CHAPTER 2. Classification of Counties [28020. - 28085.]

Cal. Government Code - GOV 2.

in effect

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28020. Section 28020.

The population of the counties of this state is hereby ascertained and determined to be and is as follows: 1 Los Angeles 7,032,075 2 Orange 1,420,386 3 San Diego 1,357,854 4 Alameda 1,073,184 5 Santa Clara 1,064,714 6 San Francisco 715,674 7 San Bernardino 684,072 8 Sacramento 631,498 9 Contra Costa 558,389 10 San Mateo 556,234 11 Riverside 459,074 12 Fresno 413,053 13 Ventura 376,430 14 Kern 329,162 15 San Joaquin 290,208 16 Santa Barbara 264,324 17 Monterey 250,071 18 Marin 206,038 19 Sonoma 204,885 20 Stanislaus 194,506 21 Tulare 188,322 22 Solano 169,941 23 Santa Cruz 123,790 24 San Luis Obispo 105,690 25 Merced 104,629 26 Butte 101,969 27 Humboldt 99,692 28 Yolo 91,788 29 Napa 79,140 30 Shasta 77,640 31 Placer 77,306 32 Imperial 74,492 33 Kings 64,610 34 Mendocino 51,101 35 Yuba 44,736 36 El Dorado 43,833 37 Sutter 41,935 38 Madera 41,519 39 Siskiyou 33,225 40 Tehama 29,517 41 Nevada 26,346 42 Tuolumne 22,169 43 Lake 19,548 44 San Benito 18,226 45 Glenn 17,521 46 Inyo 15,571 47 Lassen 14,960 48 Del Norte 14,580 49 Calaveras 13,585 50 Colusa 12,430 51 Amador 11,821 52 Plumas 11,707 53 Trinity 7,615 54 Modoc 7,469 55 Mariposa 6,015 56 Mono 4,016 57 Sierra 2,365 58 Alpine 484

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28021. Section 28021.

For the purpose of regulating the compensation of all officers provided for in this part, the several counties of the State are classified according to their population, as ascertained and determined in Section 28020, as set forth in this chapter.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28022. Section 28022.

Counties containing a population of 4,000,000 and over are counties of the first class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28023. Section 28023.

Counties containing a population of 1,400,000 and under 4,000,000 are counties of the second class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28024. Section 28024.

Counties containing a population of 1,300,000 and under 1,400,000 are counties of the third class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28025. Section 28025.

Counties containing a population of 1,070,000 and under 1,300,000 are counties of the fourth class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28026. Section 28026.

Counties containing a population of 1,000,000 and under 1,070,000 are counties of the fifth class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28027. Section 28027.

Counties containing a population of 700,000 and under 1,000,000 are counties of the sixth class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28028. Section 28028.

Counties containing a population of 650,000 and under 700,000 are counties of the seventh class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28029. Section 28029.

Counties containing a population of 600,000 and under 650,000 are counties of the eighth class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28030. Section 28030.

Counties containing a population of 558,000 and under 600,000 are counties of the ninth class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28031. Section 28031.

Counties containing a population of 500,000 and under 558,000 are counties of the 10th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28032. Section 28032.

Counties containing a population of 450,000 and under 500,000 are counties of the 11th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28033. Section 28033.

Counties containing a population of 400,000 and under 450,000 are counties of the 12th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28034. Section 28034.

Counties containing a population of 370,000 and under 400,000 are counties of the 13th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28035. Section 28035.

Counties containing a population of 300,000 and under 370,000 are counties of the 14th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28036. Section 28036.

Counties containing a population of 290,000 and under 300,000 are counties of the 15th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28037. Section 28037.

Counties containing a population of 260,000 and under 290,000 are counties of the 16th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28038. Section 28038.

Counties containing a population of 250,000 and under 260,000 are counties of the 17th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28039. Section 28039.

Counties containing a population of 205,000 and under 250,000 are counties of the 18th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28040. Section 28040.

Counties containing a population of 200,000 and under 205,000 are counties of the 19th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28041. Section 28041.

Counties containing a population of 190,000 and under 200,000 are counties of the 20th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28042. Section 28042.

Counties containing a population of 185,000 and under 190,000 are counties of the 21st class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28043. Section 28043.

Counties containing a population of 160,000 and under 185,000 are counties of the 22nd class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28044. Section 28044.

Counties containing a population of 120,000 and under 160,000 are counties of the 23rd class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28045. Section 28045.

Counties containing a population of 105,000 and under 120,000 are counties of the 24th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28046. Section 28046.

Counties containing a population of 103,000 and under 105,000 are counties of the 25th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28047. Section 28047.

Counties containing a population of 100,000 and under 103,000 are counties of the 26th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28048. Section 28048.

Counties containing a population of 95,000 and under 100,000 are counties of the 27th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28049. Section 28049.

Counties containing a population of 90,000 and under 95,000 are counties of the 28th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28050. Section 28050.

Counties containing a population of 78,000 and under 90,000 are counties of the 29th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28051. Section 28051.

Counties containing a population of 77,500 and under 78,000 are counties of the 30th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28052. Section 28052.

Counties containing a population of 77,000 and under 77,500 are counties of the 31st class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28053. Section 28053.

Counties containing a population of 70,000 and under 77,000 are counties of the 32nd class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28054. Section 28054.

Counties containing a population of 60,000 and under 70,000 are counties of the 33rd class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28055. Section 28055.

Counties containing a population of 50,000 and under 60,000 are counties of the 34th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28056. Section 28056.

Counties containing a population of 44,000 and under 50,000 are counties of the 35th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28057. Section 28057.

Counties containing a population of 42,000 and under 44,000 are counties of the 36th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28058. Section 28058.

Counties containing a population of 41,800 and under 42,000 are counties of the 37th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28059. Section 28059.

Counties containing a population of 40,000 and under 41,800 are counties of the 38th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28060. Section 28060.

Counties containing a population of 30,000 and under 40,000 are counties of the 39th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28061. Section 28061.

Counties containing a population of 28,000 and under 30,000 are counties of the 40th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28062. Section 28062.

Counties containing a population of 24,000 and under 28,000 are counties of the 41st class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28063. Section 28063.

Counties containing a population of 20,000 and under 24,000 are counties of the 42nd class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28064. Section 28064.

Counties containing a population of 19,000 and under 20,000 are counties of the 43rd class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28065. Section 28065.

Counties containing a population of 18,000 and under 19,000 are counties of the 44th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28066. Section 28066.

Counties containing a population of 17,000 and under 18,000 are counties of the 45th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28067. Section 28067.

Counties containing a population of 15,000 and under 17,000 are counties of the 46th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28068. Section 28068.

Counties containing a population of 14,600 and under 15,000 are counties of the 47th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28069. Section 28069.

Counties containing a population of 14,000 and under 14,600 are counties of the 48th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28070. Section 28070.

Counties containing a population of 13,000 and under 14,000 are counties of the 49th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28071. Section 28071.

Counties containing a population of 12,000 and under 13,000 are counties of the 50th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28072. Section 28072.

Counties containing a population of 11,800 and under 12,000 are counties of the 51st class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28073. Section 28073.

Counties containing a population of 11,500 and under 11,800 are counties of the 52nd class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28074. Section 28074.

Counties containing a population of 7,500 and under 11,500 are counties of the 53rd class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28075. Section 28075.

Counties containing a population of 7,000 and under 7,500 are counties of the 54th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28076. Section 28076.

Counties containing a population of 6,000 and under 7,000 are counties of the 55th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28077. Section 28077.

Counties containing a population of 4,000 and under 6,000 are counties of the 56th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28078. Section 28078.

Counties containing a population of 2,000 and under 4,000 are counties of the 57th class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28079. Section 28079.

Counties containing a population of less than 1,000 are counties of the fifty-eighth class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28080. Section 28080.

If any new county is created or organized, it is governed by this title so far as it is applicable thereto.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28081. Section 28081.

If the population of any existing county is reduced, by reason of the creation of any new county from its territory, below the class and rank first assumed pursuant to this chapter, the board of supervisors shall designate by order the class to which the county is reduced, and the county is a county of that class.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28082. Section 28082.

The salary of any county officer for the term for which he was elected and qualified shall not be affected by reason of any division of the county or order of the board.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28083. Section 28083.

For the purpose of fixing the salaries and fees of county and township officers in any newly created county, the board of supervisors of the new county shall classify the new county according to its population.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28084. Section 28084.

The board of supervisors of a newly created county shall fix the numerical population of the county which figure shall be validated by the Demographic Research Unit of the Department of Finance.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 28085. Section 28085.

Whenever a new federal census is taken, the counties are not by operation of law reclassified under such census, but remain in the old classification until reclassified by the Legislature.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026