SACRAMENTO – The Department of Finance (DOF) has released a report indicating significant increases in California populations, and Central Valley cities have ranked among the highest.
The report was released on May 1, and indicated a statewide population growth of 108,000 persons. This growth represents a 0.28% increase to reach a state population to 39,529,000 as of Jan. 1, 2025, and marks the second consecutive year of population growth since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Across California’s 58 counties, 35 of them saw increases, with the Central Valley showing the most growth alongside the Inland Empire and coastal counties. The city of Fresno maintained its spot in the statewide top 10 as the 5th largest city with a population of 557,032, and saw a growth of 0.9%. Fresno County as a whole saw an increase of 0.9% from 2024-2025, marking it the 10th largest county in the state, and the 3rd fastest-growing county in the state…