California Cities by Population 2025

California is home to one of the most intricate systems of local governance in the country, reflecting its vast size and diverse population. The state boasts 58 counties and 482 incorporated municipalities, which include both cities and towns. California’s cities range from global metropolises like Los Angeles to small rural towns such as Dorris in Siskiyou County (population under 1,000). Each municipality functions according to its size, resources, and legal structure, providing services that range from police and fire protection to public transportation and infrastructure.

Charter cities have the authority to govern themselves according to their own charters, granting them more control over local matters like taxation, land use, and public works. Examples of charter cities include San Francisco and Los Angeles. Los Angeles, with a population of approximately 3.9 million, operates a vast range of services, including the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), LA Metro, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP).

General Law cities are governed by state law, general law cities have more limited legislative authority compared to charter cities. Examples of general law cities include Oxnard and Chico. While they manage local services like law enforcement and zoning, their ability to legislate independently is restricted.

In contrast, general law cities are governed by state law and must adhere to the state’s general statutes. Smaller cities like Oxnard (population around 200,000) or Chico (population around 100,000) fall under this category. While they manage local services like law enforcement and zoning, their capacity to legislate independently is more limited than charter cities.

Beyond cities, California has a large number of unincorporated areas where no municipal government exists. These regions, often found in rural and suburban areas, are governed directly by their respective counties. For example, in Los Angeles County, unincorporated areas such as East Los Angeles (population over 120,000) depend on the county for services like policing (provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department) and road maintenance.

Special districts also play a critical role in California‘s local governance, providing specific services across city and county boundaries. These districts, such as the East Bay Municipal Utility District or the Orange County Fire Authority, ensure that essential services like water, sewage, and fire protection are managed across both urban and rural areas, regardless of municipal boundaries.

Additionally, California‘s unincorporated regions, particularly in the San Joaquin Valley and parts of Inyo County and Modoc County, are often agricultural lands that rely on county governance for law enforcement and infrastructure. For instance, Mono County manages roadways and emergency services in remote areas near the Eastern Sierra, where population density is too low to support formal municipalities.