Most Populated Cities in California
Cities ranked by total population · 50 cities · Updated 2026-04-05
This ranking shows the most populated cities in California based on data from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. All 50 cities are sorted by total population from highest to lowest. Los Angeles leads the ranking with a value of 3,857,897 and a population of 3,857,897.
The top three cities are Los Angeles (3,857,897), San Diego (1,385,061), and San Jose (990,054). Data is updated nightly from official Census APIs. Click any city name to view its full demographic profile, or see the national most populated cities ranking to compare across all 50 states. You can also explore all cities in California.
| Rank | City | Value | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Los Angeles | 3,857,897 | 3,857,897 |
| #2 | San Diego | 1,385,061 | 1,385,061 |
| #3 | San Jose | 990,054 | 990,054 |
| #4 | San Francisco | 836,321 | 836,321 |
| #5 | Fresno | 543,615 | 543,615 |
| #6 | Sacramento | 524,802 | 524,802 |
| #7 | Long Beach | 458,491 | 458,491 |
| #8 | Oakland | 438,072 | 438,072 |
| #9 | Bakersfield | 408,366 | 408,366 |
| #10 | Anaheim | 344,553 | 344,553 |
| #11 | Stockton | 320,470 | 320,470 |
| #12 | Riverside | 316,241 | 316,241 |
| #13 | Santa Ana | 311,639 | 311,639 |
| #14 | Irvine | 308,160 | 308,160 |
| #15 | Chula Vista | 275,030 | 275,030 |
| #16 | Santa Clarita | 229,021 | 229,021 |
| #17 | Fremont | 228,518 | 228,518 |
| #18 | San Bernardino | 221,774 | 221,774 |
| #19 | Modesto | 218,614 | 218,614 |
| #20 | Fontana | 211,921 | 211,921 |
| #21 | Moreno Valley | 210,378 | 210,378 |
| #22 | Oxnard | 201,014 | 201,014 |
| #23 | Huntington Beach | 196,010 | 196,010 |
| #24 | Glendale | 192,270 | 192,270 |
| #25 | Ontario | 178,347 | 178,347 |
| #26 | Elk Grove | 177,221 | 177,221 |
| #27 | Santa Rosa | 177,216 | 177,216 |
| #28 | Rancho Cucamonga | 174,693 | 174,693 |
| #29 | Oceanside | 172,542 | 172,542 |
| #30 | Garden Grove | 170,603 | 170,603 |
| #31 | Lancaster | 170,013 | 170,013 |
| #32 | Palmdale | 165,487 | 165,487 |
| #33 | Salinas | 161,993 | 161,993 |
| #34 | Hayward | 159,201 | 159,201 |
| #35 | Corona | 158,839 | 158,839 |
| #36 | Sunnyvale | 153,455 | 153,455 |
| #37 | Roseville | 152,438 | 152,438 |
| #38 | Escondido | 149,913 | 149,913 |
| #39 | Pomona | 148,391 | 148,391 |
| #40 | Torrance | 143,499 | 143,499 |
| #41 | Visalia | 142,649 | 142,649 |
| #42 | Fullerton | 141,278 | 141,278 |
| #43 | Orange | 138,723 | 138,723 |
| #44 | Pasadena | 136,462 | 136,462 |
| #45 | Victorville | 135,983 | 135,983 |
| #46 | Santa Clara | 129,239 | 129,239 |
| #47 | Simi Valley | 125,769 | 125,769 |
| #48 | Thousand Oaks | 125,676 | 125,676 |
| #49 | Vallejo | 124,637 | 124,637 |
| #50 | Concord | 124,260 | 124,260 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What city has the most populated in California?
Los Angeles ranks #1 for most populated cities in California with a value of 3,857,897 and a population of 3,857,897.
How many cities are ranked for most populated cities in California?
There are 50 cities ranked for most populated cities in California. Rankings are based on data from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
How does California compare to other states for most populated cities?
You can compare California's city rankings to other states or view the national ranking at our national most populated cities page, which lists the top 100 cities across all 50 states.