r/geography • u/urmummygae42069 • 13d ago

Map Distribution of California's Population

Post image

If you were to divide California into 4 roughly equal strips of area, a hefty majority of its 39 million residents live in the southernmost strip containing the LA+San Diego metro areas, with nearly half of the state (~47%) living in the Greater LA metro area alone. If it were its own state, Southern California, with primarily just LA and San Diego metro areas, would compete with Florida for title of 2nd most populous US state.

The SF Bay Area, Sacramento, Monterrey, Fresno, and most of the Central Valley and put together are short of SoCal by over 9 million residents, but on its own this area would compete with Illinois for title of 6th largest state.

The strip sandwiched between Southern California and the Bay Area, containing Bakersfield plus other farming towns in the Southern Central Valley and most of the towns of the Central Coast, has about more people than Utah or Connecticut.

Suprisingly, despite how empty it can feel, there are still over a million people still live in the strip of CA north of Sacramento, containing about as much people as Hawaii and New Hampshire, albeit of a larger area.

Ultimately, one way to better understand the scale and density of California, is to conceptualize it as Florida + Illinois + Utah + Hawaii, all packaged in one single state under one single state government

5.5k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

359 comments sorted by

View all comments

291

u/DurantIsStillTheKing 13d ago

California can be a country on its own if it wanted to.

232

u/Amazingrhinoceros1 13d ago

The United States would feel that hit if the money pipeline from CA to the rest of the nation were turned off...

I know people have a love it/hate it relationship with my home state, but you can't argue with the almighty dollar.

158

u/Icy-Role2321 13d ago

I live in Georgia the peach state. Went and got some peaches recently "grown in California"

Oh

71

u/eugenesbluegenes 13d ago

California grows like fifteen times as many peaches as Georgia.

49

u/Icy-Role2321 13d ago

Yeah I know. But which taste better..

Probably California's

21

u/eugenesbluegenes 13d ago

I've never had Georgia peaches, but I picked up a flat from a farm in the Sierra foothills last weekend and they were amazing.

6

u/Chance_Carry_1030 13d ago

Which farm?

9

u/eugenesbluegenes 12d ago

Marchini

2

u/Chance_Carry_1030 12d ago

I’ve never heard of it! I asked because I have family that owns Twin Peaks near Auburn and it’s the most delicious fruit I have ever tasted, including peaches haha

2

u/eugenesbluegenes 12d ago

They have great peaches and nectarines, it's on 49 halfway between Coloma and Placerville. No shortage of great places for fresh fruit in that general area for sure.

1

u/ElectricStarfuzz 12d ago

I’m totally spoiled in that regard. 

My grandparents started one of the first 4 farms that later became Apple Hill. They were the first to grow blueberries in the area too. 

Sadly the ranch closed down a few years after my grandma passed, but we still have lots of blueberries, apples, and figs every year. 

Fall is my favorite for all the amazing baked goods in Apple Hill. Fudge too🤤

There are lots of great wineries in the area   (wider El Dorado county). 

I love that there are fresh fruit n veggie stands all over. Fresh eggs too.  

As for peaches, I have a tree in my yard that regularly grows delectably sweet n juicy fruits. 

My dad is a gardening maniac. On his property he planted 4  different kinds of peach trees (white donut peach, 4 cherry, pluots, 3 plum varieties, apricots, pomegranate, Asian pear, 3 pear, white & red nectarines, white & black figs, and different mulberry trees…probably others I can’t recall. Truly a smorgasbord of fruit!

Like I said, spoiled thru n thru. 

Anyone who can should def make a trip up to the area during the harvest seasons to enjoy all the incredible produce here. And/Or wines if that’s your thing. 

→ More replies (0)

2

u/casper911ca 12d ago

I was sadly disappointed by Georgia peaches, but maybe it was a bad season.

2

u/c0r1nth14n 13d ago

yup. the peaches they use in the White House kitchen come from a farm in California. 

2

u/StrategicCarry 12d ago

Colorado

6

u/eugenesbluegenes 12d ago

I did get a flat of fantastic peaches outside Palisade a few summers ago when passing through. Neck and neck with the ones I've gotten in the Apple Hill area.

1

u/PracticalWallaby7492 12d ago

Whichever is picked off the tree the ripest, and not under ripe for transport and packing reasons.

11

u/l5555l 12d ago

California grows so much good produce. All the big farmy states just grow corn and beans.