Population Comparison
Demographics

Alabama vs California: Population

California has a larger population than Alabama by 34,513,944 people.

Alabama flag
Alabama
AL • South
5,024,279
Total resident population (2020 Census).
California flag
California
CA • West
Winner
39,538,223
Total resident population (2020 Census).

Visual Comparison

Alabama 5,024,279
California 39,538,223

Difference: +34,513,944 people — California leads.

Related Context

Population in Context

Raw headcount only tells part of the story — density and education round it out.

What This Means

Alabama vs California: Population in context

California has a population of 39,538,223, compared with 5,024,279 in Alabama — roughly 7.9× the Alabama figure. Total resident population (2020 Census).

Alabama
5,024,279
California
39,538,223
Difference
+34,513,944 people

People Also Ask

Alabama vs California Population — Common Questions

Q What is Alabama's population?

Alabama's population is 5,024,279.

Q What is California's population?

California's population is 39,538,223.

Q Which state has a higher population — Alabama or California?

California has a larger population than Alabama by 34,513,944 people.

Q How much more population does California have compared to Alabama?

+34,513,944 people.

Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset, with minimum wage data from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.