State Updates Population and Housing Data Estimates
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Data dump! The Department of Finance has released its annual population and housing estimates. The data include population changes among each of the 58 counties, including their cities and unincorporated areas.
According to the Department of Finance’s Demographics team, California’s population increased by 108,000 people in 2024. The state now estimates that California’s population is 39,529,000 residents as of January 1, 2025. At this rate, the state may finally reach the 40 million population mark by 2030.
The press release published today includes several dozen tables to communicate the significance of the updated information. This includes the annual percent change by jurisdiction for population and housing, the ten fastest growing counties by population and by housing unit growth, and more. The data are also available via an interactive online dashboard.
What does the state do with this information?
The Department of Finance’s annual population estimates are widely applied as the official benchmark for myriad state and local calculations, as well as the basis for population tiers for county implementation requirements for many programs (i.e., these population estimates are used to determine “small” counties, “medium” counites, and “large” counties referenceds in statute). This includes calculations for local streets and roads funding distribution (Highway Users Tax Account and Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account), Behavioral Health Services Act fund distribution, annual calculations by local agencies for the state appropriations limit (also known as the “Gann Limit”), and more.
Questions?
For questions about how the state calculates population and housing estimates, please contact the Department of Finance’s Demographics team at (916) 323-4086 or at fiscalpop@dof.ca.gov. For questions about county government administration or other specific policy issues, please contact Eric Lawyer, CSAC Legislative Advocate, at elawyer@counties.org.