California Adds Nearly 350K To Population, Mostly To Southern Counties
LOS ANGELES (AP) — California has added nearly 350,000 people, bringing its total population to a smidge under 39.1 million.
The Department of Finance released the numbers Wednesday. The growth covers the period July 1, 2014 to July 1, 2015.
Most of the population boost is due to what's called "natural increase." In other words, there were more than 500,000 babies born in the one-year period and 245,000 deaths. The rest comes from migration into and out of the state.
Five counties accounted for more than half of the state's population growth. They are the Southern California counties of Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego and Riverside, and the Northern California county of Santa Clara.
Department officials say smaller counties in remote areas continue to lose people or post smaller gains.
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