California vs Colorado: Population
California has a larger population than Colorado by 33,764,509 people.
National Rankings
Where They Rank Nationally
See where both states fall among all 50 states for population.
Top 10 States — Population
California
Texas
Florida
New York
Pennsylvania
Illinois
Ohio
Georgia
North Carolina
Michigan
Colorado
California ranks 1st and Colorado ranks 21st nationally for population.
Related Context
Population in Context
Raw headcount only tells part of the story — density and education round it out.
What This Means
California vs Colorado: Population in context
California has a population of 39,538,223, compared with 5,773,714 in Colorado — roughly 6.8× the Colorado figure. Total resident population (2020 Census).
People Also Ask
California vs Colorado Population — Common Questions
Q What is California's population?
California's population is 39,538,223.
Q What is Colorado's population?
Colorado's population is 5,773,714.
Q Which state has a higher population — California or Colorado?
California has a larger population than Colorado by 33,764,509 people.
Q How much more population does California have compared to Colorado?
+33,764,509 people.
More Comparisons: California vs Colorado
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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; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes 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.