California ’s population climbed above 39.5 million in 2024, marking the second year of growth following a string of declines in the nation’s most populous state during the coronavirus pandemic.
The population rose an estimated 1%, adding 108,000 people compared to 2023, Gov. Gavin Newsom's office said Thursday. The increase is due in part to the number of births outpacing deaths and a boost in the number of adults 65 and older. The state said it also had better data to account for increases in legal immigration into the state from other countries.
