California: population and ages
39.4 million people lived in California on 1 July 2025, by the US Census Bureau’s estimate.
Half of them were younger than 38.7 years. For the United States as a whole, the median age was 39.4.
Since 1 July 2020, the population has fallen by 0.4%, or 172,499 people. The United States changed by +3.1% in the same years.
- Median age38.7
- Under 1820.8%
- 65 and over17.5%
- Rank by population1 of 51
- Change since 2020-0.4%
You in California
Choose California as your state, next to the United States, in Your life and in the age tools: your age among the people who live there, and the generations they belong to.
Population, 2010 to 2025
Estimates for 2010 to 2019 are based on the 2010 census, those from 2020 on the 2020 census. The Census Bureau does not join the two series, so part of any step between 2019 and 2020 comes from the new base, not from a change in population.
Ages
In 2025, 20.8% of the people in California were under 18 and 17.5% were 65 or older. For the United States: 21.1% and 18.9%.
Ages are counted up to 85 and over, and the median age is worked out from them.
