California has the largest population among U.S. states. Context and quick reference:

• California is widely recognized as the most populous state, with a population size approaching 40 million in recent estimates, ahead of Texas, Florida, and New York. This ordering is consistently reported by major demographic sources and state population trackers for 2024–2025.

If you’d like, I can pull the latest precise figures and provide a small snapshot table with California’s current estimate and the next several states in rank.