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California: largest cities

Ranked from official statistics; every city opens its own guide.

In short: California: Los Angeles has the most residents (3,857,263) among the 145 places.
Los Angeles (3,857,263 residents)San Diego (1,389,526 residents)San Jose (990,138 residents)San Francisco (830,235 residents)Fresno (545,970 residents)Sacramento (528,706 residents)Long Beach (455,548 residents)Oakland (439,418 residents)Bakersfield (411,986 residents)Anaheim (344,521 residents)Stockton (322,326 residents)Riverside (319,069 residents)Santa Ana (312,534 residents)Irvine (311,690 residents)Chula Vista (276,375 residents)Santa Clarita (230,221 residents)Fremont (228,295 residents)San Bernardino (222,724 residents)Modesto (219,215 residents)Fontana (214,169 residents)Moreno Valley (211,666 residents)Oxnard (200,928 residents)Huntington Beach (195,240 residents)Glendale (190,748 residents)Ontario (180,547 residents)Elk Grove (179,155 residents)Santa Rosa (177,090 residents)Rancho Cucamonga (175,411 residents)Oceanside (172,242 residents)Garden Grove (170,964 residents)Lancaster (169,169 residents)Palmdale (164,634 residents)Salinas (161,761 residents)Corona (159,670 residents)Hayward (158,801 residents)Roseville (155,955 residents)Sunnyvale (154,236 residents)Escondido (149,668 residents)Pomona (147,943 residents)Visalia (143,939 residents)Torrance (142,130 residents)Fullerton (140,968 residents)Orange (138,266 residents)Victorville (137,627 residents)Pasadena (136,969 residents)Santa Clara (130,256 residents)Simi Valley (125,634 residents)Thousand Oaks (125,205 residents)Clovis (124,725 residents)Vallejo (124,268 residents)Concord (124,035 residents)Fairfield (120,785 residents)Berkeley (120,257 residents)Antioch (116,477 residents)Richmond (115,505 residents)Carlsbad (114,373 residents)Murrieta (112,064 residents)East Los Angeles (111,647 residents)Temecula (111,167 residents)Downey (110,939 residents)Santa Maria (110,462 residents)Costa Mesa (110,330 residents)Menifee (110,305 residents)San Buenaventura (Ventura) (109,857 residents)West Covina (107,037 residents)Jurupa Valley (107,011 residents)El Monte (106,109 residents)Inglewood (104,569 residents)Burbank (104,546 residents)El Cajon (104,449 residents)Rialto (104,143 residents)San Mateo (103,105 residents)Vacaville (102,596 residents)Chico (102,188 residents)Daly City (101,964 residents)Hesperia (100,775 residents)Norwalk (99,789 residents)Vista (99,114 residents)Tracy (96,966 residents)Arden-Arcade (94,994 residents)San Marcos (94,882 residents)Redding (93,409 residents)Carson (92,871 residents)Compton (92,698 residents)Chino (92,652 residents)Mission Viejo (92,151 residents)Merced (91,953 residents)Indio (91,950 residents)South Gate (91,483 residents)Hemet (91,326 residents)Santa Monica (91,169 residents)Westminster (89,860 residents)Manteca (89,043 residents)San Leandro (87,826 residents)Santa Barbara (87,779 residents)Citrus Heights (86,995 residents)Lake Forest (86,281 residents)Whittier (86,165 residents)San Ramon (85,993 residents)Livermore (85,522 residents)Hawthorne (85,191 residents)Folsom (83,916 residents)Newport Beach (83,845 residents)Mountain View (83,732 residents)Buena Park (82,871 residents)Redwood City (82,447 residents)Rancho Cordova (81,849 residents)Alhambra (81,022 residents)Perris (80,511 residents)Lakewood (79,850 residents)Upland (79,257 residents)Tustin (78,981 residents)Milpitas (78,578 residents)Napa (78,239 residents)Chino Hills (77,927 residents)Alameda (77,238 residents)Pleasanton (76,960 residents)Carmichael (76,948 residents)Bellflower (76,819 residents)Pittsburg (76,257 residents)Union City (67,464 residents)Palo Alto (67,237 residents)South San Francisco (64,305 residents)Gilroy (59,004 residents)Cupertino (58,566 residents)Newark (46,903 residents)Morgan Hill (45,425 residents)Campbell (42,781 residents)San Bruno (42,307 residents)Pacifica (37,261 residents)Foster City (32,792 residents)Los Gatos (32,786 residents)Menlo Park (32,727 residents)Los Altos (30,698 residents)Burlingame (30,525 residents)Saratoga (30,319 residents)San Carlos (29,614 residents)East Palo Alto (29,069 residents)Belmont (27,337 residents)Millbrae (22,689 residents)Half Moon Bay (11,391 residents)Los Altos Hills (8,377 residents)Atherton (6,993 residents)Brisbane (4,692 residents)Mountain View (2,418 residents)
Map of California: the 145 cities

Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.

Open the sortable tables of all 145 cities →

By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.

Los Angeles#1
3,857,263population
145cities ranked

Ranking

CITY (145 largest of California) Official statistics Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year (via Census Reporter) · Data: ACS 2020–2024

Among the 145 places in California, Los Angeles has the most residents (3,857,263), followed by San Diego and San Jose. Click any column to sort; click a city for its guide.

What the ranking shows

Across the 145 places in California that we cover, the median is 102,596 and the average 170,355; the figure runs from 3,857,263 (Los Angeles) to 2,418 (Mountain View). That is a spread of 1595.2 times between the two ends.

How to use it

The first five are Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno. A high or low position is not good or bad on its own: size brings more employers and services but also longer commutes and more competition for housing. Use the Compare tab on each city page to see how two places differ across income, rent, commute and education, and check the county page for the local job market.

Sort:
# ⇅City ⇅County ⇅Population ⇅Median household income ⇅Median rent ⇅
1Los AngelesLos Angeles County3,857,263$81,939$1,933
2San DiegoSan Diego County1,389,526$108,077$2,313
3San JoseSanta Clara County990,138$146,427$2,669
4San FranciscoSan Francisco County830,235$140,970$2,476
5FresnoFresno County545,970$70,991$1,421
6SacramentoSacramento County528,706$87,321$1,779
7Long BeachLos Angeles County455,548$87,430$1,871
8OaklandAlameda County439,418$101,600$1,979
9BakersfieldKern County411,986$80,540$1,472
10AnaheimOrange County344,521$95,227$2,175
11StocktonSan Joaquin County322,326$79,907$1,577
12RiversideRiverside County319,069$91,045$1,914
13Santa AnaOrange County312,534$93,999$2,082
14IrvineOrange County311,690$136,719$2,997
15Chula VistaSan Diego County276,375$108,032$2,229
16Santa ClaritaLos Angeles County230,221$123,062$2,544
17FremontAlameda County228,295$181,506$2,933
18San BernardinoSan Bernardino County222,724$67,415$1,508
19ModestoStanislaus County219,215$79,891$1,690
20FontanaSan Bernardino County214,169$102,821$1,839
21Moreno ValleyRiverside County211,666$93,222$2,135
22OxnardVentura County200,928$96,212$2,032
23Huntington BeachOrange County195,240$120,919$2,510
24GlendaleLos Angeles County190,748$88,393$2,182
25OntarioSan Bernardino County180,547$88,941$2,030
26Elk GroveSacramento County179,155$125,924$2,262
27Santa RosaSonoma County177,090$99,060$2,152
28Rancho CucamongaSan Bernardino County175,411$111,895$2,357
29OceansideSan Diego County172,242$97,737$2,303
30Garden GroveOrange County170,964$92,174$2,012
31LancasterLos Angeles County169,169$81,511$1,764
32PalmdaleLos Angeles County164,634$81,770$1,802
33SalinasMonterey County161,761$91,908$1,991
34CoronaRiverside County159,670$109,242$2,228
35HaywardAlameda County158,801$113,318$2,391
36RosevillePlacer County155,955$119,288$2,142
37SunnyvaleSanta Clara County154,236$186,170$3,039
38EscondidoSan Diego County149,668$91,967$2,046
39PomonaLos Angeles County147,943$79,479$1,810
40VisaliaTulare County143,939$81,989$1,490
41TorranceLos Angeles County142,130$116,217$2,280
42FullertonOrange County140,968$104,286$2,194
43OrangeOrange County138,266$117,113$2,327
44VictorvilleSan Bernardino County137,627$74,410$1,618
45PasadenaLos Angeles County136,969$105,192$2,265
46Santa ClaraSanta Clara County130,256$178,958$3,016
47Simi ValleyVentura County125,634$122,081$2,579
48Thousand OaksVentura County125,205$135,603$2,664
49ClovisFresno County124,725$99,241$1,792
50VallejoSolano County124,268$90,171$2,073
51ConcordContra Costa County124,035$108,709$2,274
52FairfieldSolano County120,785$101,895$2,266
53BerkeleyAlameda County120,257$108,092$2,133
54AntiochContra Costa County116,477$97,465$2,278
55RichmondContra Costa County115,505$95,391$1,960
56CarlsbadSan Diego County114,373$142,748$2,808
57MurrietaRiverside County112,064$114,081$2,388
58East Los Angeles (unincorporated)Los Angeles County111,647$68,741$1,494
59TemeculaRiverside County111,167$121,063$2,347
60DowneyLos Angeles County110,939$90,699$1,937
61Santa MariaSanta Barbara County110,462$84,746$1,925
62Costa MesaOrange County110,330$111,505$2,446
63MenifeeRiverside County110,305$93,454$2,110
64San Buenaventura (Ventura)Ventura County109,857$103,069$2,198
65West CovinaLos Angeles County107,037$101,065$2,245
66Jurupa ValleyRiverside County107,011$97,550$1,741
67El MonteLos Angeles County106,109$68,030$1,736
68InglewoodLos Angeles County104,569$72,750$1,787
69BurbankLos Angeles County104,546$97,082$2,192
70El CajonSan Diego County104,449$67,511$1,856
71RialtoSan Bernardino County104,143$88,857$1,759
72San MateoSan Mateo County103,105$153,504$3,077
73VacavilleSolano County102,596$111,126$2,299
74ChicoButte County102,188$66,977$1,488
75Daly CitySan Mateo County101,964$123,547$2,551
76HesperiaSan Bernardino County100,775$72,160$1,590
77NorwalkLos Angeles County99,789$100,085$2,090
78VistaSan Diego County99,114$94,975$2,249
79TracySan Joaquin County96,966$121,119$2,478
80Arden-Arcade (unincorporated)Sacramento County94,994$77,321$1,588
81San MarcosSan Diego County94,882$109,377$2,348
82ReddingShasta County93,409$70,466$1,379
83CarsonLos Angeles County92,871$108,703$1,956
84ComptonLos Angeles County92,698$78,465$1,664
85ChinoSan Bernardino County92,652$104,682$2,336
86Mission ViejoOrange County92,151$136,123$2,839
87MercedMerced County91,953$63,122$1,393
88IndioRiverside County91,950$77,167$1,437
89South GateLos Angeles County91,483$74,571$1,531
90HemetRiverside County91,326$57,719$1,575
91Santa MonicaLos Angeles County91,169$114,885$2,402
92WestminsterOrange County89,860$85,541$2,168
93MantecaSan Joaquin County89,043$97,055$2,065
94San LeandroAlameda County87,826$101,420$2,186
95Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara County87,779$106,182$2,413
96Citrus HeightsSacramento County86,995$82,314$1,827
97Lake ForestOrange County86,281$135,175$2,672
98WhittierLos Angeles County86,165$97,201$1,906
99San RamonContra Costa County85,993$196,161$2,968
100LivermoreAlameda County85,522$160,775$2,677
101HawthorneLos Angeles County85,191$75,848$1,782
102FolsomSacramento County83,916$139,804$2,352
103Newport BeachOrange County83,845$156,867$3,316
104Mountain ViewSanta Clara County83,732$189,917$3,062
105Buena ParkOrange County82,871$110,550$2,206
106Redwood CitySan Mateo County82,447$157,814$2,968
107Rancho CordovaSacramento County81,849$89,585$1,787
108AlhambraLos Angeles County81,022$88,024$1,939
109PerrisRiverside County80,511$88,911$1,876
110LakewoodLos Angeles County79,850$119,177$2,347
111UplandSan Bernardino County79,257$105,830$2,029
112TustinOrange County78,981$112,503$2,449
113MilpitasSanta Clara County78,578$178,798$3,120
114NapaNapa County78,239$105,963$2,282
115Chino HillsSan Bernardino County77,927$126,334$2,894
116AlamedaAlameda County77,238$137,697$2,474
117PleasantonAlameda County76,960$190,124$3,060
118Carmichael (unincorporated)Sacramento County76,948$85,914$1,702
119BellflowerLos Angeles County76,819$78,722$1,830
120PittsburgContra Costa County76,257$99,861$2,264
121Union CityAlameda County67,464$133,715$2,713
122Palo AltoSanta Clara County67,237$231,101$3,484
123South San FranciscoSan Mateo County64,305$136,578$2,802
124GilroySanta Clara County59,004$133,107$2,301
125CupertinoSanta Clara County58,566$234,707$3,501
126NewarkAlameda County46,903$169,064$2,776
127Morgan HillSanta Clara County45,425$163,920$2,474
128CampbellSanta Clara County42,781$145,268$2,737
129San BrunoSan Mateo County42,307$141,272$2,773
130PacificaSan Mateo County37,261$160,523$3,098
131Foster CitySan Mateo County32,792$199,143$3,501
132Los GatosSanta Clara County32,786$217,554$3,247
133Menlo ParkSan Mateo County32,727$210,025$3,239
134Los AltosSanta Clara County30,698$250,001$3,501
135BurlingameSan Mateo County30,525$174,000$2,785
136SaratogaSanta Clara County30,319$250,001$3,501
137San CarlosSan Mateo County29,614$237,470$2,854
138East Palo AltoSan Mateo County29,069$113,493$2,244
139BelmontSan Mateo County27,337$205,297$2,875
140MillbraeSan Mateo County22,689$163,476$3,272
141Half Moon BaySan Mateo County11,391$157,884$2,433
142Los Altos HillsSanta Clara County8,377$250,001$3,501
143AthertonSan Mateo County6,993$250,001$3,501
144BrisbaneSan Mateo County4,692$156,169$2,574
145Mountain View (unincorporated)Contra Costa County2,418$94,046$2,018

Other rankings for California

Cities With the Cheapest Rent · Cities With the Highest Household Income · Cities Where Rent Takes the Smallest Share of Income · Cities With the Lowest Unemployment · Cities in the Highest-Paying Counties · Most College-Educated Cities · Cities With the Most Homeowners · Cities With the Most Remote Work · Cities With the Shortest Commutes

Unincorporated places are census-designated places: they have no city government but are counted as communities. Figures describe the city itself.

FAQ

Which California city has the most residents?

Los Angeles, with 3,857,263 (among the 145 places; ACS 2020–2024).

How many cities are ranked?

The 145 places in California by population.

Sources

Sources

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