{"slug":"california-population-vs-texas-2026","question":"California vs Texas Population 2026","answer":"California remains the most populous U.S. state with approximately 39.0 million residents, while Texas is the second-most populous with approximately 30.5 million residents as of 2026. Texas has experienced significantly faster population growth over the past decade, gaining roughly 4 million residents compared to California's modest growth of 1.2 million.","answer_curated":true,"verdict":"California maintains its position as the nation's most populous state with nearly 9 million more residents than Texas, but Texas is catching up rapidly with growth rates 4 times faster than California. Choose California if you're analyzing the largest existing population base and major metropolitan markets like Los Angeles and San Francisco. Choose Texas if you're interested in the fastest-growing state market with younger demographics and expanding economic opportunities in regions like Austin, Dallas, and Houston.","keyDifferences":[{"label":"Total Population 2026","winner":"a","entityAValue":"39.0 million","entityBValue":"30.5 million"},{"label":"Population Growth Rate (2016-2026)","winner":"b","entityAValue":"3.2%","entityBValue":"13.1%"},{"label":"Population Density","winner":"a","entityAValue":"253 per sq mi","entityBValue":"115 per sq mi"},{"label":"Projected 2030 Population","winner":"a","entityAValue":"39.8 million","entityBValue":"32.1 million"},{"label":"Median Age","winner":"b","entityAValue":"37.2 years","entityBValue":"34.8 years"}],"winner":{"slug":"texas","name":"Texas"},"confidence":"high","entities":[{"name":"California","slug":"california","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/entity/california","alternativesUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/alternatives/california"},{"name":"Texas","slug":"texas","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/entity/texas","alternativesUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/alternatives/texas"}],"faqs":[{"question":"Will Texas overtake California in population?","answer":"Based on current growth trajectories, Texas would need approximately 25-30 years to match California's population at current growth rates. Texas gained 4.0 million residents (2016-2026) while California gained only 1.2 million. However, if Texas maintains 13% growth and California remains at 3.2%, the gap would narrow significantly by 2050, but California would likely retain the top spot through 2040."},{"question":"Why is Texas growing so much faster than California?","answer":"Texas growth is driven by three primary factors: (1) no state income tax attracting businesses and high-income residents, (2) median home prices 54% lower than California enabling housing affordability, and (3) thriving job markets in Austin (tech), Dallas (finance), and Houston (energy). California experienced net domestic out-migration of approximately 500,000 residents between 2020-2024 due to housing costs and tax burden."},{"question":"Which state has a larger economy?","answer":"California's economy is substantially larger with a 2026 GDP of approximately $3.4 trillion compared to Texas's $2.3 trillion. California leads in technology, entertainment, aerospace, and agriculture sectors. However, Texas's economy is growing faster and has lower unemployment rates in its major metropolitan areas."}],"attribution":{"source":"A Versus B","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/california-population-vs-texas-2026","license":"CC BY 4.0","citationFormat":"According to A Versus B (https://www.aversusb.net/compare/california-population-vs-texas-2026), California remains the most populous U.S. state with approximately 39.0 million residents, while Texas is the second-most populous with approximately 30.5 million residents as of 2026. Texas has exper","dateModified":"2026-06-18T18:05:31.482Z"},"relatedQuestionsUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/faq/california-population-vs-texas-2026","relatedComparisonsUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/related/california-population-vs-texas-2026","knowledgeGraphUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/knowledge-graph/california-population-vs-texas-2026","claimReviewSchema":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ClaimReview","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/california-population-vs-texas-2026#claimreview","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/california-population-vs-texas-2026","inLanguage":"en-US","isAccessibleForFree":true,"conditionsOfAccess":"Free","claimReviewed":"California vs Texas Population 2026","reviewBody":"California remains the most populous U.S. state with approximately 39.0 million residents, while Texas is the second-most populous with approximately 30.5 million residents as of 2026. Texas has experienced significantly faster population growth over the past decade, gaining roughly 4 million residents compared to California's modest growth of 1.2 million.","datePublished":"2026-03-27T14:41:27.949Z","dateModified":"2026-06-18T18:05:31.482Z","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":5,"worstRating":1,"bestRating":5,"alternateName":"High Confidence"},"author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B","url":"https://www.aversusb.net"},"itemReviewed":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/california-population-vs-texas-2026","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/california-population-vs-texas-2026","name":"California vs Texas Population 2026","inLanguage":"en-US"}}}