US States With A Smaller Population Than Los Angeles County

Map created by the.world.in.mapsThe map above shows which states have fewer people than Los Angeles County‘s 9,663,345, the most of any county in the United States.

It is home to more than a quarter of Californians and includes 88 incorporated cities and many unincorporated areas within a total area of 4,083 square miles (10,570 km2).

This means it has more people than all but the 10 most populous. More than:

1. New Jersey – 9,500,851
2. Virginia – 8,811,195
3. Washington – 7,958,180
4. Arizona – 7,582,384
5. Tennessee – 7,227,750
6. Massachusetts – 7,136,171
7. Indiana – 6,924,275
8. Maryland – 6,263,220
9. Missouri – 6,245,466
10. Wisconsin – 5,960,975
11. Colorado – 5,957,493
12. Minnesota – 5,793,151
13. South Carolina – 5,478,831
14. Alabama – 5,157,699
15. Louisiana – 4,597,740
16. Kentucky – 4,588,372
17. Oregon – 4,272,371
18. Oklahoma – 4,095,393
19. Connecticut – 3,675,069
20. Utah – 3,503,613
21. Nevada – 3,267,467
22. Iowa – 3,241,488
23. Puerto Rico – 3,203,295
24. Arkansas – 3,088,354
25. Kansas – 2,970,606
26. Mississippi – 2,943,045
27. New Mexico – 2,130,256
28. Nebraska – 2,005,465
29. Idaho – 2,001,619
30. West Virginia – 1,769,979
31. Hawaii – 1,446,146
32. New Hampshire – 1,409,032
33. Maine – 1,405,012
34. Montana – 1,137,233
35. Rhode Island – 1,112,308
36. Delaware – 1,051,917
37. South Dakota – 924,669
38. North Dakota – 796,568
39. Alaska – 740,133
40. District of Columbia – 702,250
41. Vermont – 648,493
42. Wyoming – 587,618

But since it’s a county and not a state it does not have electoral college votes of its and only gets to influence where California’s votes go.

For example, in 2024 the county voted 64.8% for Harris vs 32.2% for Trump, higher than the California state results of 58.5% for Harris vs 38.3% for Trump.

On the flip side, there were 1,189,862 votes cast for Trump in county.

This is more than all the votes for Trump in Oklahoma (1,036,213) in which every county voted for Trump.

Or more votes for Trump than Alaska, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota combined, which gave the President 12 of 312 electoral college votes.

And Harris got more votes (2,417,109) than Vermont, Rhode Island, Delaware, DC, and Hawaii and New Hampshire combined which gave Harris 21 of her electoral college votes.

Why does Los Angeles County have so many more people than other counties?

The next closest county to Los Angles in population is Cook County, Illinois, which at 5.1 million people is only slightly larger than half the size of LA county.

Here are a few reasons why:

1. Massive Urban Center

Los Angeles is the second-largest city in the U.S., and it’s the anchor of a huge metropolitan area. The county includes not just the City of L.A., but 88 cities in total, including places like Long Beach, Glendale, Santa Monica, and Pasadena.

2. Mild Weather Year-Round

Southern California’s Mediterranean climate is a huge draw. People from across the U.S. and around the world are drawn to the warm weather, beaches, and outdoor lifestyle.

3. Economic & Cultural Hub

L.A. County is a global powerhouse in:

• Entertainment (Hollywood)
• Tech (Silicon Beach)
• Aerospace
• Trade (with one of the busiest ports in the world)
• Tourism

That means lots of jobs, which leads to more people moving in.

4. Immigration

L.A. has long been a destination for immigrants. It’s one of the most diverse places in the world, with large communities from Mexico, Korea, Armenia, the Philippines, China, El Salvador, and many more.

 5. Urban Sprawl

Unlike more compact cities like New York, L.A. sprawls out across a massive area. The county covers over 4,000 square miles, which allows for tons of residential space, from dense neighborhoods to single-family suburbs.

What do you think?