COUNTY FACT SHEET
Senate Governance and Finance Committee, April 2016
- Over -
California has 58 counties, including San Francisco which is both a city and a county.
California created 27 original counties in 1850 and last formed a new county in 1907, when
Imperial County separated from San Diego County.
Population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2013) California population: 38.3 million
Largest (% of state population)
Smallest
Fastest Growing (since 2010 census)
Los Angeles
10 million (26.1%)
Alpine
1,159
Placer
+5.7%
San Diego
3.2 million (8.4%)
Sierra
3,047
Riverside
+4.7%
Orange
3.1 million (8.1%)
Modoc
9,147
Santa Clara and
Alameda
+4.5%
Area (in square miles) California area: 163,696
Largest
Smallest
San Bernardino
20,062
San Francisco
47
Inyo
10,192
Santa Cruz
446
Kern
8,142
San Mateo
449
Cities in Counties California cities: 482
The most cities
The fewest cities
The highest % of county population in cities
Los Angeles
Orange
Riverside
88
34
28
Alpine
Mariposa
Trinity
0
0
0
San Francisco
Orange & Solano
Santa Clara
100%
96%
95%
There are about 2,000 unincorporated communities located throughout the state.
Governance
The county is governed by a five-member board of supervisors, as required by State law,
although charter counties can increase this number. The board of supervisors has the
legislative power to enact ordinances for the county, executive power oversee the
operations and budgets of county departments, and has quasi-judicial power to resolve
claims against the county in certain circumstances. There are 44 general law counties and
14 charter counties. In addition, the California Constitution requires all counties to elect a
sheriff, district attorney, assessor, and board of supervisors. All counties elect or appoint
additional county officials.
Services
All counties provide three levels of service.
As agents of the State: social services and health services.
Countywide services such as: jails, probation, district attorney, assessor, elections,
clerk, recorder, and animal control.
Municipal-type services in their unincorporated areas such as: fire protection, sheriff
patrol, libraries, parks and recreation, roads, and planning. In some counties, special
districts provide these services.
