The Golden State’s population is rising again after COVID prompted three years of decline that led to the loss of one Congressional seat.
The state Department of Finance released data Tuesday showing a population of 39,128,162 on April 1, up by over 67,000 people since 2023, but still below the 39,538,223 counted on the same date in 2020.
San Diego County’s population also grew, adding nearly 700 people to 3,291,101, but less than the peak of 3,298,634 in 2020.
“We have again returned to an era of positive growth, certainly lower than some of the go-go growth that we saw in the 70s and 80s and 90s,” Department of Finance spokesperson H.D. Palmer told national media. “Some of the major reasons that we had declines in population are receding in the rearview mirror.”
When the state’s population shrunk in 2020, it was the first time since data collection began in 1900. Officials blamed the decline on deaths from the pandemic, federal immigration restrictions and falling birth rates.
People also moved out of the state, taking advantage of new remote work options and seeking cheaper housing.