California vs New York: Population
California has a larger population than New York by 19,336,974 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
California ranks 1st and New York ranks 4th 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 New York: Population in context
California has a population of 39,538,223, compared with 20,201,249 in New York, a gap of 95.7%. Total resident population (2020 Census).
People Also Ask
California vs New York Population — Common Questions
Q What is California's population?
California's population is 39,538,223.
Q What is New York's population?
New York's population is 20,201,249.
Q Which state has a higher population — California or New York?
California has a larger population than New York by 19,336,974 people.
Q How much more population does California have compared to New York?
+19,336,974 people.
More Comparisons: California vs New York
Grouped tabs keep the deep-dive links tighter and easier to scan.
Explore Each State
California Symbols
New York Symbols
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.