The population of California has increased for the second consecutive year, a large part of growth coming to the largest cities in the state, according to new data from the California Department of Finance published Thursday.
The latest figures for the 2024 calendar year confirm the end of the so-called California exodus which saw the population of Golden State shrink for the first time in decades.
Seven of the 10 largest cities in the state recorded demographic growth when they bounced back from the narrowing of the era of the pandemic, which has reached the hardest in most of the state urban centers.
At the end of 2024, the population of the State almost overshadowed its pre-Pandemic peak, but was still about 9,000 people under the high water brand from April 2020, reflecting slow growth in the years since then.
From April 2020 to January 2022, the state lost some 360,000 residents, according to California Department of Finance data. California added around 108,000 people in 2024 after adding nearly 200,000 in 2023. If growth continues, the state should eclipse its pre-Pandemic population figure in 2025.
“People from across the country and the world come to Golden State to continue California’s dream, where rights are protected and people are respected,” Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement. “As the fourth largest economy in the world – from the interior Empire to the Bay region – California regions develop, strengthen local communities and stimulate the future of our state.”
“We will continue to reduce the band, invest in people and seek real results of the government to make sure that we rely on this momentum – which are all in danger with extreme and uncertain prices,” said Newsom.
The largest population winners were Bakersfield, who increased by 1.2% in 2024, and San Diego, which increased by 1%. Los Angeles increased by 0.4%.
In the Bay region, San Jose and San Francisco have seen their populations contract slightly – each of half a percentage -point.
The natural increase, or the difference between births and deaths, was responsible for a gain of 114,805 people in 2024, but the population of the state increased only by 108,000 in total. The difference is explained by California’s net migration of around 7,000 people.
In recent years, California has recorded more people leaving for other states such as Texas and Arizona than internal migration. International immigrants, who now come mainly from Asia, strengthen the population of the state against the loss of those who leave for other states.
On the housing front, the slow growth of the state continued: housing increased by 0.84% in 2024, a figure similar to 2023, which has taken many other states. New houses out of five built in 2024 in California were the accessory, or adus residential units.
California Daily Newspapers
