List of largest California cities by population

Monday, September 8, 2014

List of largest California cities by population

This is a list of the 100 largest incorporated cities in the State of California ranked by population, based on estimates for June 25, 2014, by the United States Census Bureau.^[1]

Note #1: These are the actual incorporated areas of the listed cities, as opposed to metropolitan areas, urban areas, orcounties, and will therefore differ from other available population listings. Also, the California State Department of Finance uses different methods for estimating population than the United States Census Bureau, and therefore estimates from the state government may differ from the Census returns.

Rank	City	Population	County	Image	Description
1	Los Angeles	3,904,657	Los Angeles		Los Angeles is one of theworld's centers of media, business, and international trade. It is the second most-populous city in the United States. It is also the home to renowned institutions covering a broad range of educational and professional fields, and it is one of the most substantial economic engines of the United States. Los Angeles (and its Hollywood district) lead the world in producing entertainment such as motion pictures, television, andrecorded music.
2	San Diego	1,345,895	San Diego		San Diego sits in the extreme south of California on the border with Mexico. The city has miles of beaches and a number of U.S. military facilities as well as the world's busiest land border crossing. It is known as "the birthplace of California" since it was the first European landfall and the first European settlement in present-day California. Although it is a large city, San Diego doesn't encompass headquarters of very many large corporations. Instead the city's economy largely relies on US defense and military-related industries, tourism, and some international trade. It is home to a number of institutions of higher learning, including the University of California, San Diego, theUniversity of San Diego, andSan Diego State University.
3	San Jose	1,000,536	Santa Clara		San Jose was founded on November 29, 1777, as one of the first towns in the Spanish colony of Nueva California, which later became Alta California.[2] The town of San Jose served 1849-1851 as the first state capital, when California gained statehood in 1850.[3] After more than 150 years as an agricultural center, San Jose grew due to demand for housing from soldiers returning from World War II, as well as the city's aggressive expansion policy during the 1950s and 1960s as it annexed large portions of land area which helped increase its population. By the 1990s, San Jose's location within the then-booming local technology industry earned the city the nickname Capital of Silicon Valley, and it hosts several prominent technology companies including Adobe Systems and Cisco Systems. San Jose is home to theNational Hockey League's San Jose Sharks in addition toMajor League Soccer's San Jose Earthquakes, as well asCalifornia State University, San Jose.
4	San Francisco	839,336	San Francisco		San Francisco is a popular international tourist destination renowned for its beauty, cosmopolitan flair, steep rolling hills, and eclectic mix ofVictorian and modern architecture. The city is surrounded by water on three sides and has many famous landmarks, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, the cable cars and streetcars,Coit Tower, and Chinatown. The city is well known for its left-wing politics and its diverse population, including large and long-established Asian American and LGBTcommunities. It is the most densely populated major city in California and is the second most densely populated major city in the United States, only after New York City. It is also the only consolidated city-county in the state of California.
5	Fresno	512,000	Fresno		Fresno is at the heart of theSan Joaquin Valley, a leading agricultural area of the United States and the world. Fresno is the closest major city toYosemite National Park andSequoia National Park. Fresno is the largest inland city in California. It is the home ofCalifornia State University, Fresno. Fresno is also noted for its large Hmong andArmenian-Americancommunities.
6	Sacramento	485,000	Sacramento		Sacramento has been the state capital of California since 1854. Once the state's second largest city, Sacramento was a major distribution center during the California Gold Rush and was the western terminus of the Pony Express. TheAmerican River, where gold was first discovered in California in the middle of the 19th century, flows through the city. In the market boom between 2003 and 2008, the population of the metropolitan area reached close to 2.5 million people as suburbs such as Roseville, Lincoln, and Elk Grove grew, making the Sacramento region the largest region in the California'sCentral Valley. According to the 2010 census, Sacramento is the nineteenth most-populous metropolitan area in the United States. Sacramento is home to the National Basketball Association'sSacramento Kings. California State University, Sacramento is situated in the city.
7	Long Beach	463,589	Los Angeles		Long Beach is a coastal city in the Greater Los Angeles areametropolitan area. Long Beach partially borders the city of Los Angeles to its west and is home to the Grand Prix of Long Beach and theRMS Queen Mary, which is docked in Long Beach Harbor. The Port of Long Beach is one of the world's largest shipping ports. The city also has a large oil industry; oil is found both underground and offshore. Manufacturers include aircraft, automobile parts, electronic and audiovisual equipment. It is also home to the headquarters for corporations such as Epson America, Molina Healthcare, and Scan Health Care. Long Beach has grown with the development of high-technology and aerospace industries in the area. The California State University system headquarters are in Long Beach, as is the second largest campus of the 23-school system, California State University, Long Beach.
8	Oakland	406,253	Alameda		Oakland is a major West Coastport and is home to several major corporations, includingKaiser Permanente andClorox, as well as being the corporate headquarters for nationwide businesses likeDreyer's and Cost Plus World Markets. Attractions includeJack London Square, theOakland Museum of California, the Chabot Space and Science Center, Lake Merritt, the East Bay Regional Park Districtridge line parks and preserves, and Chinatown. Oakland is also the home city of three of the Bay Area's major league sports teams--Major League Baseball's Oakland A's, theOakland Raiders of theNational Football League, and the National Basketball Association's Golden State Warriors, with the first two teams playing their home games as O.co Coliseum, while the Warriors play their home games at Oracle Arena.
9	Bakersfield	363,630	Kern		Bakersfield sits at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley, an especially petroleum-rich area of California. Bakersfield is known for its musical achievements such as its owncountry genre called the "Bakersfield sound". Bakersfield is also in close proximity with the Sequoia National Forest.
10	Anaheim	345,012	Orange		Anaheim is the most populous city in Orange County and second largest in terms of land area; it is known for its theme parks (including Disneyland), sports teams, and convention center.
11	Santa Ana	334,227	Orange		Santa Ana is the county seat of Orange County and home to the famous Bowers Museum,Discovery Science Center, andJohn Wayne Airport.
12	Riverside	316,619	Riverside		Riverside is the most populous city of Southern California'sInland Empire region. Riverside is the birthplace of California's citrus industry and home to the University of California, Riverside (UCR). Its downtown is home to theMission Inn, one of two historic landmark hotels in California. The Mission Inn Festival of Lights is said to be the third largest Christmas lights display in the nation.[citation needed]
13	Stockton	298,118	San Joaquin		Stockton is at the heart of theSacramento–San Joaquin River Delta and is sometimes considered the divider between the Sacramento Valley and the San Joaquin Valley. For much of the later 19th century, starting with theGold Rush, Stockton was one of the largest cities in the state, for a while the third largest city. With a sea port on the San Joaquin River, it was an important agricultural and shipping center, roles which it continues to fulfill. Stockton is the home of the University of the Pacific.
14	Chula Vista	256,780	San Diego		A South Bay suburban city of San Diego, Chula Vista is just 7 miles (11 km) from theMexican border. It is one of the most economically and culturally diverse cities inSouthern California.
15	Irvine	236,716	Orange		Irvine is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Irvine is home to the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and to a number of corporations, particularly in the technology sector. It is regarded for its good schools, jobs and housing by CNNMoney.com, for low crime by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Census Bureau ranks Irvine highly in median income.
16	Fremont	224,922	Alameda		Fremont was created as a single city in 1956, from the unification of several unincorporated communities that had historically been small but grew rapidly in the years after World War II. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Areajust north of San Jose/Silicon Valley in the East Bay.
17	San Bernardino	213,708	San Bernardino		San Bernardino is the second largest city in the Inland Empire metropolitan area of California, and the county seat of San Bernardino County, the largest county in geographic area in the 48 contiguous states. San Bernardino is home to California State University, San Bernardino(CSUSB) and a number of corporations in addition to theSan Bernardino International Airport. San Bernardino is the gateway to the San Bernardino Mountains, including its ski resorts and numerous lakes.
18	Modesto	204,933	Stanislaus		Modesto is in the center of theCentral Valley east of San Francisco and south of the capital Sacramento. The city is surrounded by fertile farmland. Its population is growing fast due to affordable housing in the area and is quickly becoming a bedroom community for commuters to Sacramento, Fresno, and theSan Francisco Bay Area.
19	Oxnard	203,007	Ventura		Oxnard is one of only a handful of cities in the state that is the largest in its county, but not the county seat. It is an important agricultural center, with its distinction as the strawberry and lima bean capital of California. Oxnard has a scenic, relatively uncrowded coastline. The beaches are large and the sand is exceptionally soft.
20	Fontana	203,003	San Bernardino		Founded in 1913, Fontana remained rural until a Kaiser Steel mill was built duringWorld War II. The city is now a regional hub of the trucking industry, and home of theCalifornia Speedway.
21	Moreno Valley	201,175	Riverside		Incorporated in 1984, Moreno Valley lies 65 miles (105 km) east of downtown Los Angeles, just north of Lake Perris. The city is home to the March Air Reserve Base.
22	Huntington Beach	197,575	Orange		This Orange County coastal city is best known for its 8.5-mile (13.7 km) beach. Huntington Beach is often referred to as "Surf City" due to its long association with the sport of surfing.
23	Glendale	196,021	Los Angeles		Glendale is the focal point of the Verdugo Mountainssubregion and is well known for hosting a large Armenian-American community.
24	Santa Clarita	179,590	Los Angeles		Santa Clarita is home to Six Flags Magic Mountain. The city was incorporated in 1987 as the union of several previously existing communities, includingCanyon Country, Newhall,Saugus, and Valencia.
25	Garden Grove	175,140	Orange		Garden Grove is home to the second-largest Vietnamese American community, as well as the Crystal Cathedral.
26	Oceanside	172,794	San Diego		The largest city in San Diego's North County, Oceanside is home to the longest wooden pier on the West Coast and is directly south of Camp Pendleton, the busiest military base in the United States.
27	Santa Rosa	171,990	Sonoma		Santa Rosa is the largest city in California's Wine Countryand the Redwood Empire. The county seat of Sonoma County since 1854, it grew as a center of agriculture, shipping, and industry. It is today still an important local center of business and tourism. The city actually suffered the most destruction of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, which destroyed Santa Rosa's entire downtown. Notable residents have included famed horticulturalist Luther Burbankand Peanuts cartoonistCharles M. Schulz.
28	Rancho Cucamonga	171,386	San Bernardino		Rancho Cucamonga was incorporated in 1977, as a result of a vote among the residents of theunincorporated communities ofAlta Loma, Cucamonga, andEtiwanda.[4] The city was ranked #42 in 'Money's "Best Places to Live in America 2006".[5]
29	Ontario	167,500	San Bernardino		Ontario is the third principal city of the Inland Empire area of California, home to Ontario International Airport and the region's largest shopping mall,Ontario Mills.
30	Elk Grove	161,007	Sacramento		Elk Grove was a sleepy suburb of Sacramento until the housing boom of the 1990s and 2000s. Between the decades, the population has nearly tripled from around 50,000 to more than 150,000 inhabitants. The population has grown so much that Elk Grove has surpassed all of the other suburbs in size and inhabitants. The city was rated the fastest growing city in the United States in 2006. About 15 miles (24 km) from downtown Sacramento, Elk Grove has emerged as a popular place for young families to live and commute to the job centers of the area.
31	Lancaster	159,523	Los Angeles		Lancaster started as a stop on the Union Pacific Railroad, and has grown into the fourth largest city in Los Angeles County. It began as a small farming community, and has since acquired a large and prosperous technology-driven sub-culture. Located in "Aerospace Valley", it has always been on the cutting edge of technology, and is now aiming to become the nation's first net-zero city.[citation needed]
32	Corona	159,503	Riverside		Corona is one of the cities farthest west in the Inland Empire of Southern California, with a population of close to 150,000. It is known as the "Circle City" due to Grand Boulevard's 3-mile (5 km) circular layout. It is one of the greatest residential cities in the Inland Empire, but also has a large industrial portion on the northern half. It is the headquarters of companies such as Fender Musical Instruments Corporation,Hansen Natural Corporation,Watson Pharmaceuticals, and West Coast Customs (featured on MTV's Pimp My Ride).
33	Palmdale	157,161	Los Angeles		Commonly referred to as the "Aerospace Capital of America", Palmdale is the birthplace of the Space Shuttle, X-15, B-2 Spirit, F-117 Nighthawk, F-35 Lightning II,SR-71 Blackbird, Lockheed L-1011 Tristar, and many other aircraft that have been used in the United States Air Force,NASA and air forces and airlines around the world. It is the sixth largest city in Los Angeles County and one of the fastest growing cities in the United States.
34	Salinas	155,662	Monterey		Salinas is an agricultural center and the hometown of famed writer and Nobel Laureate John Steinbeck.
35	Hayward	151,574	Alameda		Hayward was an historic salt and agricultural processing center and is the home ofCalifornia State University, East Bay.
36	Pomona	151,348	Los Angeles		Pomona is located between the Inland Empire and the San Gabriel Valley. The city is home of the Fairplex, which hosts the Los Angeles County Fair, the largest county fair in the United States, among others.
37	Escondido	148,738	San Diego		Situated in San Diego's North County region, Escondido is home to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
38	Sunnyvale	147,559	Santa Clara		Part of the Silicon Valley, Sunnyvale is home to several large tech company headquarters such as AMD,Yahoo!, and Palm, Inc.
39	Torrance	147,478	Los Angeles		Torrance, 21 square miles (54 km2), is situated 11 miles (18 km) south of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), 8 miles (13 km) north of the Port of Los Angeles, 30 miles (48 km) west of Disneylandand bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the west with 1.5 miles (2.4 km) of beach. Incorporated in 1921, it is the eighth largest city in Los Angeles County. Torrance averages 12.55 inches (319 mm) of rainfall per year.[6]
40	Orange	139,969	Orange		Unusual for cities in Orange County, Orange preserved many of its homes that were built prior to the 1960s, now located in the city's Old Towne District, whereas many other cities in the region demolished such houses in the 1960s. Orange is the home ofChapman University.
41	Pasadena	139,731	Los Angeles		Pasadena is famous for hosting the annualTournament of Roses Paradeand the Rose Bowl football game. The city is home to many scientific and cultural institutions such as NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Art Center College of Design, and the California Institute of Technology.
42	Fullerton	138,981	Orange		Historically, Fullerton was a center of agriculture, petroleum extraction, transportation, and manufacturing. It is home to several educational institutions, notably theCalifornia State University, Fullerton and Fullerton College.
43	Thousand Oaks	128,731	Ventura		Named after the many oak trees that grace the area, Thousand Oaks is the largest city in the Conejo Valley area.
44	Visalia	127,763	Tulare		Visalia is the oldest city between Stockton and Los Angeles.
45	Roseville	127,035	Placer		Roseville is a suburb of Sacramento. It is very family oriented with many parks, bike trails, water parks etc., and in 2006 Roseville was named the healthiest city in America. Roseville is known for its high-end shopping including the Fountains, the Galleria (one of the biggest malls in northern California), and more.
46	Simi Valley	126,181	Ventura		Simi Valley is a bedroom community located in a valley of the same name. It is the site of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
47	Concord	125,880	Contra Costa		Concord is a major regional suburban East Bay center within the San Francisco Bay Area. The former Concord Naval Weapons Station was located to the north of the city.
48	Victorville	121,096	San Bernardino		Victorville is located in theVictor Valley, at the southwestern edge of theMojave Desert. It is the site of the Southern California Logistics Airport, formerlyGeorge Air Force Base before it was converted to civilian use.
49	Santa Clara	120,245	Santa Clara		Santa Clara is located in the center of Silicon Valley and is home to the headquarters ofIntel, Applied Materials, Sun Microsystems, NVIDIA, Agilent Technologies, and many other high-tech companies. It also is home to one of the largest theme parks in northern California, California's Great America.
50	Vallejo	118,837	Solano		Vallejo was home of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, one of the most important naval shipyards in the country, from the 1850s until its closure in the 1990s. It was very briefly the capital of California in 1852. It is the largest city in Solano County, and the home of Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.
51	Berkeley	116,768	Alameda		Noted as one of the mostpolitically liberal in the nation, the city is home to theUniversity of California, Berkeley, the oldest of theUniversity of California system.
52	El Monte	115,708	Los Angeles		El Monte lies in the San Gabriel Valley region and was formerly a crossroad along theOld Spanish Trail. It is home toPenske Motor Group, one of the largest car dealerships in the world.
53	Downey	113,242	Los Angeles		Located southeast of downtown Los Angeles, Downey is the birthplace of theApollo space program and the site of the oldest surviving McDonald's restaurant.
54	Costa Mesa	112,174	Orange		Since its incorporation in 1953, Costa Mesa has grown from a semi-rural farming community to a primarily suburban city with an economy based on retail, commerce, and light manufacturing.
55	Inglewood	111,542	Los Angeles		Located southwest of downtown Los Angeles, Inglewood is home of the landmark Randy's Donuts andThe Forum arena.
56	Carlsbad	110,972	San Diego		Carlsbad is an affluent, coastal resort city in the North San Diego County region. The city is mainly known for shopping, tourism, a booming high-tech industry, and resort living.
57	Fairfield	109,320	Solano		Fairfield is the county seat of Solano County, but not the largest city in the county, which is Vallejo. It is the home ofTravis Air Force Base and theJelly Belly jelly bean factory.
58	Ventura	108,817	Ventura		Ventura, officially the City of San Buenaventura, is the county seat of Ventura County. Ventura Harbor is home to the headquarters of Channel Islands National Park, and boats to the Channel Islandsdepart from there daily.
59	West Covina	107,740	Los Angeles		West Covina is a mostly middle class suburb located east of downtown Los Angeles in the eastern San Gabriel Valley.
60	Richmond	107,571	Contra Costa		Richmond is located in western Contra Costa County along the eastern shores of San Francisco Bay. It has been called a company town based on its relationship with theChevron Corporation, and it is the site of the Chevron Richmond Refinery.
61	Murrieta	107,479	Riverside		Formerly just a small unincorporated town in theInland Empire, Murrieta has become one of the fastest growing cities in the state. It is now largely a commuter town, with many of its residents commuting to jobs in San Diego County, Orange County, and the neighboring city ofTemecula.
62	Antioch	107,100	Contra Costa		Located along theSacramento–San Joaquin River Delta and known as "The Gateway to the Delta", Antioch is a suburb of San Francisco, Oakland, and the rest of the San Francisco Bay Area. The town has seen an enormous amount of growth in the last 30 years, as the population of the Bay Area continues to grow, and real estate prices force families to move towards the outskirts of the Bay Area. In fact, it is located close enough to the Sacramento Metropolitan area that it can be seen to serve as a suburb of both Sacramento and the Bay Area.
63	Temecula	106,780	Riverside		Forming the southwestern anchor of the Inland Empire region, Temecula is the heart of the Temecula Valley wine region.
64	Norwalk	106,589	Los Angeles		Norwalk is located southeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is home to Cerritos College.
65	Daly City	104,739	San Mateo		San Francisco's southern neighbor, Daly City houses the famous Cow Palace (which many people mistakenly believe is in San Francisco), as well as the largest Filipino population outside of thePhilippines.
66	Burbank	104,709	Los Angeles		Burbank is nicknamed the "Media Capital of the World"[7]for being the home of many media and entertainment production companies, including Warner Bros. Entertainment, Warner Music Group, NBC Universal, The Walt Disney Company, ABC,Cartoon Network Studios, andNickelodeon.
67	Santa Maria	102,216	Santa Barbara		Santa Maria, the largest city in Santa Barbara County, is in the heart of the Santa Maria Valley wine region and is known for their famous Santa Maria Style Barbecue. Allan Hancock College, and St. Joseph High School are in the city.
68	El Cajon	102,211	San Diego		El Cajon is located east of San Diego. Nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains, the city has acquired the nickname of "The Big Box".[8]
69	Rialto	101,910	San Bernardino		Rialto is home to four major regional distribution centers:Staples, Inc., which serves stores across the entire West Coast of the United States,Toys "R" Us, FedEx, andTarget
70	San Mateo	101,128	San Mateo		San Mateo is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula.
71	Clovis	99,769	Fresno		Clovis is the second largest city in Fresno County. Lying at the foot of the Sierra Nevadamountain range, which includes Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia national parks, Clovis has been known as the "Gateway to the Sierras".
72	Jurupa Valley	98,030	Riverside		Jurupa Valley was incorporated July 1, 2011.
73	Compton	97,877	Los Angeles		An inner suburb of Los Angeles, Compton is known for its large African American andLatino communities. The city is home to Richland Farms, one of the last urban farming communities in the Los Angeles metro area, and is also almost universally considered to be the birthplace of gangsta rap.
74	Vista	96,929	San Diego		Vista is located just 7 miles (11 km) inland from the Pacific Ocean in northern San Diego County. The city has more than 25 educational institutions, and a business park home to over 800 companies.
75	Mission Viejo	96,346	Orange		Located in southern Orange County in the Saddleback Valley, Mission Viejo is considered one of the largestmaster-planned communitiesever built under a single project in the United States. The city is mainly residential, although there are a number of offices and businesses within its city limits.
76	South Gate	95,677	Los Angeles		Located southeast of downtown Los Angeles, South Gate is part of the Gateway Cities region of Los Angeles County. In 1990, South Gate was one of ten U.S. communities to receive the All-America City Award from theNational Civic League.[9]
77	Vacaville	94,275	Solano		Vacaville is located nearly halfway between Sacramento and San Francisco. It is home to several biotechnology/pharmaceutical facilities.
78	Carson	92,599	Los Angeles		Carson is a suburb in theSouth Bay region of Greater Los Angeles. It is home ofCalifornia State University, Dominguez Hills, and theStubHub Center sports complex, housing both of theMajor League Soccer teams for Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA.
79	Santa Monica	92,472	Los Angeles		Santa Monica, a famed beachfront city surrounded on three sides by Los Angeles, is home to a mixture of affluent, single-family neighborhoods, renters, surfers, young professionals, and students. It is the site of the world-famousSanta Monica Pier.
80	Hesperia	92,147	San Bernardino		Hesperia is located in the High Desert region of the Mojave Desert 15 miles (24 km) north of San Bernardino.
81	Westminster	91,739	Orange		Westminster is known for itsVietnamese Americancommunity, one of the largest in the United States.
82	Redding	91,119	Shasta		Located on the banks of theSacramento River, Redding is the largest city in California north of Sacramento. It is the gateway to numerous recreation areas includingShasta Lake, the Trinity Alps, and Mount Shasta. It is also home to the Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay, the world's largest sundial.
83	Santa Barbara	90,412	Santa Barbara		Santa Barbara is a popular tourist and resort coastal city, known for its downtownMoorish-Spanish style architecture, coastal weather, beautiful mountain backdrops, and numerous sandy beaches. The city's economy includes a large service sector, education, technology, health care, finance, agriculture, manufacturing, and local government.
84	San Marcos	89,387	San Diego		San Marcos is a suburb of San Diego and home of California State University, San Marcos.
85	Chico	88,077	Butte		Chico is the retail hub of the mid-Sacramento Valley and is home to institutions such asBidwell Park, California State University Chico, and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.
86	San Leandro	87,965	Alameda		Historically a town with dozens of huge cherry farms and a Spanish missionary ranch, San Leandro today is a rapidly growing city of worldwide industries and a suburb of Oakland.
87	Newport Beach	87,273	Orange		Newport Beach is an affluent coastal city in Orange County, known for its beaches and surfing. Newport Harbor is the largest recreational boat harbor on the West Coast.
88	Whittier	86,635	Los Angeles		Whittier is part of the Gateway Cities of Los Angeles County and is home to Whittier College.
89	Hawthorne	86,199	Los Angeles		Hawthorne is a suburb of Los Angeles. It was the home of Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys. Their boyhood home was demolished in the late 1980s during the construction of theCentury Freeway, although it was honored by the dedication of the Beach Boys Historic Landmark (California Landmark 1041) in May 2005.
90	Citrus Heights	85,285	Sacramento		Citrus Heights is a suburb located northeast of Sacramento.
91	Livermore	85,156	Alameda		Located on the eastern edge of San Francisco Bay Area, Livermore is home ofLawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the Centennial Light. It is the largest city in theTri-Valley area.
92	Tracy	84,691	San Joaquin		Tracy is the second most populated city in San Joaquin County. The city experienced a growth spurt in the 1980s, becoming an exurb of the San Francisco Bay Area as more people looked for a more affordable alternative to Bay Area home prices and a less hectic lifestyle.
93	Alhambra	84,577	Los Angeles		Alhambra is located in the western San Gabriel Valleyregion, east of downtown Los Angeles.
94	Indio	83,539	Riverside		Indio is located in theCoachella Valley, 23 miles (37 km) east of Palm Springs.
95	Menifee	83,447	Riverside		Menifee is a relatively new city, incorporated in 2008, which includes the communities of Sun City, Quail Valley, Paloma Valley and portions of Romoland in southwestern Riverside County.
96	Buena Park	82,882	Orange		Buena Park, in northwestern Orange County, is home ofKnott's Berry Farm and several other tourist attractions.
97	Hemet	81,750	Riverside		Hemet, in the San Jacinto Valley, is the home of theRamona Pageant, one of the longest running outdoor plays in the United States.
98	Lakewood	81,121	Los Angeles		Lakewood is a planned, post-World War II community, which grew quickly from lima bean fields in 1950 to a well-developed city by 1960. It was the first contract city, contracting for all of its municipal services, leading to the phrase "Lakewood Plan".
99	Merced	81,102	Merced		Merced, in the San Joaquin Valley, is known as the "Gateway to Yosemite"; it is less than two hours by car from Yosemite National Park. The area is also home to theUniversity of California, Merced.
100	Chino	80,988	San Bernardino		Chino and its surroundings have long been a center of agriculture and dairy farming, serving the considerable demands for milk products in Southern California and much of the southwestern United States.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_California_cities_by_population