SACRAMENTO – (INT) – New population estimates show that Californians are nearing the 40 million mark.

Births minus deaths – not immigrants – are leading the state’s population gain.

Inland counties in central and northern California had the highest population growth rates for a 12-month period that ended last July. That continues a trend that began in 2016.

The State Department of Finance found that Riverside and San Diego counties posted the highest numeric population gains. Riverside’s source of population growth was largely based on both domestic and international migration. It added the most of any county in the state with 27,386 new residents. San Bernardino County added nearly 15,000 bringing the Inland Empire’s gain to 42,317.

Riverside and San Bernardino counties are the fourth and fifth largest in the state with a 2-county total of just under 4.6 million.

Thirteen California counties lost population over the 12 months that ended in July.

Story Date: January 5, 2019