3rd largest of 176
Among California’s 176 cities of 50,000+ residents, San Jose ranks 3rd by population (989,814, July 2025).

San Jose has 989,814 residents (−2.3% since 2020), a median household income of $146,427 and 42.0% foreign-born residents.
Photo: Sanjosecalifornia, EugeneZelenko, Luiz Eduardo, David Sawyer, Michael · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsSan Jose is a city in California. The Census Bureau estimates 989,814 residents in July 2025, compared with 1,013,240 counted in the 2020 Census. With 178 square miles of land, it had 5,694 people per square mile in 2020. These figures describe the city itself, not its county or metropolitan area.
Pick an indicator to see its long-run evolution.
Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2020 for 2010–2019, Vintage 2025 from 2020).
| Indicator | Value | Year and source |
|---|---|---|
| Population estimate, 2025 | 989,814 | Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 |
| Population estimates base, April 2020 | 1,013,321 | Census Bureau |
| Population, 2020 Census | 1,013,240 | Decennial Census |
| Population, 2010 Census | 945,942 | Decennial Census |
| Population, 2000 Census | 894,943 | Decennial Census |
| Land area | 177.9 mi² | Census Gazetteer 2024 |
| Median age | 38.2 years | ACS 2020–2024 |
| Per capita income | $65,945 | ACS 2020–2024 |
| Owner-occupied housing | 55.8% | ACS 2020–2024 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | ACS 2020–2024 |
| Veterans | 20,660 | Civilians 18+ · ACS 2020–2024 |
Comparable indicators for the city, California and the United States.
| Indicator | City | California | U.S. | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $146,427 | $99,122 | $80,734 | ACS 2020–2024 |
| Median home value | $1,233,200 | $734,700 | $332,700 | ACS 2020–2024 |
| Median gross rent | $2,669 /month | $2,036 /month | $1,413 /month | ACS 2020–2024 |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 12.0% | 12.5% | ACS 2020–2024 |
| Bachelor’s degree or higher | 47.3% | 37.1% | 35.7% | ACS 2020–2024 |
| Foreign-born residents | 42.0% | 27.0% | 14.1% | ACS 2020–2024 |
| Owner-occupied housing | 55.8% | 55.9% | 65.2% | ACS 2020–2024 |
| Median age | 38.2 years | 37.9 years | 38.9 years | ACS 2020–2024 |
Among California’s 176 cities of 50,000+ residents, San Jose ranks 3rd by population (989,814, July 2025).
The city lost 23,507 residents (−2.3%) from April 2020 to July 2025, 109th for growth among the state’s 176 large cities.
The census counted 894,943 residents in 2000 and 1,013,240 in 2020, a +13.2% change.
Median household income is $146,427, +47.7% versus California ($99,122); 19th of 176 large cities.
The median owner-occupied home is worth $1,233,200, 25th highest of the state’s 176 large cities.