Population of California

Analysis# California Population Analysis California's population of 39.2 million in 2024 maintains its position as the nation's most populous state, though its 5.22% growth over the past decade reflects a significant deceleration compared to historical trends. The state's peak growth occurred in the 1930s, a period that captured the massive migration waves preceding and during the Great Depression, whereas current growth rates suggest demographic maturation and increased out-migration pressures. At 124 years of data (1900–2024), California's trajectory reveals a state that transformed from a regional economy into a continental demographic powerhouse, though recent growth patterns indicate stabilization rather than the expansionary momentum that characterized the 20th