German Population in California by City : 2025 Ranking & Insights

The German population in California totals 2.7 million, according to recent U.S. Census estimates. Leading cities include Los Angeles (151,393), followed by San Diego (120,675) and San Francisco (59,189), each hosting visible segments of the community. While these urban centers anchor much of the population, the statewide total points to a broader presence in unincorporated areas and smaller towns beyond major city boundaries. The analysis below explores how German residents are distributed across California''s urban and rural landscape.

Top 5 cities with the largest German population in California

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  • 1
    Los Angeles
    German population in Los Angeles is 151,393
    3.92% of Los Angeles population is German
  • 2
    San Diego
    German population in San Diego is 120,675
    8.71% of San Diego population is German
  • 3
    San Francisco
    German population in San Francisco is 59,189
    7.08% of San Francisco population is German
  • 4
    San Jose
    German population in San Jose is 43,774
    4.42% of San Jose population is German
  • 5
    Sacramento
    German population in Sacramento is 34,062
    6.49% of Sacramento population is German

Overview of German population in California

  • Population Count and Percentage: American Community Survey documents California with 2.7 million German residents (6.8% of 39.2 million total state population), ranking the state at the 97th percentile nationally among U.S. jurisdictions for German demographic representation.
  • Comparison to State and National Averages: U.S. Census surveys show California's German demographic representation of 6.8% remains below the national average of 12.6%, positioning the state below typical U.S. demographic distribution patterns.
  • Share of Total National Population: Official American Community Survey records show California hosts 2.7 million German residents, representing 6.4% of the nation's total German population of 41.8 million, establishing the state as a significant demographic concentration center within national boundaries.
  • Population Density per Square Mile: U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey data show California maintains 17.2 German Americans per square mile compared to the national average of 11.8, indicating higher demographic concentration relative to national averages.
  • Need additional overviews? Extended research data available for purchase and license. ➔

473 Cities in California Ranked by German Population

View Methodology
American Community Survey data [1] show German population in California present in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco, along with several other incorporated cities reporting non-zero populations. The table below provides broader statistics, including total population figures, density measures, and demographic distributions based on current ACS data for all incorporated cities included in this analysis*.
cities in California ranked by German population count
Rank by German Population
City
German Population
% of Total City Population
% of Total California German Population
5 Year Rank Trend
1 Los Angeles 151,393 3.92% 5.64%
2 San Diego 120,675 8.71% 4.49%
3 San Francisco 59,189 7.08% 2.20%
4 San Jose 43,774 4.42% 1.63%
5 Sacramento 34,062 6.49% 1.27%
6 Fresno 32,547 5.99% 1.21%
7 Long Beach 25,505 5.56% 0.95%
8 24,796 5.66% 0.92%
9 24,367 5.97% 0.91%
10 22,060 9.63% 0.82%
11 21,496 10.97% 0.80%
12 20,142 13.21% 0.75%
13 19,651 11.09% 0.73%
14 18,410 5.97% 0.69%
15 18,403 5.82% 0.69%
16 17,686 10.25% 0.66%
17 16,129 14.09% 0.60%
18 16,107 4.67% 0.60%
19 15,775 7.22% 0.59%
20 14,980 12.21% 0.56%
21 14,097 13.82% 0.52%
22 14,051 12.73% 0.52%
23 14,039 11.17% 0.52%
24 13,658 14.64% 0.51%
25 12,909 11.75% 0.48%
26 12,684 10.09% 0.47%
27 12,220 8.81% 0.45%
28 12,212 3.81% 0.45%
29 12,013 14.25% 0.45%
30 11,962 8.34% 0.45%
31 11,931 6.83% 0.44%
32 11,891 6.71% 0.44%
33 11,297 12.98% 0.42%
34 11,280 10.11% 0.42%
35 11,240 9.35% 0.42%
36 11,104 10.05% 0.41%
37 11,000 7.34% 0.41%
38 10,954 12.76% 0.41%
39 10,501 12.78% 0.39%
40 10,329 16.26% 0.38%
41 10,172 6.40% 0.38%
42 10,064 8.10% 0.37%
43 10,003 10.82% 0.37%
44 9,568 10.87% 0.36%
45 9,565 5.63% 0.36%
46 9,434 6.61% 0.35%
47 9,430 14.07% 0.35%
48 9,283 3.38% 0.35%
49 9,275 12.82% 0.35%
50 9,184 6.73% 0.34%
51 9,121 9.96% 0.34%
52 9,050 12.96% 0.34%
53 8,924 14.49% 0.33%
54 8,793 3.85% 0.33%
55 8,720 12.49% 0.32%
56 8,672 6.14% 0.32%
57 8,665 9.21% 0.32%
58 8,578 8.16% 0.32%
59 8,570 12.71% 0.32%
60 8,469 14.28% 0.32%
61 8,443 10.71% 0.31%
62 8,407 11.97% 0.31%
63 8,399 4.37% 0.31%
64 8,397 8.23% 0.31%
65 8,393 7.84% 0.31%
66 8,338 5.43% 0.31%
67 8,273 9.64% 0.31%
68 8,174 8.29% 0.30%
69 7,876 7.51% 0.29%
70 7,864 13.22% 0.29%
71 7,524 14.57% 0.28%
72 7,279 11.37% 0.27%
73 7,082 8.60% 0.26%
74 7,060 9.35% 0.26%
75 6,907 14.38% 0.26%
76 6,802 10.18% 0.25%
77 6,797 5.87% 0.25%
78 6,762 5.23% 0.25%
79 6,703 7.75% 0.25%
80 6,693 10.98% 0.25%
81 6,653 8.65% 0.25%
82 6,632 3.13% 0.25%
83 6,553 10.81% 0.24%
84 6,389 8.75% 0.24%
85 6,255 18.09% 0.23%
86 6,192 4.55% 0.23%
87 6,177 11.98% 0.23%
88 6,162 12.70% 0.23%
89 6,115 14.08% 0.23%
90 6,102 7.73% 0.23%
91 6,098 7.56% 0.23%
92 6,093 5.88% 0.23%
93 6,089 6.39% 0.23%
94 6,081 9.04% 0.23%
95 6,073 6.06% 0.23%
96 6,030 7.49% 0.22%
97 6,007 11.40% 0.22%
98 5,989 3.51% 0.22%
99 5,884 4.72% 0.22%
100 5,767 6.36% 0.21%
101 5,732 9.42% 0.21%
101 5,732 2.72% 0.21%
102 5,728 7.39% 0.21%
103 5,692 7.96% 0.21%
104 5,665 3.42% 0.21%
105 5,612 12.47% 0.21%
106 5,603 3.14% 0.21%
107 5,585 8.03% 0.21%
108 5,555 1.78% 0.21%
109 5,541 6.72% 0.21%
110 5,537 11.72% 0.21%
111 5,449 2.46% 0.20%
112 5,446 4.54% 0.20%
113 5,283 10.09% 0.20%
114 5,191 9.55% 0.19%
115 5,176 8.45% 0.19%
116 5,160 7.99% 0.19%
117 5,038 9.81% 0.19%
118 5,033 5.87% 0.19%
119 5,022 16.89% 0.19%
120 4,947 9.08% 0.18%
121 4,810 5.36% 0.18%
122 4,805 2.39% 0.18%
123 4,797 13.12% 0.18%
124 4,713 14.33% 0.18%
125 4,708 9.17% 0.18%
126 4,597 5.35% 0.17%
127 4,587 5.80% 0.17%
128 4,566 8.10% 0.17%
128 4,566 11.07% 0.17%
129 4,547 2.86% 0.17%
130 4,503 6.22% 0.17%
131 4,498 12.18% 0.17%
132 4,493 5.76% 0.17%
133 4,448 10.00% 0.17%
134 4,320 6.12% 0.16%
135 4,256 11.11% 0.16%
136 4,201 14.11% 0.16%
137 4,178 12.17% 0.16%
138 4,105 12.53% 0.15%
139 4,015 10.04% 0.15%
140 4,012 14.26% 0.15%
141 3,989 3.46% 0.15%
142 3,986 8.83% 0.15%
143 3,983 12.69% 0.15%
144 3,952 4.36% 0.15%
145 3,946 17.32% 0.15%
146 3,914 9.13% 0.15%
147 3,870 11.06% 0.14%
148 3,841 7.01% 0.14%
149 3,800 4.58% 0.14%
150 3,789 19.69% 0.14%
151 3,785 4.20% 0.14%
152 3,778 14.36% 0.14%
153 3,752 7.58% 0.14%
154 3,744 9.98% 0.14%
155 3,723 12.49% 0.14%
156 3,704 4.04% 0.14%
157 3,695 8.34% 0.14%
158 3,670 7.75% 0.14%
159 3,660 10.43% 0.14%
160 3,594 14.22% 0.13%
161 3,586 6.04% 0.13%
162 3,542 2.39% 0.13%
163 3,506 3.96% 0.13%
164 3,501 13.03% 0.13%
165 3,472 6.67% 0.13%
166 3,430 2.12% 0.13%
167 3,427 18.61% 0.13%
168 3,377 9.39% 0.13%
169 3,336 11.61% 0.12%
170 3,297 3.00% 0.12%
171 3,279 5.60% 0.12%
171 3,279 15.08% 0.12%
172 3,258 10.54% 0.12%
173 3,251 13.07% 0.12%
174 3,235 16.61% 0.12%
174 3,235 8.75% 0.12%
175 3,234 9.89% 0.12%
176 3,213 9.80% 0.12%
177 3,193 5.13% 0.12%
178 3,089 10.03% 0.12%
179 3,021 8.86% 0.11%
180 2,953 11.28% 0.11%
181 2,887 5.76% 0.11%
182 2,859 4.09% 0.11%
183 2,826 9.26% 0.11%
184 2,790 13.09% 0.10%
185 2,787 5.09% 0.10%
186 2,723 7.25% 0.10%
187 2,715 14.63% 0.10%
188 2,689 8.75% 0.10%
189 2,688 14.47% 0.10%
190 2,653 5.65% 0.10%
191 2,585 9.40% 0.10%
192 2,578 17.18% 0.10%
193 2,557 9.92% 0.10%
194 2,555 3.37% 0.10%
195 2,552 9.70% 0.10%
196 2,533 9.87% 0.09%
197 2,511 15.29% 0.09%
198 2,501 14.42% 0.09%
199 2,489 3.97% 0.09%
200 2,370 10.36% 0.09%
201 2,321 5.30% 0.09%
202 2,320 13.35% 0.09%
203 2,317 5.39% 0.09%
204 2,316 13.67% 0.09%
205 2,284 4.03% 0.09%
206 2,276 9.03% 0.08%
207 2,248 13.33% 0.08%
208 2,233 7.28% 0.08%
209 2,225 9.61% 0.08%
210 2,205 5.17% 0.08%
211 2,201 6.73% 0.08%
211 2,201 13.66% 0.08%
212 2,190 2.83% 0.08%
213 2,169 15.42% 0.08%
214 2,167 2.02% 0.08%
215 2,163 9.69% 0.08%
216 2,135 15.52% 0.08%
216 2,135 19.90% 0.08%
217 2,101 17.31% 0.08%
218 2,045 19.08% 0.08%
219 2,034 3.45% 0.08%
220 2,029 1.95% 0.08%
221 1,990 1.78% 0.07%
222 1,988 3.58% 0.07%
223 1,942 6.08% 0.07%
224 1,889 3.51% 0.07%
225 1,883 1.84% 0.07%
225 1,883 11.22% 0.07%
226 1,882 1.87% 0.07%
227 1,861 13.17% 0.07%
228 1,856 5.81% 0.07%
229 1,846 14.52% 0.07%
230 1,841 9.26% 0.07%
231 1,840 2.70% 0.07%
232 1,832 2.13% 0.07%
233 1,818 3.69% 0.07%
234 1,803 3.85% 0.07%
235 1,792 5.60% 0.07%
236 1,770 13.77% 0.07%
237 1,767 13.76% 0.07%
238 1,759 3.60% 0.07%
239 1,740 13.70% 0.06%
240 1,732 8.76% 0.06%
241 1,728 5.70% 0.06%
242 1,726 3.66% 0.06%
243 1,723 15.27% 0.06%
244 1,671 13.17% 0.06%
245 1,668 2.05% 0.06%
246 1,663 12.75% 0.06%
247 1,661 15.15% 0.06%
248 1,653 16.36% 0.06%
249 1,638 15.27% 0.06%
250 1,625 4.96% 0.06%
251 1,621 6.00% 0.06%
252 1,617 11.08% 0.06%
253 1,602 8.07% 0.06%
254 1,590 4.82% 0.06%
255 1,583 23.30% 0.06%
256 1,568 7.80% 0.06%
257 1,555 13.79% 0.06%
258 1,554 2.31% 0.06%
259 1,540 9.27% 0.06%
260 1,539 7.54% 0.06%
261 1,538 13.97% 0.06%
262 1,530 1.64% 0.06%
263 1,511 6.04% 0.06%
264 1,498 5.45% 0.06%
265 1,496 11.42% 0.06%
266 1,491 5.11% 0.06%
267 1,490 13.42% 0.06%
268 1,465 19.45% 0.05%
269 1,461 5.64% 0.05%
270 1,428 6.58% 0.05%
271 1,408 12.78% 0.05%
272 1,403 1.79% 0.05%
273 1,398 13.98% 0.05%
274 1,365 11.00% 0.05%
275 1,362 9.08% 0.05%
276 1,359 2.62% 0.05%
277 1,326 1.26% 0.05%
278 1,324 5.20% 0.05%
278 1,324 5.32% 0.05%
279 1,309 3.46% 0.05%
280 1,275 5.64% 0.05%
281 1,271 15.84% 0.05%
282 1,260 6.68% 0.05%
283 1,259 1.59% 0.05%
284 1,229 9.94% 0.05%
285 1,211 12.34% 0.05%
286 1,193 1.85% 0.04%
287 1,187 22.37% 0.04%
288 1,185 3.80% 0.04%
289 1,180 6.62% 0.04%
290 1,177 11.19% 0.04%
291 1,167 14.90% 0.04%
292 1,166 2.17% 0.04%
293 1,155 15.25% 0.04%
294 1,151 6.01% 0.04%
295 1,135 9.02% 0.04%
296 1,133 10.96% 0.04%
297 1,132 10.18% 0.04%
298 1,124 12.44% 0.04%
299 1,116 3.59% 0.04%
300 1,110 22.98% 0.04%
301 1,103 2.28% 0.04%
302 1,085 14.42% 0.04%
303 1,080 6.22% 0.04%
304 1,073 1.80% 0.04%
305 1,064 17.63% 0.04%
306 1,051 20.65% 0.04%
307 1,047 8.01% 0.04%
307 1,047 4.31% 0.04%
308 1,032 15.16% 0.04%
308 1,032 5.48% 0.04%
309 1,019 8.65% 0.04%
310 1,013 9.49% 0.04%
311 1,012 13.99% 0.04%
312 1,001 8.74% 0.04%
313 974 6.57% 0.04%
314 972 4.43% 0.04%
315 961 7.53% 0.04%
316 957 12.82% 0.04%
317 955 2.47% 0.04%
318 941 2.13% 0.04%
319 933 10.44% 0.03%
320 928 4.50% 0.03%
321 912 24.51% 0.03%
321 912 2.35% 0.03%
321 912 12.62% 0.03%
322 910 11.62% 0.03%
323 901 3.58% 0.03%
324 893 15.46% 0.03%
325 892 2.50% 0.03%
326 864 17.47% 0.03%
327 841 3.88% 0.03%
328 804 3.03% 0.03%
329 801 8.73% 0.03%
330 800 18.48% 0.03%
331 797 9.77% 0.03%
332 793 11.29% 0.03%
333 792 11.04% 0.03%
334 791 20.85% 0.03%
335 790 10.72% 0.03%
336 783 2.98% 0.03%
337 763 3.10% 0.03%
338 760 1.36% 0.03%
339 756 14.59% 0.03%
340 747 10.02% 0.03%
341 733 2.72% 0.03%
342 730 14.42% 0.03%
343 715 14.06% 0.03%
344 700 11.33% 0.03%
344 700 7.56% 0.03%
345 691 12.46% 0.03%
346 688 4.47% 0.03%
347 674 13.81% 0.03%
348 673 10.79% 0.03%
349 668 8.86% 0.02%
350 667 1.12% 0.02%
351 657 17.34% 0.02%
352 647 6.29% 0.02%
353 646 24.04% 0.02%
354 636 1.05% 0.02%
355 626 2.25% 0.02%
356 620 12.02% 0.02%
357 618 19.40% 0.02%
358 609 12.09% 0.02%
359 607 0.57% 0.02%
360 597 12.02% 0.02%
361 587 1.54% 0.02%
362 584 6.98% 0.02%
363 575 18.15% 0.02%
364 556 20.57% 0.02%
365 554 2.45% 0.02%
366 545 6.60% 0.02%
367 537 2.13% 0.02%
368 525 4.28% 0.02%
369 518 7.40% 0.02%
370 515 9.58% 0.02%
371 508 2.43% 0.02%
372 502 0.82% 0.02%
373 498 7.73% 0.02%
374 494 6.65% 0.02%
375 486 2.52% 0.02%
376 472 3.84% 0.02%
377 468 13.78% 0.02%
378 450 0.49% 0.02%
379 441 1.39% 0.02%
380 439 16.72% 0.02%
381 436 6.29% 0.02%
382 430 12.43% 0.02%
383 425 3.68% 0.02%
384 416 12.97% 0.02%
385 415 2.49% 0.02%
386 378 1.59% 0.01%
387 374 6.72% 0.01%
388 359 2.86% 0.01%
389 354 23.30% 0.01%
390 353 0.94% 0.01%
390 353 0.54% 0.01%
391 347 1.42% 0.01%
392 341 8.70% 0.01%
392 341 10.12% 0.01%
393 339 0.48% 0.01%
394 336 1.15% 0.01%
395 335 2.03% 0.01%
396 334 13.57% 0.01%
397 329 13.62% 0.01%
398 322 1.23% 0.01%
399 319 9.46% 0.01%
400 317 3.88% 0.01%
401 311 6.59% 0.01%
402 303 0.58% 0.01%
403 280 13.37% 0.01%
404 260 16.71% 0.01%
405 256 12.08% 0.01%
406 250 0.50% 0.01%
407 248 1.55% 0.01%
408 241 0.45% 0.01%
409 234 1.73% 0.01%
410 228 15.09% 0.01%
411 225 0.44% 0.01%
412 222 8.03% 0.01%
413 220 1.64% 0.01%
414 212 3.68% 0.01%
415 211 21.16% 0.01%
416 209 9.27% 0.01%
417 201 1.39% 0.01%
418 186 8.95% 0.01%
419 184 0.95% 0.01%
420 181 11.87% 0.01%
421 164 0.18% 0.01%
422 163 2.66% 0.01%
423 162 12.96% 0.01%
424 161 1.89% 0.01%
425 155 1.12% 0.01%
426 146 9.83% 0.01%
427 138 1.80% 0.01%
428 117 16.69% 0.00%
429 115 1.37% 0.00%
430 102 1.56% 0.00%
430 102 16.56% 0.00%
431 98 0.95% 0.00%
432 96 9.46% 0.00%
433 83 12.79% 0.00%
434 75 9.04% 0.00%
435 74 0.37% 0.00%
436 71 0.17% 0.00%
437 67 1.20% 0.00%
438 66 0.20% 0.00%
439 55 0.14% 0.00%
440 46 1.23% 0.00%
441 41 5.06% 0.00%
442 37 4.42% 0.00%
443 35 0.25% 0.00%
444 31 0.16% 0.00%
445 27 3.43% 0.00%
446 25 0.21% 0.00%
447 24 1.78% 0.00%
448 22 0.27% 0.00%
448 22 0.09% 0.00%
449 21 0.09% 0.00%
450 20 0.21% 0.00%
451 18 0.14% 0.00%
452 17 1.18% 0.00%
453 13 0.75% 0.00%
454 12 0.03% 0.00%
455 0 - -
455 0 - -
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Methodology

This ranking list is based on data from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The ACS is one of the most reliable sources for understanding population trends across different locations, and it provides estimates for various racial and ethnic groups at city, county, state and all geography levels down to the Census block group.
This list ranks city in California by their German population, using the most recent ACS data available.

How the Census defines German population

The U.S. Census Bureau allows people to self-identify their ancestry, meaning individuals can write upto ancestries when responding to the survey. In this ranking, we include everyone who identifies as having German ancestry, whether alone or in combination with another ancestry.
Here are a few important things to know about how ancestry is reported:
  • Some people identify as German alone, while others identify as German along with another race (such as German and German).
  • We’ve used the “German alone or in any combination” category unless noted otherwise, which gives a broader picture of the German population in each area.

How We Ranked the Data

This ranking is based on the total number of people who identified as German alone or in combination in city. To provide additional context, we’ve also included two key percentages:
  1. % of Total City Population – This shows what percentage of the total state population identifies as German .
  2. % of Total California German Population – This tells us how much of the entire U.S. German population lives in that state.
To keep things simple, all population numbers have been rounded to the nearest whole number, and percentages are rounded to one decimal place. Because of rounding, some percentages may not add up to exactly 100%.

Things to Keep in Mind

Like all survey-based data, ACS estimates come with some limitations. Here are a few things to be aware of:
  • In places with very small German populations, the numbers may not be reported at all due to privacy protections or sampling variability in the survey.
  • Since the ACS is based on a sample, the numbers are estimates, not exact counts. That means they may slightly differ from other sources like the decennial U.S. Census.
  • City that don’t have any reported German population are not included in the ranking but are listed separately below for reference.
This ranking is meant to provide a clear, data-driven look at where German populations are most concentrated while keeping the numbers easy to understand.

Sources

  1. 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.
  2. 2023.