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Community Profiles Now Include More Places to Explore

We've enhanced the "Places" section of our Community Profiles to make it easier for you to discover popular nearby places.

California Gazetteer

California - Basic Information

Became a State: September 9, 1850 - 31st State
Population: 37,253,956 (2010 Census) - Ranks 1st
Land Area: 155,779.2 square miles - Ranks 3rd
Population Density: 239.1 persons per square mile - Ranks 11st
Housing Units: 13,680,081 (2010 Census)
Housing Unit Density: 87.8 housing units per square mile
July 1, 2024 Estimates: California Data and Demographics
State Capital: Sacramento
State Website: Official State of California Website
California State Flag
California state flag

Quick & Easy Ways to...

  1. Get Current Demographic Data for Cities, Towns, and ZIP Codes
  2. View Boundary Maps, for Cities, Towns, and ZIP Codes
  3. Locate Physical, Cultural, and Historical Features

Use HTL Address Research for a California Address and get...

Boundary Maps, Demographic Data, School Zones Review maps and data for the neighborhood, city, county, ZIP Code, and school zone. July 1, 2024, data includes home values, household income, percentage of homes owned, rented or vacant, etc.


California Neighborhood Explorer

NOTE: The BEST tool for researching a neighborhood is the HTL Address Research Tool (above). However, if you do not have an address, the California Neighborhood Explorer is the SECOND-BEST-TOOL to research a neighborhood (it provides a subset of the information that the Address Research Tool provides), but you can get a report by simply marking a spot on a map.

The California Neighborhood Explorer helps you to research any California neighborhood (census block group) and get home values, average household income, owner/renter/ occupancy rates, projected growth rates, boundary maps, comparisons to other communities, and much more.

Simply mark a spot on a state map and you'll have your results within 3-seconds!

California Neighborhood Explorer


California History

California State Flower
California State Flower - California Poppy

The United States acquired the area of California from Mexico in 1848, with generally the same boundary as the present state. The area of California was never organized as a territory, but was administered from 1848 to statehood by a federal military authority. California was admitted to the Union on September 9, 1850, as the 31st state.

Census data for California are available beginning with the 1850 census; however, the data for 1850 are incomplete because the questionnaires from Contra Costa and Santa Clara Counties were lost and those for San Francisco County were destroyed by fire. Some missing 1850 data have been supplanted by information obtained from a state census in 1852.

Data for the legally established state of California are available beginning with the 1850 census.

California Geographical Areas

See: Geographic Terms & Concepts

Counties & County Equivalents

Interactive Map of California Counties | Static Overview Map of California Counties

There are 58 counties in California.  The city and county of San Francisco have consolidated functions and is classified as a municipal government that operates primarily as a city.  All other counties are each governed by a board of supervisors. 


County Subdivisions

There are 397 county subdivisions in California. They are all census county divisions (CCDs), which are delineated for statistical purposes, have no legal function, and are not governmental units.

Places (Incorporated Cities, Towns & Census Designated Places (CDPs))

California State Bird
California State Bird - California Valley Quail

California has 1,523 places; 480 incorporated places and 1,043 census designated places (CDPs).  The incorporated places consist of 459 cities and 21 towns.  In California an incorporated place can legally exist only in a single county.

 
California Land & Properties for Sale

Click Here To Find Amazing Properties, Farms & Ranches Available Now in California.
 

Alphabetical List of Cities, Towns, CDPs and Other Populated Places
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q, R | S | T | U, V | W, X, Y, Z

California Civil Features

California Civil Features: Political Subdivisions, Native Areas, Land Grants, etc. - sorted by Census Class Codes.

Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas

There are 25 Metropolitan and 9 Micropolitan Statistical Areas in California. CA Metopolitan & Micropolitan Areas

California ZIP Code Tabulation Areas

There are 1,769 ZIP Code tabulation areas (ZCTAs) in California. View California ZIP Codes and ZIP Code Maps.

School Districts

California has 548 elementary school districts, 104 secondary school districts, and 335 unified school districts.  View California Public and Private Schools.

Congressional Districts

California has 53 congressional districts. An interactive map shows the contact information for each Representative as well as the boundaries for each California district. View Map of California Congressional Districts.

State Legislative Districts

There are 40 state senate districts and 80 assembly districts in California.

American Indian Areas

California has 108 federally recognized American Indian areas.  There are 104 reservations; 28 with off-reservation trust land in the state.  Two are trust lands only. The remaining two are tribal designated statistical areas (TDSAs). 

California Physical, Cultural and Historic Features

  1. California Physical Features such as lakes, islands, streams, valleys, summits, etc.
  2. California Cultural Features such as schools, churches, hospitals, parks, dams, reservoirs, etc.
  3. California Historical Features and California Historic Landmarks

California Maps

  • To find a ZIP Code: input the address in the top-left search box of any ZIP Code Map.
  • To find the County: input the address in the top-left search box of the interactive CA map.
  • To find the School Attendance Zone: input the address in the top-left search box of any CA school map

Quick & Easy Ways to...

  1. Get Current Demographic Data for Cities, Towns, and ZIP Codes
  2. View Boundary Maps, for Cities, Towns, and ZIP Codes
  3. Locate Physical, Cultural, and Historical Features

California Census Data Comparison Tool

Compare California July 1, 2024 Data
Data:
Locations:
Highest or Lowest:
Results:

California Demographic Extremes

Housing Affordability Index - Top 20

LEAST Affordable: Places, Counties, ZIP Codes
MOST Affordable: Places, Counties, ZIP Codes

Diversity Index - Top 20

LEAST Diverse: Places, Counties, ZIP Codes
MOST Diverse: Places, Counties, ZIP Codes

Wealth Index- Top 20

LEAST Wealthy: Places, Counties, ZIP Codes
MOST Wealthy: Places, Counties, ZIP Codes

References:

1. Indexes Explained (Housing, Diversity and Wealth)
2. Methodology Statement: 2024/2029 Esri Updated Demographics

Quick Briefings
for Savvy Searchers

Research a Neighborhood – Unknown Address You can get neighborhood demographic information – even if you don’t know the address!

Community Characteristics Input an address and immediately get key demographic data to help you better understand the characteristics of the community.

Household Income, Highest & Lowest The highest and lowest household incomes for states, cities, towns, counties and ZIP Codes.

Most & Last Diverse Places Which states, cities, towns, counties and ZIP Codes are the most or lease diverse? The Diversity Index provides clear answers.

Wealth Extremes Which US cities & towns, counties and ZIP Codes have the highest or lowest Wealth Index?


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