Honestly, if you listen to the news lately, you’d think California was a ghost town in the making. People love to talk about the "California Exodus" like it’s some kind of biblical event. But here’s the thing: despite the headlines about everyone moving to Texas or Idaho, the Golden State is still massive. Like, remarkably massive.
As of early 2026, the question of how many people are living in California has a pretty staggering answer. According to the latest estimates from the California Department of Finance and recent U.S. Census Bureau trends, there are approximately 39.5 to 39.7 million people calling California home.
It’s a number that’s hard to wrap your head around. To put it in perspective, that’s more people than the entire country of Canada. If California were its own nation, it would be one of the most populous on the planet. But the story isn't just about the raw total; it's about the weird, shifting energy of who is staying, who is going, and why the "decline" everyone keeps screaming about is actually starting to level off.
The Rollercoaster: Growth, Dip, and the 2026 Bounce Back
For decades, California was the land of "more." More people, more houses, more traffic. Then 2020 hit, and for the first time in basically forever, the state’s population actually shrank. It was a weird moment. Between July 2020 and 2022, the state lost over 300,000 people.
But you've gotta look at the 2024 and 2025 data to see the real picture. In 2024, the state grew by about 108,000 people. By July 2025, the Department of Finance reported another slight uptick of about 19,200 residents. We're currently in a phase of "slow and steady" rather than "fast and furious."
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What’s driving this? It's a mix of things:
- International Migration: This is the big one. After the pandemic travel bans lifted, people started moving back from overseas. In 2024 alone, California saw a net gain of about 260,000 international migrants—the highest since 2018.
- Natural Increase: This is just a fancy way of saying "more babies than funerals." Even though birth rates are lower than they used to be, California still adds about 100,000+ people a year just through new births.
- The Exit Door: Yes, people are still leaving for other states. About 216,000 more people moved out of California to other U.S. states than moved in during the 2024-2025 period.
Where is Everyone Hiding?
If you're stuck in traffic on the 405 in LA or the 101 in the Bay Area, you're probably wondering where the "decline" is. The truth is, the population isn't evenly spread. It’s bunching up in new places.
Coastal cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles have felt the "exodus" the most. Since 2020, San Francisco’s population dropped by nearly 7%. Los Angeles County, which is home to about 9.7 million people, has also seen a slight dip. But then you look inland, and it's a totally different world.
The Inland Empire and Central Valley Boom
While the coast cools off, places like Riverside County are exploding. Riverside has seen growth rates as high as 14% in recent years. Why? Basically, because you can actually afford a backyard there. People are trading a 20-minute commute in Santa Monica for a three-bedroom house in Temecula or Fresno.
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It's a massive internal migration. We’re seeing a "hollowing out" of the middle class in the expensive coastal hubs, while the Inland Empire and parts of the Central Valley become the new California heartland.
The Demographic Flip: Who Actually Lives Here?
The makeup of how many people are living in California is changing in ways that will define the next fifty years. For starters, California is a "minority-majority" state, and that’s only becoming more pronounced.
- Latino Growth: Latinos make up about 40% of the population. By 2030, they are expected to be nearly 41%, and they already represent over half of the state’s youth.
- Asian Immigration: Since 2006, more people have moved to California from Asia than from Latin America. This group is heavily represented in the tech and healthcare sectors.
- The Aging Grays: Like the rest of the country, California is getting older. By 2030, people over 65 will outnumber children for the first time in the state's history.
This aging population is a bit of a ticking clock. It means fewer people in the workforce and more demand for healthcare. It's one of the reasons the state is so desperate to keep attracting young, skilled workers, even as housing prices try to push them out.
The "Cost of Living" Elephant in the Room
You can't talk about California's population without talking about the rent. It’s the single biggest reason people pack their bags. Honestly, when the median home price in many areas is north of $800,000, "The California Dream" starts to feel more like a "California Debt."
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The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) found that nearly half of residents consider housing affordability their top concern. It's not just low-income families leaving anymore. We're seeing "high-income flight"—engineers, lawyers, and tech workers who realized they could work remotely from a mansion in Vegas for the price of a condo in San Jose.
Is the "Exodus" Over?
Not exactly, but it's changed. The massive spike in people leaving during 2020-2022 was a bit of an anomaly. It was fueled by remote work suddenly becoming a thing and a lot of pent-up desire to find more space.
Now, in 2026, things are stabilizing. The state is still the fourth-largest economy in the world. As long as there are jobs in AI, entertainment, and green energy, people will keep coming. The "New Normal" for California is likely a plateau. We’ll probably hover between 39 and 40 million for a long time.
What You Should Do Next
If you're looking at these numbers and wondering what they mean for your life or business, here are a few reality-based steps to take:
- Look Inland for Investment: If you're a real estate investor or looking to buy a home, the growth isn't on the coast anymore. Focus on the "Path of Progress" in the Inland Empire (Riverside/San Bernardino) or the Central Valley (Stockton/Fresno).
- Plan for an Aging Market: If you're in business, realize that the "senior" demographic is about to be your biggest customer base. From healthcare to specialized housing, the "Silver Tsunami" is real.
- Monitor Remote Work Policies: If you're considering a move, keep a close eye on "Return to Office" mandates. The recent stabilizing of the population suggests that the "work from anywhere" gold rush is slowing down as companies pull people back to hubs like Irvine and Palo Alto.
- Track State Budget Changes: Fewer people (or slower growth) means less tax revenue. Keep an eye on how the state handles infrastructure and schools in the coming years; we might see more targeted local taxes to make up for the slower population growth.
California isn't dying. It's just evolving. It's getting older, more diverse, and a lot more expensive—but with nearly 40 million people still here, the Golden State is a long way from being empty.