Los Angeles has a population of approximately 3.9 million people within its city limits as of 2025, making it the second most populous city in the United States after New York City. The wider Los Angeles metropolitan area is home to roughly 13.2 million residents, while the broader region known as Greater Los Angeles reaches about 18.5 million — the second largest urban concentration in the country.
City, Metro, and Region: Which Number Matters?
When people ask about the population of Los Angeles, the answer depends on where you draw the boundary. The city proper — the area governed by the City of Los Angeles — holds about 3.9 million people across a sprawling 1,302 square kilometers. That footprint is actually larger than New York City by area, even though it holds less than half as many residents, a reflection of LA's famously low-density, car-oriented layout.
Zoom out and the figures climb quickly. The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metropolitan statistical area, which covers Los Angeles and Orange counties, totals around 13.2 million people. Expand once more to the Combined Statistical Area, reaching into Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties, and the population approaches 18.5 million. For comparison, that regional total rivals the populations of entire countries such as the Netherlands or Chile.
A City Built From Neighborhoods
Los Angeles is less a single city than a federation of more than 270 recognized neighborhoods, each with a distinct identity. The San Fernando Valley alone, the vast suburban basin north of the Santa Monica Mountains, accounts for roughly 1.8 million residents — close to half the city's entire population. Communities such as Van Nuys, North Hollywood, and Encino give the Valley its character.
Elsewhere, Downtown LA has rebounded from a near-empty commercial district into a residential hub of about 85,000 people, while Hollywood holds around 90,000. Koreatown, despite its modest size, is the most densely packed neighborhood in the city, cramming roughly 120,000 people into a grid of high-rises. South LA, home to about 400,000 residents, carries a deep African American cultural legacy and is now increasingly Latino, while Boyle Heights and East LA remain anchors of Mexican American life.
Growth, Decline, and the Forces Behind the Numbers
Los Angeles grew at a staggering pace through the 20th century. From just over 100,000 residents in 1900, the city ballooned to 3.5 million by 1970 — a roughly 34-fold expansion in seven decades, fueled by oil, aerospace, the film industry, and the promise of the Southern California lifestyle. Since 1970, growth has flattened, with the population oscillating between about 3.7 and 4.0 million.
Recent years have brought a modest decline. The 2020 Census counted 3.9 million residents, slightly below the 2010 figure, and California lost population overall between 2020 and 2023 for the first time in its history. High housing costs, with median home prices well above $900,000, along with homelessness, traffic, and wildfire risk, have pushed some residents to more affordable states. Continued international immigration, however, helps keep the totals stable, and the broader metro is projected to grow gradually through 2035.
One of the World's Most Diverse Populations
No single ethnic group forms a majority in Los Angeles, which ranks among the most diverse major cities on Earth. The approximate breakdown is about 48% Hispanic or Latino, 29% non-Hispanic White, 11% Asian, 8% Black or African American, and 4% multiracial or other. Roughly 35% of residents were born outside the United States.
This mix produces an extraordinary cultural landscape. Los Angeles is home to the largest Mexican, Korean, Thai, Filipino, Salvadoran, and Guatemalan communities outside their home countries. Ethnic enclaves like Little Tokyo, Chinatown, Thai Town, Little Ethiopia, and Little Armenia dot the map, and Spanish is spoken at home by about 40% of LA County residents. The median age sits near 36 years, and the median household income is around $72,000 — though stark inequality means some of the wealthiest neighborhoods in America sit close to areas of deep poverty.
Population by the Numbers
- City population (2025 est.): ~3,900,000
- Metro population (2025 est.): ~13,200,000
- Greater LA region: ~18,500,000
- US city rank: 2nd most populous
- City density: ~3,000 people per km²
- Foreign-born share: ~35%
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Los Angeles bigger than New York City?
By population, no — New York City has about 8.3 million residents to LA's 3.9 million, making New York the larger city. By land area, however, Los Angeles is bigger, spreading across more square kilometers because of its low-density, sprawling development pattern.
How many people live in the Greater Los Angeles area?
The Los Angeles metropolitan area holds roughly 13.2 million people, while the broader Combined Statistical Area, sometimes called Greater Los Angeles, reaches about 18.5 million. That makes it the second largest urban region in the United States after the New York metro.
Is the population of Los Angeles growing or shrinking?
The city has seen a slight decline in recent years, driven mainly by high housing costs and out-migration to cheaper regions. International immigration continues to offset much of that loss, and the wider metro area is expected to grow modestly through the mid-2030s.
What is the most populous part of Los Angeles?
The San Fernando Valley is the most heavily populated section of the city, home to roughly 1.8 million people — nearly half of the entire city's residents — across suburban neighborhoods such as Van Nuys, North Hollywood, and Encino.
