17Sonoma County485,642$102,840
18Tulare County475,774$69,489
19Solano County450,824$99,994
20Santa Barbara County443,975$95,977

Frequently Asked Questions

California has a population of 39,242,785 according to the Census ACS 2023 5-Year estimates, making it the #1 most populated state.

The median household income in California is $96,334, with a per capita income of $47,977. 8.4% of the population lives below the poverty level.

California is 44.0% White, 5.5% Black, 0.0% Asian, and 2.8% Hispanic/Latino.

Data from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.

States Similar to California