California Demographics & Population 2026

Name: California Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

During the 2020–2024 ACS period, California had a total population of 39,287,377, with a median household income of $99,122, which is 23% higher than the national average. The poverty rate is 12.0%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

California Quick Facts

Population 39,287,377

Median Household Income $99,122

Median Home Value $734,700

Poverty Rate 12.0%

Unemployment Rate 6.6%

Median Age 37.9 years

Homeownership Rate 55.9%

Affordability Ratio 7.4x

Bachelor's Degree+ 37.1%

High School Graduation 84.7%

Counties 58

Cities/Places 1,570

Population 39,287,377

Median Income $99,122 23% higher than national

Poverty Rate 12.0%

Unemployment 6.6%

How California Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	39,242,785	39,287,377	+0.1%
Median household income	$96,334	$99,122	+2.9%
Median home value	$695,400	$734,700	+5.7%

Median Household Income

$99,122

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

$734,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 12.4%

$25K-$50K 13.4%

$50K-$100K 24.6%

$100K+ 49.6%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.5%

$10K-$15K

2.9%

$15K-$20K

2.4%

$20K-$25K

2.7%

$25K-$30K

2.6%

$30K-$35K

2.6%

$35K-$40K

2.7%

$40K-$45K

2.7%

$45K-$50K

2.7%

$50K-$60K

5.2%

$60K-$75K

7.8%

$75K-$100K

11.6%

$100K-$125K

10.0%

$125K-$150K

7.8%

$150K-$200K

11.3%

$200K+

20.5%

Employment

6.6% Unemployment Rate National: 5.2%

63.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 55.9%

Renter 44.1%

Affordability Index Very Expensive

7.4x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $2,036/mo 24.6% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

22.0%

18-34

23.9%

35-54

26.4%

55-74

21.3%

75+

6.5%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very High Diversity

This community is exceptionally diverse, with no single racial or ethnic group dominating the population.

State average: 70 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Largest Cities in California

#	City	Population	Median Income	Poverty
1	Los Angeles	3,857,263	$81,939	16.6%
2	San Diego	1,389,526	$108,077	11.0%
3	San Jose	990,138	$146,427	8.1%
4	San Francisco	830,235	$140,970	11.2%
5	Fresno	545,970	$70,991	20.1%
6	Sacramento	528,706	$87,321	13.9%
7	Long Beach	455,548	$87,430	14.8%
8	Oakland	439,418	$101,600	13.4%
9	Bakersfield	411,986	$80,540	16.3%
10	Anaheim	344,521	$95,227	12.4%

Richest Cities in California

#	City	Median Income	Home Value	Bachelor's+
1	Los Altos	$250,000+	$2,000,000+	88.1%
2	Saratoga	$250,000+	$2,000,000+	81.1%
3	Orinda	$250,000+	$1,863,200	85.9%
4	Alamo	$250,000+	$2,000,000+	77.5%
5	Hillsborough	$250,000+	$2,000,000+	83.8%
6	Piedmont	$250,000+	$2,000,000+	88.4%
7	Los Altos Hills	$250,000+	$2,000,000+	84.9%
8	Atherton	$250,000+	$2,000,000+	83.1%
9	Camino Tassajara	$250,000+	$2,000,000+	73.9%
10	Woodside	$250,000+	$2,000,000+	76.2%

Most Affordable Cities in California

By home-value-to-income ratio (lower = more affordable). Min. population 1,000.

#	City	Ratio	Home Value	Income
1	Oasis	0.9x	$34,800	$38,769
2	Searles Valley	1.3x	$80,800	$62,500
3	Desert Edge	2.0x	$76,300	$37,429
4	Mesa Verde	2.2x	$110,100	$51,188
5	China Lake Acres	2.3x	$160,300	$68,594
6	Jones Valley	2.4x	$197,300	$82,083
7	Lenwood	2.5x	$194,300	$78,958
8	Westwood	2.5x	$147,000	$59,375
9	Dixon Lane-MeadowCreek	2.6x	$196,600	$75,745
10	Bertsch-Oceanview	2.6x	$191,300	$73,173

Explore California Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

All Counties in California (58)

58 results


Los Angeles County	9,808,667	$90,112	13.7%	$834,200
San Diego County	3,288,774	$106,268	10.3%	$854,700
Orange County	3,165,820	$116,289	9.5%	$962,600
Riverside County	2,478,600	$93,074	10.6%	$557,300
San Bernardino County	2,197,104	$85,478	13.4%	$505,000
Santa Clara County	1,902,047	$164,281	7.1%	$1,490,600
Alameda County	1,649,473	$129,367	9.2%	$1,090,100
Sacramento County	1,594,006	$92,175	12.5%	$534,200
Contra Costa County	1,165,012	$127,229	8.4%	$866,800
Fresno County	1,016,725	$74,201	18.3%	$388,800
Kern County	915,075	$70,210	19.1%	$338,300
Ventura County	837,469	$109,797	9.3%	$822,700
San Francisco County	830,235	$140,970	11.2%	$1,394,500
San Joaquin County	797,334	$92,179	12.4%	$530,700
San Mateo County	742,340	$158,855	6.7%	$1,559,600
Stanislaus County	553,990	$81,468	13.5%	$450,100
Sonoma County	485,040	$104,674	8.9%	$815,500
Tulare County	478,693	$71,300	17.9%	$330,100
Solano County	451,918	$100,401	10.0%	$617,700
Santa Barbara County	443,701	$98,161	14.7%	$790,700
Monterey County	437,613	$97,230	12.7%	$781,000
Placer County	419,156	$115,998	6.8%	$688,100
Merced County	290,201	$65,510	19.1%	$391,800
San Luis Obispo County	281,555	$97,446	12.9%	$824,700
Santa Cruz County	264,926	$111,093	11.6%	$1,027,500

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All Cities & Places in California (1,570)

1570 results


Los Angeles	3,857,263	$81,939	16.6%	$921,200
San Diego	1,389,526	$108,077	11.0%	$906,700
San Jose	990,138	$146,427	8.1%	$1,233,200
San Francisco	830,235	$140,970	11.2%	$1,394,500
Fresno	545,970	$70,991	20.1%	$374,800
Sacramento	528,706	$87,321	13.9%	$506,300
Long Beach	455,548	$87,430	14.8%	$806,600
Oakland	439,418	$101,600	13.4%	$929,900
Bakersfield	411,986	$80,540	16.3%	$371,700
Anaheim	344,521	$95,227	12.4%	$831,200
Stockton	322,326	$79,907	15.5%	$440,900
Riverside	319,069	$91,045	12.2%	$584,800
Santa Ana	312,534	$93,999	10.8%	$713,000
Irvine	311,690	$136,719	10.8%	$1,191,500
Chula Vista	276,375	$108,032	8.8%	$758,700
Santa Clarita	230,221	$123,062	7.4%	$784,700
Fremont	228,295	$181,506	5.2%	$1,403,800
San Bernardino	222,724	$67,415	18.6%	$422,300
Modesto	219,215	$79,891	13.3%	$442,700
Fontana	214,169	$102,821	9.9%	$586,800
Moreno Valley	211,666	$93,222	11.7%	$503,700
Oxnard	200,928	$96,212	11.1%	$652,700
Huntington Beach	195,240	$120,919	7.8%	$1,100,000
Glendale	190,748	$88,393	12.9%	$1,102,300
Ontario	180,547	$88,941	12.4%	$607,600

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Download California Data

Free CSV downloads of California demographic data — no account or payment required. Files use official Census place names (e.g. "Springfield city", "Oakdale CDP"), so they match Census Bureau sources exactly.

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Cities Data (CSV) All cities: population, income, housing, race, education

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Counties Data (CSV) All counties: population, income, housing, race, education

Population Overview

California has a total population of 39,287,377, making it one of the most populous states in the nation. The median age is 37.9 years, 3% lower than the national median of 38.9 years.

Age Demographics

The median age in California is 37.9 years. This is 3% lower than the national median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in California is $99,122. This is 23% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.0%. This is 4% lower than the national poverty rate of 12.4%. The unemployment rate is 6.6%. This is 26% higher than the national rate of 5.2%. The median home value is $734,700. Housing costs are 121% higher than the national median of $332,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 7.4x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 55.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 14% lower than the national average of 65.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

California is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 33.8%. The Black or African American population (5.2%) is well below the national average of 11.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the national average (40.2% vs 19.3%). The Asian population is significantly higher than the national average (15.3% vs 5.9%).

Education

37.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 4% higher than the national rate of 35.7%. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 84.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for California come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of California?

California has a total population of 39,287,377 according to the U.S. Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What is the median income in California?

The median household income in California is $99,122, which is 23% higher than the national median of $80,734.

How many cities are in California?

California has 1,570 Census-designated places (cities, towns, and CDPs) and 58 counties.

What is the poverty rate in California?

The poverty rate in California is 12.0%, compared to the national average of 12.4%.

What is the largest city in California?

The largest city in California is Los Angeles with a population of 3,857,263.