What is the population of Los Angeles?
Los Angeles has a city population of 3,820,914. That is the population within the city's own boundary, not its wider metropolitan area. City population, GeoNames.
City profile · United States · North America
Los Angeles
City population
3,820,914
#2
in United States
#1
in California
#89
worldwide
34.052, -118.244 · 3,692 km from Washington
About Los Angeles
Los Angeles is the second-largest city in the United States and the center of the world's entertainment industry. With a metropolitan population exceeding 12 million, LA sprawls across a basin surrounded by mountains, connected by an extensive freeway network. The city symbolizes the California dream of opportunity, diversity, and reinvention.
Metro population
12,459,000
0.150% of world population
Archive estimateAnnual growth
+0.10%
Archive estimateDensity
992/km²
12,562 km² metro area
Key Facts
Country
Region
Rank in region
#1of 396
Founded
1781
Leadership
Karen Bass
Coordinates
34.052, -118.244
Record updated
22 July 2025
Entry edited, not measured
City population, GeoNames. GeoNames publishes no year for its population figures, so “record updated” is when the entry was last edited — not the date the population was measured.
Nearby Cities
All 3,112 in United StatesClosest listed cities by great-circle distance from the city centre.
Compared with the World's Largest Cities
City-proper population against the fifteen largest cities in the dataset.
| Name | City population |
|---|---|
| Shanghai | 24.9M |
| Beijing | 19M |
| Shenzhen | 17.5M |
| Guangzhou | 16.1M |
| Kinshasa | 16M |
| Istanbul | 15.7M |
| Lagos | 15.4M |
| Ho Chi Minh City | 14M |
| Chengdu | 13.6M |
| Lahore | 13M |
| Mumbai | 12.7M |
| São Paulo | 12.4M |
| Mexico City | 12.3M |
| Karachi | 11.6M |
| Tianjin | 11.1M |
| Los Angeles | 3.82M |
Airports
Scheduled-service airports within 100 km, nearest first.
- Jack Northrop Field Hawthorne Municipal AirportHHR
17 km from the city centre
- Los Angeles International AirportLAX
19 km from the city centre
- Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope AirportBUR
20 km from the city centre
- Long Beach International AirportLGB
28 km from the city centre
Source: OurAirports, matched by distance.
History
Los Angeles was founded as a Spanish pueblo in 1781. It became part of Mexico after independence and joined the United States in 1848. The discovery of oil in the 1890s and the growth of the film industry in the early 1900s transformed LA. Post-WWII suburban expansion made it America's car-centric metropolis.
Economy
LA's economy is the largest of any US metropolitan area outside New York. Entertainment (Hollywood studios, music labels, gaming) is iconic. Other key sectors include aerospace, technology, trade (Port of LA is the busiest in the Western Hemisphere), fashion, and tourism. The creative economy employs hundreds of thousands.
Culture
LA culture is defined by entertainment—Hollywood, the music industry, and celebrity culture. The city is remarkably diverse, with major Latino, Asian, and international communities. Beach and outdoor lifestyle is central. The art scene includes world-class museums (Getty, LACMA). Food culture spans every cuisine imaginable.
Transportation
LA is famously car-dependent with extensive freeways. The Metro Rail has expanded significantly but coverage remains limited. LAX is the third-busiest US airport. Uber and Lyft are ubiquitous. Bike infrastructure is growing. The city is investing heavily in transit ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
Current Challenges
LA faces severe challenges: extreme housing costs and homelessness, traffic congestion, air pollution, earthquake risk, drought and water scarcity, wildfire threat, and inequality. The cost of living pushes middle-class residents out. Climate change intensifies fires and heat.
Highlights
Landmarks & Attractions
- Hollywood Sign
- Griffith Observatory
- Santa Monica Pier
- Getty Center
- Walt Disney Concert Hall
- Venice Beach
- Universal Studios
- Rodeo Drive
What Los Angeles Is Known For
- Hollywood
- Beaches
- Entertainment
- Diversity
- Car culture
Universities
- UCLA
- USC
- Caltech
- Loyola Marymount
Sports Teams
- Lakers
- Clippers (basketball)
- Dodgers (baseball)
- Rams
- Chargers (football)
- Galaxy (soccer)
Interesting Facts
- The Hollywood Sign originally read 'Hollywoodland' (1923)
- LA has more cars than people
- The La Brea Tar Pits contain fossils from 50,000 years ago
- Over 224 languages are spoken in LA County
- LA will host the Olympics in 2028—its third time
- The Getty Center cost $1.3 billion to build
Population Trend in United States
No free source publishes city population back to 1950, so the parent country's series is shown instead.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 154,202,680 |
| 1960 | 180,274,555 |
| 1970 | 207,796,339 |
| 1980 | 229,858,655 |
| 1990 | 253,373,387 |
| 2000 | 281,484,131 |
| 2010 | 311,062,790 |
| 2020 | 339,436,159 |
| 2030 | 355,649,881 |
| 2040 | 370,209,316 |
| 2050 | 380,846,910 |
| 2060 | 388,918,394 |
| 2070 | 398,218,088 |
| 2080 | 407,079,816 |
| 2090 | 414,457,640 |
| 2100 | 421,278,889 |
Los Angeles Population FAQ
Where is Los Angeles?
Los Angeles is in California, United States, 3,692 km from the capital, Washington. Its coordinates are 34.052, -118.244.
How big is Los Angeles compared with other cities in United States?
It is the 2nd largest of the 3,112 cities listed in United States, holding 1.1% of the national population.