California is the largest state in the US in terms of population. With an area of about 163,700 square miles, it is also the third biggest state. The following is a list of the top 10 largest cities in California by population. Let’s read.
Key points
- Los Angeles is the most populous city in California. It is also the second most populous city in America after New York City.
- San Diego is the second most populous city in California. It is also the eighth most populous city in America.
- Sacramento, the capital of California is the sixth most populous city in the state.
- San Diego is the most populous border city in America. It is located near the US-Mexico international border.
- San Jose (Population rank in California – 3), San Francisco (Population rank – 4), and Oakland (Population rank – 8) are the three main cities of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Top 10 largest cities in California by population
Rank | City | Population (July 2023 estimate) |
---|---|---|
1 | Los Angeles | around 3.82 million |
2 | San Diego | around 1.39 million |
3 | San Jose | around 969,650 |
4 | San Francisco | around 809,000 |
5 | Fresno | around 545,700 |
6 | Sacramento | around 526,400 |
7 | Long Beach | around 449,450 |
8 | Oakland | around 436,500 |
9 | Bakersfield | around 413,400 |
10 | Anaheim | around 340,500 |
(Also read: The geography of California – landforms, cities, borders, etc.)


Read more