RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 58 SHOWN OF 58

Most sparsely populated, California counties · 1990

California counties with the fewest residents per square mile (1990). This list covers the 58 counties in California that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 58 is 74.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS –

01Alpine County, CACA1,0432–

02Inyo County, CACA18,1582–

03Modoc County, CACA8,4262–

04Mono County, CACA12,5053–

05Sierra County, CACA3,0983–

06Trinity County, CACA15,7204–

07Lassen County, CACA28,1176–

08Siskiyou County, CACA42,0137–

09Plumas County, CACA18,5838–

10Mariposa County, CACA16,91810–

11Colusa County, CACA21,83614–

12Tehama County, CACA64,66517–

13Glenn County, CACA28,14119–

14Tuolumne County, CACA53,16022–

15Mendocino County, CACA88,12223–

16Del Norte County, CACA26,41023–

17Imperial County, CACA181,41126–

18San Benito County, CACA70,08226–

19Calaveras County, CACA46,60531–

20Humboldt County, CACA131,64733–

21Shasta County, CACA181,64839–

22Lake County, CACA67,77240–

23Madera County, CACA167,92741–

24Amador County, CACA41,87651–

25Tulare County, CACA485,14665–

26San Luis Obispo County, CACA282,36766–

27Kern County, CACA927,06867–

28San Bernardino County, CACA2,224,09171–

29Kings County, CACA154,32773–

30El Dorado County, CACA192,32374–

31Nevada County, CACA101,91182–

32Merced County, CACA297,26092–

33Yuba County, CACA88,69192–

34Sutter County, CACA98,787107–

35Monterey County, CACA433,729108–

36Butte County, CACA209,211111–

37Fresno County, CACA1,035,456112–

38Placer County, CACA442,081123–

39Santa Barbara County, CACA442,065135–

40Yolo County, CACA224,410139–

41Napa County, CACA132,949147–

42Riverside County, CACA2,544,916162–

43Sonoma County, CACA486,444246–

44Stanislaus County, CACA557,719248–

45San Joaquin County, CACA823,815345–

46Ventura County, CACA830,851363–

47Solano County, CACA455,376414–

48Marin County, CACA253,694442–

49Santa Cruz County, CACA258,852516–

50San Diego County, CACA3,282,248593–

51Sacramento County, CACA1,618,4601,079–

52Contra Costa County, CACA1,170,0701,121–

53Santa Clara County, CACA1,914,3911,160–

54San Mateo County, CACA743,5681,448–

55Alameda County, CACA1,636,6301,735–

56Los Angeles County, CACA9,694,9342,183–

57Orange County, CACA3,149,5073,040–

58San Francisco County, CACA826,07915,502–

SHOWING 1–58 OF 58

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS