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According to a new report by the California Department of Finance, the Golden State's population dropped by approximately 0.3%.
The drop of 117,552 residents brings California's population to 39,185,605 people as of Jan. 1, the department estimated on Monday.
The decrease in population “represents a slowing compared to the 0.59-percent decline” between the April 2020 census date and the end of 2020, officials in the report stated.
“As Baby Boomers age, and fertility declines among younger cohorts, the continuing slowdown in natural increase – births minus deaths – underlies the plateauing of the state’s population growth,” Monday’s report explained.
Officials noted that COVID-19 deaths, federal policies limiting immigration and an “increase in domestic out-migration” were other reasons the population was impacted.
Of the 58 California counties, 34 counties experienced population losses.
California's three most populous counties also saw population losses: Los Angeles, San Diego, and Orange County -- with a total of nearly 80,000 residents lost.
The top ten largest percent losses occurred in Plumas, Lassen, Butte, Del Norte, Napa, San Mateo, Marin, Shasta, San Francisco, and Ventura.
Of California's largest cities, Bakersfield and San Diego experienced the most growth.