List of largest cities in California by population

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

This is a list of the 100 largest cities in the U.S. state of California ranked by population, based on estimates for July 1, 2022, by the United States Census Bureau.[1]

Note: The population figures are for the

urban areas, or counties. Also, the United States Census Bureau and the California Department of Finance
use different methods for estimating population, so state estimates will differ from those given here.

2022 rank[1] City Population
(2022 est.)[1]
County Image Description
1 Los Angeles 3,822,238 Los Angeles County Los Angeles is the largest city in
UCLA, USC, the Getty Center, and the Oscars
, among numerous others.
2 San Diego 1,381,162 San Diego County San Diego is California's second largest city and its southernmost major city. It is the hub of the .
3 San Jose 971,233 Santa Clara County San Jose is the largest city in
Apple Worldwide Developers Conference, and as home to organizations like the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, San Jose State University, and the University of Silicon Valley
.
4 San Francisco 808,437 San Francisco County San Francisco is a major economic, political, and cultural hub for
The Castro
. It is the second most densely populated major city in the country, after New York City.
5 Fresno 545,567 Fresno County Fresno, located in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, is the most populous city in Central California. Fresno is an important economic hub for one of the most productive agricultural areas in the world. It is the closest major city to Yosemite National Park and Sequoia National Park, as well as the home of California State University, Fresno.
6 Sacramento 528,001 Sacramento County Sacramento is the capital of California, as home to the
California Gold Rush. The city is the center of the Sacramento Valley metropolitan area and the northernmost large city in California. Apart from government, Sacramento is home to notable institutions like the NBA's Sacramento Kings, University of California, Davis (in nearby Davis, CA) and California State University, Sacramento
.
7 Long Beach 451,307 Los Angeles County Long Beach is a coastal city in the
California State University System
.
8 Oakland 430,553 Alameda County Oakland is the third-largest city in the
East Bay and home to notable institutions like the Oakland Museum of California, the Chabot Space and Science Center, the Oakland Athletics, and the headquarters of Kaiser Permanente and Clorox
, among others.
9 Bakersfield 410,647 Kern County Bakersfield is an important economic, political, and cultural hub for the southern San Joaquin Valley, as home to institutions like the California Living Museum, the Bakersfield Museum of Art, and California State University, Bakersfield. Bakersfield is the origin of the Bakersfield sound genre of country music and in close proximity to the Sequoia National Forest.
10 Anaheim 344,461 Orange County Anaheim is the most populous city in Orange County and second-largest in terms of land area. It is known for the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim), the Honda Center and the Anaheim Convention Center
.
11 Stockton 321,819 San Joaquin County Stockton is at the heart of the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta and is sometimes considered the boundary between the Sacramento Valley and the San Joaquin Valley. With a sea port on the San Joaquin River, it is an important agricultural and shipping center. Stockton is the home of the University of the Pacific.
12 Riverside 320,764 Riverside County Riverside is the most populous city of Southern California's Inland Empire region and the county seat of Riverside County. Riverside is the birthplace of California's citrus industry and home to California Baptist University and the University of California, Riverside (UCR). Its downtown is home to the Mission Inn, one of two historic landmark hotels in California.
13 Irvine 313,685 Orange County Irvine is a
planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Irvine is home to the University of California, Irvine
(UCI) and other educational institutions as well as several corporations, particularly in the technology sector.
14 Santa Ana 308,189 Orange County Santa Ana is the county seat of Orange County and home to the famous
Discovery Science Center
.
15 Chula Vista 279,170 San Diego County A
Sesame Place San Diego theme park, and the Living Coast Discovery Center
.
16 Fremont 223,871 Alameda County Fremont was created as a single city in 1956, from the unification of several unincorporated communities that had historically been small but grew rapidly in the years after
Tesla Factory
, producing electric cars.
17 Santa Clarita 221,345 Los Angeles County Santa Clarita was incorporated in 1987 as the union of the unincorporated communities of Canyon Country, Newhall, Saugus, and Valencia. The city is home to places of higher education such as California Institute of the Arts, The Master's University and College of the Canyons, and the corporate headquarters of Princess Cruises. Six Flags Magic Mountain lies immediately west of the city.
18 San Bernardino 220,328 San Bernardino County San Bernardino is the second-largest city in the
San Bernardino County, the largest county in geographic area in the 48 contiguous states. San Bernardino is home to California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) and a number of corporations in addition to the San Bernardino International Airport. San Bernardino is the gateway to the San Bernardino Mountains
, including its ski resorts and numerous lakes.
19 Modesto 218,069 Stanislaus County Modesto is in the center of the Central Valley east of San Francisco and south of the capital Sacramento. The city is surrounded by fertile farmland. The city is growing rapidly due to affordable housing in the area and is quickly becoming a bedroom community for commuters to Sacramento, Fresno, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
20 Fontana 212,475 San Bernardino County Founded in 1913, Fontana remained rural until a
California Speedway
.
21 Moreno Valley 211,924 Riverside County Incorporated in 1984, Moreno Valley lies 65 miles (105 km) east of downtown Los Angeles, just north of Lake Perris. The city is adjacent to the March Air Reserve Base and is a regional center for the warehousing and distribution industries.
22 Oxnard 200,415 Ventura County Oxnard is one of only a few cities in the state that is the largest in its county, but not the county seat. It is an important agricultural center, with its distinction as the strawberry and lima bean capital of California. Oxnard has a scenic, relatively uncrowded coastline.
23 Huntington Beach 194,310 Orange County Huntington Beach is an Orange County coastal city best known for its 8.5-mile (13.7 km) beach. It is often referred to as "Surf City" due to its long association with the sport of surfing.
24 Glendale 189,221 Los Angeles County Glendale is the focal point of the
Armenian-American community. Glendale is home to institutions such as DreamWorks Animation, Forest Lawn Memorial Park, and Glendale Community College, as well as two large shopping centers: the Americana at Brand and the Glendale Galleria
.
25 Ontario 179,061 San Bernardino County Ontario is a principal city of the Inland Empire area of California, home to Ontario International Airport and the region's largest shopping mall, Ontario Mills. It is also home to Toyota Arena, the largest indoor arena in the Inland Empire.
26 Elk Grove 177,558 Sacramento County Elk Grove was a small rural suburb of Sacramento until the housing boom of the 1990s and 2000s. Between the decades, the population has increased from around 50,000 to more than 175,000 inhabitants, resulting in the city becoming the most populous suburb of the Sacramento region. About 15 miles (24 km) south of downtown Sacramento, Elk Grove has emerged as a popular place for young families to live and commute to the job centers of the area.
27 Santa Rosa 177,181 Sonoma County Santa Rosa is the largest city in California's
Redwood Empire. The county seat of Sonoma County since 1854, it grew as a center of agriculture, shipping, and industry. It is still an important local center of business and tourism. The city actually suffered the most destruction of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, which destroyed Santa Rosa's entire downtown. Notable residents have included famed horticulturalist Luther Burbank and Peanuts cartoonist Charles M. Schulz
.
28 Rancho Cucamonga 176,336 San Bernardino County Rancho Cucamonga was incorporated in 1977, as a result of a vote among the residents of the
Money's "Best Places to Live in America 2006".[3] It is home to Chaffey College and the Victoria Gardens
shopping and civic center.
29 Oceanside 172,199 San Diego County The largest city in San Diego's
Mission San Luis Rey
.
30 Garden Grove 169,254 Orange County Garden Grove is home to the second-largest
Crystal Cathedral
.
31 Lancaster 169,185 Los Angeles County Lancaster started as a stop on the Union Pacific Railroad, and has grown into the fifth-largest city in Los Angeles County. It began as a small farming community, and has since acquired a large and prosperous technology-driven sub-culture. Located in "Aerospace Valley", it has always been on the cutting edge of technology, and is now aiming to become the nation's first net-zero city.[citation needed]
32 Palmdale 163,463 Los Angeles County Commonly referred to as the "Aerospace Capital of America", Palmdale is the birthplace of the
Lockheed L-1011 Tristar, and many other aircraft that have been used in the United States Air Force, NASA
and air forces and airlines around the world. It is the sixth largest city in Los Angeles County and one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States.
33 Salinas 161,020 Monterey County Salinas is the most populous city in the
Nobel Laureate John Steinbeck
.
34 Corona 159,567 Riverside County Corona, located in the western part of Southern California's
Monster Beverage Corporation, Watson Pharmaceuticals, and West Coast Customs (featured on MTV's Pimp My Ride
).
35 Hayward 156,754 Alameda County Hayward was an historic salt and agricultural processing center. Sea salt brands produced in Hayward were Oliver Brothers and Leslie Salt. In food processing, Hunt Brothers' Cannery (later Hunt-Wesson Foods) produced canned and bottled tomato products, as well as canned peaches, apricots, and fruit cocktail. Since 1957, it has been the home of California State University, East Bay.
36 Roseville 154,817 Placer County Roseville is a suburb of Sacramento. It is very family oriented with many parks, bike trails, and water parks, and in 2006 it was named the healthiest city in America. Roseville is known for its high-end shopping including the Fountains at Roseville and the Westfield Galleria at Roseville (one of the biggest malls in northern California).
37 Sunnyvale 153,091 Santa Clara County Part of Silicon Valley, Sunnyvale is home to several large tech company headquarters such as AMD and Yahoo!.
38 Escondido 150,270 San Diego County Escondido is situated in San Diego's North County region, bordering the cities of San Diego and San Marcos. The city is home to Dixon Lake, Stone Brewing Co., the North County Mall, and the Queen Califia's Magical Circle sculpture garden.
39 Pomona 146,017 Los Angeles County Pomona is located between the
Los Angeles County Fair, the largest county fair in the United States. It is home to the second-largest polytechnic university in the United States, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
.
40 Visalia 143,966 Tulare County Visalia is the county seat of Tulare County and the oldest city between Stockton and Los Angeles. It is located at the gateway to Sequoia National Park.
41 Torrance 141,126 Los Angeles County Torrance is situated 11 miles (18 km) south of
Los Angeles County.[4]
42 Fullerton 140,541 Orange County Historically, Fullerton was a center of agriculture, petroleum extraction, transportation, and manufacturing. It is home to several educational institutions, notably the California State University, Fullerton and Fullerton College. It is also home to St. Jude Medical Center.
43 Victorville 137,221 San Bernardino County Victorville is located in the
Victor Valley, at the southwestern edge of the Mojave Desert. It is the site of the Southern California Logistics Airport, formerly George Air Force Base
before it was converted to civilian use.
44 Orange 136,178 Orange County Unusual for cities in Orange County, Orange preserved many of its homes that were built prior to the 1960s, now located in the city's Old Towne District. Orange is the home of Chapman University. It is also the home of Children's Hospital of Orange County, Santiago Canyon College, and The Outlets at Orange.
45 Pasadena 134,211 Los Angeles County Pasadena is famous for hosting the annual
Art Center College of Design, and the California Institute of Technology
.
46 Santa Clara 126,930 Santa Clara County Santa Clara is located in the center of
NVIDIA, Agilent Technologies, and many other high-tech companies. It also is home to one of the largest theme parks in northern California, California's Great America, and to Levi's Stadium, a football stadium that currently serves as the home of the National Football League's San Francisco 49ers
.
47 Clovis 124,556 Fresno County Clovis is the second-largest city in Fresno County. Lying at the foot of the
Sierra Nevada mountain range, which includes Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia
national parks, Clovis has been known as the "Gateway to the Sierras".
48 Simi Valley 124,398 Ventura County Simi Valley is a
valley of the same name. It is the site of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. The city is also home to the Brandeis-Bardin Institute, and various parks and hiking trails are located in the Simi Hills
nearby.
49 Thousand Oaks 124,265 Ventura County Thousand Oaks is the largest city in the
master-planned community with balance of housing, shopping, businesses, and higher education, all surrounded by thousands of acres of open space. It is home to California Lutheran University. Thousand Oaks has consistently ranked as one of the safest cities in America.[5]
50 Vallejo 123,564 Solano County Vallejo was home of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, one of the most important naval shipyards in the country, from the 1850s until its closure in the 1990s. It was very briefly the capital of California in 1852. It is the largest city in Solano County, and the home of Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.
51 Concord 122,625 Contra Costa County Concord is a major regional suburban
East Bay center within the San Francisco Bay Area. The former Concord Naval Weapons Station
was located to the north of the city.
52 Fairfield 119,338 Solano County Fairfield is the county seat of Solano County, but not the largest city in the county, which is Vallejo. It is the home of Travis Air Force Base and the Jelly Belly jelly bean factory.
53 Berkeley 118,950 Alameda County Noted as one of the most politically liberal cities in the nation, Berkeley is home to the University of California, Berkeley, the oldest campus of the University of California system.
54 Antioch 115,264 Contra Costa County Located along the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta and known as "The Gateway to the Delta", Antioch is a suburb of San Francisco, Oakland, and the rest of the San Francisco Bay Area. The town has seen an enormous amount of growth in the last 30 years, as the population of the Bay Area continues to grow, and real estate prices force families to move towards the outskirts of the Bay Area. In fact, it is located close enough to the Sacramento Metropolitan area that it can be seen to serve as a suburb of both Sacramento and the Bay Area.
55 Richmond 114,301 Contra Costa County Richmond is located in western Contra Costa County along the eastern shores of San Francisco Bay. It has been called a company town based on its relationship with the Chevron Corporation, and it is the site of the Chevron Richmond Refinery.
56 Carlsbad 114,160 San Diego County Carlsbad is an affluent, coastal resort city in the
McClellan-Palomar Airport, the Gemological Institute of America, and the Legoland California
theme park.
57 Murrieta 113,783 Riverside County Murrieta has become one of the fastest-growing cities in the Inland Empire. It is largely a bedroom community, with many of its residents commuting to jobs in the neighboring city of Temecula as well as San Diego, Orange, and Los Angeles counties. The city lies just beneath the Santa Rosa Plateau.
58 Temecula 111,752 Riverside County Forming the southwestern anchor of the Inland Empire region, Temecula is home to the Pechanga Resort & Casino and the Temecula Valley wine region, featuring more than 40 wineries.
59 Santa Maria 110,125 Santa Barbara County Santa Maria, the largest city in Santa Barbara County, is in the heart of the
Santa Maria-style barbecue. The Santa Maria Inn and the Santa Maria Public Airport are landmarks found in the city. Allan Hancock College
is a public community college located in the city.
60 Downey 109,934 Los Angeles County Located southeast of downtown Los Angeles, Downey is the birthplace of the Apollo space program and the site of the oldest surviving McDonald's restaurant.
61 Ventura 109,527 Ventura County Ventura, officially the City of San Buenaventura, is the county seat of Ventura County. The city is home to the
Channel Islands
depart from there daily.
62 Costa Mesa 109,521 Orange County Since its incorporation in 1953, Costa Mesa has grown from a semi-rural farming community to a primarily suburban city with an economy based on retail, commerce, and light manufacturing. Costa Mesa is home to South Coast Plaza, one of the largest shopping malls in the United States, as well as the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
63 Menifee 109,399 Riverside County Menifee, located in southwestern Riverside County, incorporated in 2008. Largely residential in character, it is home to the
Sun City retirement community and also encompasses the communities of Quail Valley, Paloma Valley, and portions of Romoland
.
64 Jurupa Valley 107,609 Riverside County Jurupa Valley, California's newest city to date, was incorporated July 1, 2011, formed from several unincorporated communities including Mira Loma, Glen Avon, Pedley, Rubidoux, and Sunnyslope. The city is home to the Jensen Alvarado Ranch historic park and museum.
65 El Monte 105,312 Los Angeles County El Monte lies in the San Gabriel Valley region and was formerly a crossroad along the Old Spanish Trail. It is home to Penske Motor Group, one of the largest car dealerships in the world.
66 West Covina 105,013 Los Angeles County West Covina is a mostly middle-class suburb located east of downtown Los Angeles in the eastern San Gabriel Valley.
67 El Cajon 104,414 San Diego County El Cajon is located east of San Diego. Nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains, the city has acquired the nickname of "The Big Box".[6] The city is home to Grossmont College and Gillespie Field.
68 Burbank 103,920 Los Angeles County Burbank is nicknamed the "Media Capital of the World".
69 Inglewood 103,621 Los Angeles County Located southwest of downtown Los Angeles, Inglewood is home to the world-famous .
70 Rialto 103,545 San Bernardino County Rialto is home to three major regional
Staples, Inc., which serves stores across the entire West Coast of the United States, FedEx, and Target
.
71 Vacaville 101,918 Solano County Vacaville is located nearly halfway between Sacramento and San Francisco. It is home to several biotechnology/pharmaceutical facilities.
72 Chico 101,299 Butte County Chico is the largest city north of Sacramento and the retail hub of the mid-Sacramento Valley. It is home to
California State University Chico, and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
.
73 San Mateo 100,984 San Mateo County
SurveyMonkey, Devsisters USA, and GoPro
.
74 Hesperia 100,744 San Bernardino County Hesperia is located in the High Desert region of the Mojave Desert, 25 miles (40 km) north of San Bernardino.
75 Daly City 100,007 San Mateo County San Francisco's southern neighbor, Daly City houses the famous Cow Palace (which is often believed to be in San Francisco), as well as the largest Filipino population outside of the Philippines.
76 Norwalk 98,537 Los Angeles County Norwalk is a Gateway City located southeast of downtown Los Angeles. Norwalk is the home of Cerritos College and the Los Angeles County Registrar/Recorder.
77 Vista 97,766 San Diego County Vista is located just 7 miles (11 km) inland from the Pacific Ocean in northern San Diego County. The city has more than 25 educational institutions, and a business park home to over 800 companies.
78 Tracy 97,328 San Joaquin County Tracy is the second most populated city in San Joaquin County. The city experienced a growth spurt in the 1980s, becoming an exurb of the San Francisco Bay Area as more people looked for a more affordable alternative to Bay Area home prices and a less hectic lifestyle.
79 San Marcos 94,854 San Diego County San Marcos is a North County suburb of San Diego and home of the two-year
California State University, San Marcos. The Lake San Marcos
resort community is surrounded by the city of San Marcos.
80 Chino 93,140 San Bernardino County Chino and its surroundings have long been a center of agriculture and dairy farming, serving the considerable demands for milk products in Southern California and much of the southwestern United States. Prado Regional Park is located in the southern portion of the city.
81 Redding 92,906 Shasta County Located on the banks of the Sacramento River, Redding is the second-largest city in California north of Sacramento (having been surpassed by Chico). It is the gateway to numerous recreation areas including Shasta Lake, the Trinity Alps, and Mount Shasta. It is also home to the Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay, the world's largest sundial.
82 Carson 92,328 Los Angeles County Carson is a suburb in the
Los Angeles Galaxy and the National Football League's Los Angeles Chargers
.
83 Compton 91,988 Los Angeles County An inner suburb of Los Angeles, Compton is known for its large
African American and Latino communities. The city is home to Richland Farms, one of the last urban farming communities in the Los Angeles metro area, and is also almost universally considered to be the birthplace of gangsta rap
.
84 Indio 91,980 Riverside County Indio is located in the
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
.
85 Mission Viejo 91,776 Orange County Located in southern Orange County in the Saddleback Valley, Mission Viejo is considered one of the largest master-planned communities ever built under a single project in the United States. The city is mainly residential, although there are a number of offices and businesses within its city limits, as well as a shopping mall known as The Shops at Mission Viejo.
86 Merced 91,563 Merced County Merced, known as the "Gateway to Yosemite", is located in Central California. The University of California, Merced campus is located northeast of the city.
87 South Gate 90,926 Los Angeles County Located southeast of downtown Los Angeles, South Gate is part of the Gateway Cities region of Los Angeles County. In 1990, South Gate was one of ten U.S. communities to receive the All-America City Award from the National Civic League.[8]
88 Hemet 90,689 Riverside County Hemet, in the San Jacinto Valley, is the home of the Ramona Pageant, one of the longest running outdoor plays in the United States. Hemet is also the home of the Western Science Center, the Hemet-Ryan Airport, and the Diamond Valley Reservoir.
89 Santa Monica 89,947 Los Angeles County Santa Monica, a famed beachfront city surrounded on three sides by Los Angeles, is home to a mixture of affluent, single-family neighborhoods, renters, surfers, young professionals, and students. It is the site of the world-famous Santa Monica Pier and the headquarters of several companies such as Universal Music Group, Activision Blizzard, and the RAND Corporation.
90 Westminster 89,397 Orange County Westminster is known for its
Vietnamese American
community, one of the largest in the United States.
91 Santa Barbara 87,533 Santa Barbara County Santa Barbara is a popular tourist and resort coastal city, known for its Spanish style architecture, coastal weather, beautiful mountain backdrops, and numerous sandy beaches. The University of California, Santa Barbara campus sits west of the city, adjacent to Isla Vista and the Pacific Ocean.
92 Manteca 86,928 San Joaquin County Manteca (
Interstate 5 and State Route 99. The city has experienced rapid growth since the 1980s as a result of families and commuters moving out of the Bay Area
located 30 miles to the west.
93 San Leandro 86,762 Alameda County Historically a town with dozens of huge cherry farms and a Spanish missionary ranch, San Leandro today is a rapidly growing city of worldwide industries and a suburb of Oakland.
94 Citrus Heights 86,433 Sacramento County Citrus Heights is a suburb located northeast of Sacramento. It is home to the Sunrise Mall.
95 San Ramon 85,953 Contra Costa County San Ramon is a city located in the San Ramon Valley, 34 miles (55 km) east of San Francisco. It is home to several company headquarters such as Chevron, The Cooper Companies, 24 Hour Fitness, the West Coast headquarters of AT&T, and GE Digital.
96 Lake Forest 85,638 Orange County Lake Forest, in inland Orange County, is primarily suburban in character. The community of
Foothill Ranch
is located in Lake Forest.
97 Livermore 84,701 Alameda County Located on the eastern edge of San Francisco Bay Area, Livermore is home of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the Centennial Light. It is the largest city in the Tri-Valley area.
98 Hawthorne 84,563 Los Angeles County Hawthorne is a suburb of Los Angeles. It was the home of Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson of the
Beach Boys. Their boyhood home was demolished in the late 1980s during the construction of the Century Freeway
, although it was honored by the dedication of the Beach Boys Historic Landmark (California Landmark 1041) in May 2005.
99 Whittier 84,496 Los Angeles County Whittier is part of the Gateway Cities of Los Angeles County and is home to Whittier College.
100 Newport Beach 83,993 Orange County Newport Beach is an affluent coastal city in Orange County, known for its beaches and surfing. The city is home to several companies, such as
The Irvine Company, as well as high-end shopping destinations such as the Fashion Island
mall. The city is also home to Newport Harbor, the largest recreational boat harbor on the West Coast.

Map

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in California: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  2. ^ Roger Vincent and Adrian G. Uribarri (November 25, 2006). "Getting the masses in the mood". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  3. ^ "MONEY Magazine: Best places to live 2006: Rancho Cucamonga, CA snapshot". CNN. Archived from the original on 2011-12-01. Retrieved 2011-12-11.
  4. ^ "About Torrance". Archived from the original on 2009-02-07. Retrieved 2009-04-07. City of Torrance website, About Torrance
  5. .
  6. ^ "El Cajon city history". Archived from the original on June 13, 2007.[dead link]
  7. ^ "Burbank, Ca. – Media Capital of the World". Travel America. 20 April 2007. Archived from the original on 10 September 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  8. ^ "All-America City: Past Winners". Archived from the original on July 7, 2010.[dead link]