California sees third straight year of weak population growth

California’s population inched up just 0.05% between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025 — an increase of about 19,200 people — according to new estimates from the California Department of Finance. The state’s population now stands at 39.53 million.

The modest gain marks California’s third consecutive year of growth following pandemic-era declines, though it underscores how sharply expansion has slowed in a state long associated with rapid population increases. California has never lost more than 1% of its population, SFGate writes.

Growth was driven mainly by births and international immigration, while domestic outmigration continued to rise. About 216,000 residents moved to other US states from 2023 to 2024.

State officials warned that future growth may weaken further. International migration slowed sharply in 2024–2025 and humanitarian migration programs were largely terminated in 2025. At the same time, population gains increasingly depend on “natural increase” — births minus deaths — even as fertility rates fall and the population ages.

“With change in policy for international humanitarian migration and deaths returning to long-term trends, California is likely to experience slower growth over the coming several years,” the report said.

Regional trends varied. Population growth across the San Francisco Bay Area was flat overall. Marin County saw the steepest decline at –0.38%, while Napa County posted the strongest growth at 0.36%. San Francisco grew by 0.03%.

Los Angeles County, the state’s most populous, recorded a 0.29% decline, attributed partly to increased domestic migration following the Eaton and Palisades fires.

The fastest growth occurred in more rural areas. Yuba County, north of Sacramento, grew 0.73%, while Lassen County in northeastern California saw the largest drop, declining 1.61%.

By Sabina Mammadli