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Los Angeles County Records Nation’s Largest 2025 Population Drop as California Slips Back Into Decline

A sharp drop in international migration removed a buffer against ongoing outflows.

Overview

  • The U.S. Census Bureau’s latest county estimates show Los Angeles County had the nation’s biggest population loss from July 2024 to July 2025.
  • The county’s headcount is now about 9.7 million after the period’s drop, which outlets report at between roughly 53,000 and 70,000 residents.
  • California slipped back into decline in 2025, with a county-by-county tally indicating a net loss of about 9,465 people statewide.
  • Moves out of Los Angeles fed gains in nearby and Sunbelt areas, with Riverside and San Bernardino adding 21,131 from L.A. and Las Vegas gaining more than 21,000.
  • Other large coastal counties also shrank in 2025, including Orange down 8,520, San Diego down 5,294, and Ventura down 2,580, as weaker immigration inflows left high-cost metros more exposed to domestic out-migration.