How Many Cities Are There in California?

By Staff WriterLast Updated March 25, 2020

As of July 2011, California had 482 incorporated cities, with 121 charter cities and 361 general law cities. Three counties lack any incorporated areas whatsoever, including Alpine, Mariposa and Trinity counties. Of the 482 cities, 439 gained population in 2014.

The state’s population is approximately 38.3 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2013 estimate. As of 2014, Los Angeles is the most populous city with nearly 4 million residents. Los Angeles gained nearly 38,000 residents in 2013. San Diego is the second-largest urban area, followed by San Jose.

As of 2014, the fastest-growing region is the San Francisco Bay area. Santa Clara and Alameda counties grew at a rate of approximately 1.5 percent.