Thai Population in California by City : 2025 Ranking & Insights

The Thai population in California totals 77,606, according to recent U.S. Census estimates. Leading cities include Los Angeles (13,018), followed by San Diego (3,393) and San Francisco (2,949), 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 Thai residents are distributed across California''s urban and rural landscape.

Top 5 cities with the largest Thai population in California

  • 1
    Los Angeles
    Thai population in Los Angeles is 13,018
    0.34% of Los Angeles population is Thai
  • 2
    San Diego
    Thai population in San Diego is 3,393
    0.25% of San Diego population is Thai
  • 3
    San Francisco
    Thai population in San Francisco is 2,949
    0.35% of San Francisco population is Thai
  • 4
    Long Beach
    Thai population in Long Beach is 1,702
    0.37% of Long Beach population is Thai
  • 5
    San Jose
    Thai population in San Jose is 1,420
    0.14% of San Jose population is Thai

Overview of Thai population in California

  • Population Count and Percentage: American Community Survey data indicate California contains 77,606 Thai residents (0.2% of 39.2 million total state population), positioning the state at the 100th percentile nationally among U.S. states for Thai population concentrations.
  • Comparison to State and National Averages: U.S. Census data records indicate California's Thai population of 0.2% exceeds the national average of 0.099% by a factor of 2.
  • Share of Total National Population: Official American Community Survey data indicates California's 77,606 Thai residents constitute 23.7% of the nation's total Thai population of 327,765, placing the state among jurisdictions with the highest demographic concentrations, with 23.7% of all American Thai Americans residing within state boundaries.
  • Population Density per Square Mile: U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey document California with 0.5 Thai Americans per square mile, more than five times the national average density of 0.093 per square mile, placing the state among jurisdictions with significantly elevated demographic concentrations nationally.
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473 Cities in California Ranked by Thai Population

American Community Survey data [1] show Thai 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 Thai population count
Rank by Thai Population
City
Thai Population
% of Total City Population
% of Total California Thai Population
5 Year Rank Trend
1 Los Angeles 13,018 0.34% 16.77%
2 San Diego 3,393 0.25% 4.37%
3 San Francisco 2,949 0.35% 3.80%
4 Long Beach 1,702 0.37% 2.19%
5 San Jose 1,420 0.14% 1.83%
6 Irvine 1,176 0.38% 1.52%
7 Sacramento 1,110 0.21% 1.43%
8 983 0.22% 1.27%
9 831 0.24% 1.07%
10 790 0.34% 1.02%
11 743 1.54% 0.96%
12 705 0.66% 0.91%
13 696 0.86% 0.90%
14 662 0.46% 0.85%
15 656 0.38% 0.85%
16 650 0.33% 0.84%
17 629 0.20% 0.81%
18 563 0.72% 0.73%
19 543 0.28% 0.70%
20 520 0.61% 0.67%
21 495 0.89% 0.64%
22 490 0.15% 0.63%
23 489 0.36% 0.63%
24 467 0.27% 0.60%
25 457 0.37% 0.59%
26 453 0.56% 0.58%
27 431 0.36% 0.56%
28 417 0.40% 0.54%
29 413 0.08% 0.53%
30 411 1.64% 0.53%
31 403 0.52% 0.52%
32 401 0.44% 0.52%
33 395 0.17% 0.51%
34 372 0.34% 0.48%
35 368 0.86% 0.47%
36 361 0.21% 0.47%
37 355 0.35% 0.46%
38 343 0.37% 0.44%
39 338 0.90% 0.44%
40 337 0.39% 0.43%
41 330 0.36% 0.43%
42 328 0.32% 0.42%
43 321 0.27% 0.41%
44 320 0.10% 0.41%
45 318 0.53% 0.41%
46 314 0.88% 0.40%
47 300 0.24% 0.39%
48 285 0.20% 0.37%
49 280 0.26% 0.36%
50 270 0.12% 0.35%
51 268 0.84% 0.35%
51 268 0.31% 0.35%
52 254 0.23% 0.33%
52 254 0.48% 0.33%
53 247 0.44% 0.32%
54 246 1.46% 0.32%
55 245 0.11% 0.32%
56 244 0.31% 0.31%
57 243 0.06% 0.31%
58 239 0.15% 0.31%
58 239 0.16% 0.31%
59 238 0.09% 0.31%
60 237 0.16% 0.31%
61 236 0.13% 0.30%
62 235 0.19% 0.30%
63 234 0.29% 0.30%
63 234 0.39% 0.30%
64 232 0.41% 0.30%
65 223 0.43% 0.29%
66 221 0.24% 0.28%
67 220 0.78% 0.28%
68 219 0.76% 0.28%
69 215 0.19% 0.28%
70 209 0.65% 0.27%
70 209 0.39% 0.27%
70 209 0.22% 0.27%
71 208 0.10% 0.27%
71 208 0.34% 0.27%
72 207 0.12% 0.27%
73 205 0.53% 0.26%
74 200 0.09% 0.26%
75 199 0.50% 0.26%
76 194 0.25% 0.25%
77 192 0.38% 0.25%
78 190 0.16% 0.24%
79 189 0.11% 0.24%
80 187 0.61% 0.24%
81 186 0.30% 0.24%
81 186 0.28% 0.24%
81 186 0.67% 0.24%
82 184 0.26% 0.24%
83 183 0.31% 0.24%
83 183 0.26% 0.24%
84 182 0.24% 0.23%
85 178 0.26% 0.23%
86 177 0.40% 0.23%
87 175 1.24% 0.23%
87 175 0.21% 0.23%
88 173 0.14% 0.22%
89 166 0.39% 0.21%
90 159 0.32% 0.20%
90 159 0.62% 0.20%
91 156 1.01% 0.20%
91 156 0.11% 0.20%
92 152 0.12% 0.20%
93 149 0.14% 0.19%
94 147 0.21% 0.19%
95 146 0.43% 0.19%
95 146 0.15% 0.19%
96 144 0.16% 0.19%
97 141 0.17% 0.18%
98 136 0.23% 0.18%
98 136 0.21% 0.18%
99 132 0.48% 0.17%
100 128 0.09% 0.16%
100 128 0.66% 0.16%
100 128 0.08% 0.16%
101 125 0.16% 0.16%
102 123 0.18% 0.16%
103 121 0.12% 0.16%
104 120 0.87% 0.15%
105 119 0.07% 0.15%
106 116 0.13% 0.15%
106 116 0.34% 0.15%
106 116 0.19% 0.15%
107 115 0.19% 0.15%
107 115 0.37% 0.15%
107 115 0.11% 0.15%
108 114 0.22% 0.15%
109 113 0.15% 0.15%
110 111 0.13% 0.14%
111 110 0.34% 0.14%
111 110 0.21% 0.14%
111 110 0.37% 0.14%
112 109 0.05% 0.14%
113 107 0.21% 0.14%
113 107 0.32% 0.14%
113 107 0.12% 0.14%
114 106 0.90% 0.14%
115 105 0.42% 0.14%
116 103 0.38% 0.13%
117 102 0.29% 0.13%
118 101 0.51% 0.13%
118 101 0.07% 0.13%
119 99 0.09% 0.13%
119 99 0.19% 0.13%
120 97 0.32% 0.13%
120 97 0.16% 0.13%
120 97 0.43% 0.13%
120 97 0.12% 0.13%
120 97 0.18% 0.13%
120 97 0.14% 0.13%
121 96 0.06% 0.12%
122 95 0.09% 0.12%
123 94 0.27% 0.12%
124 93 0.28% 0.12%
125 88 0.08% 0.11%
125 88 0.10% 0.11%
126 87 0.15% 0.11%
127 85 0.08% 0.11%
127 85 0.10% 0.11%
128 83 0.22% 0.11%
128 83 0.32% 0.11%
129 81 0.09% 0.10%
130 78 0.10% 0.10%
130 78 0.09% 0.10%
131 77 1.10% 0.10%
131 77 0.19% 0.10%
132 76 0.09% 0.10%
132 76 0.28% 0.10%
133 75 0.07% 0.10%
133 75 0.37% 0.10%
133 75 0.16% 0.10%
134 74 0.08% 0.10%
134 74 0.11% 0.10%
135 73 0.04% 0.09%
135 73 0.16% 0.09%
136 70 0.42% 0.09%
136 70 0.12% 0.09%
137 66 0.13% 0.09%
137 66 0.14% 0.09%
138 65 0.07% 0.08%
138 65 0.30% 0.08%
139 64 0.04% 0.08%
139 64 0.57% 0.08%
140 63 0.09% 0.08%
141 61 0.16% 0.08%
141 61 0.04% 0.08%
141 61 0.07% 0.08%
142 59 0.20% 0.08%
142 59 0.16% 0.08%
143 57 0.18% 0.07%
143 57 0.46% 0.07%
144 56 0.26% 0.07%
144 56 0.17% 0.07%
144 56 0.09% 0.07%
145 55 0.08% 0.07%
145 55 0.09% 0.07%
146 54 0.08% 0.07%
147 53 0.17% 0.07%
147 53 0.05% 0.07%
148 52 0.10% 0.07%
148 52 0.18% 0.07%
149 51 0.29% 0.07%
150 50 1.28% 0.06%
150 50 0.26% 0.06%
150 50 0.06% 0.06%
151 49 0.05% 0.06%
152 48 0.10% 0.06%
153 47 0.08% 0.06%
154 46 0.05% 0.06%
154 46 0.09% 0.06%
154 46 0.05% 0.06%
155 45 0.17% 0.06%
156 44 0.06% 0.06%
156 44 0.17% 0.06%
157 42 0.38% 0.05%
157 42 0.07% 0.05%
158 41 0.26% 0.05%
158 41 0.16% 0.05%
158 41 0.03% 0.05%
159 40 0.15% 0.05%
159 40 0.11% 0.05%
159 40 0.24% 0.05%
159 40 0.13% 0.05%
160 39 0.24% 0.05%
160 39 0.04% 0.05%
161 38 0.05% 0.05%
161 38 0.10% 0.05%
162 37 0.13% 0.05%
163 36 0.71% 0.05%
163 36 0.48% 0.05%
163 36 0.14% 0.05%
163 36 1.04% 0.05%
163 36 0.08% 0.05%
164 35 0.50% 0.05%
164 35 0.07% 0.05%
165 34 0.05% 0.04%
165 34 0.15% 0.04%
166 33 0.17% 0.04%
167 32 0.09% 0.04%
168 31 0.07% 0.04%
168 31 0.14% 0.04%
169 30 0.06% 0.04%
170 29 0.23% 0.04%
170 29 0.09% 0.04%
170 29 0.39% 0.04%
171 28 0.21% 0.04%
171 28 0.23% 0.04%
172 27 0.21% 0.03%
173 26 0.24% 0.03%
173 26 0.06% 0.03%
173 26 0.20% 0.03%
173 26 0.31% 0.03%
174 25 0.07% 0.03%
175 24 0.17% 0.03%
175 24 0.08% 0.03%
176 23 0.04% 0.03%
176 23 0.09% 0.03%
177 22 0.07% 0.03%
177 22 0.19% 0.03%
178 21 0.08% 0.03%
178 21 0.87% 0.03%
178 21 0.04% 0.03%
178 21 0.28% 0.03%
178 21 0.07% 0.03%
179 20 0.08% 0.03%
179 20 0.02% 0.03%
180 19 0.03% 0.02%
180 19 0.10% 0.02%
180 19 0.03% 0.02%
181 18 0.06% 0.02%
182 17 0.02% 0.02%
182 17 0.04% 0.02%
182 17 1.13% 0.02%
182 17 0.13% 0.02%
182 17 0.15% 0.02%
182 17 0.03% 0.02%
183 16 0.08% 0.02%
183 16 0.06% 0.02%
183 16 0.03% 0.02%
183 16 0.58% 0.02%
184 14 0.04% 0.02%
184 14 0.04% 0.02%
184 14 0.01% 0.02%
185 13 0.02% 0.02%
185 13 0.08% 0.02%
186 11 0.03% 0.01%
186 11 0.11% 0.01%
186 11 0.18% 0.01%
186 11 0.02% 0.01%
187 10 0.06% 0.01%
187 10 0.03% 0.01%
187 10 0.07% 0.01%
187 10 0.02% 0.01%
187 10 0.05% 0.01%
187 10 0.01% 0.01%
188 9 0.07% 0.01%
188 9 0.14% 0.01%
188 9 0.18% 0.01%
189 8 0.07% 0.01%
189 8 0.02% 0.01%
189 8 0.04% 0.01%
189 8 0.01% 0.01%
190 7 0.03% 0.01%
190 7 0.02% 0.01%
191 6 0.03% 0.01%
192 4 0.01% 0.01%
192 4 0.02% 0.01%
192 4 0.01% 0.01%
192 4 0.05% 0.01%
193 2 0.01% 0.00%
194 1 0.01% 0.00%
194 1 0.00% 0.00%
195 0 - -
195 0 - -
195 0 - -
195 0 - -
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195 0 - -
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195 0 - -
195 0 - -
195 0 - -
195 0 - -
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195 0 - -
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195 0 - -
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195 0 - -
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195 0 - -
195 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 Thai population, using the most recent ACS data available.

How the Census defines Thai 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 Thai 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 Thai alone, while others identify as Thai along with another race (such as Thai and German).
  • We’ve used the “Thai alone or in any combination” category unless noted otherwise, which gives a broader picture of the Thai population in each area.

How We Ranked the Data

This ranking is based on the total number of people who identified as Thai 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 Thai .
  2. % of Total California Thai Population – This tells us how much of the entire U.S. Thai 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 Thai 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 Thai 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 Thai populations are most concentrated while keeping the numbers easy to understand.

Sources

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