Quick facts
San Diego overview
San Diego (orange) and the other large cities of United States
San Diego lies in California in United States at 32.72°N, 117.16°W, about 20 m above sea level. The local time zone is America/Los_Angeles (UTC-7); GeoNames classifies it as a district seat.
It is smaller than San Antonio (1,526,656) and larger than Dallas (1,326,087). The largest city in United States is New York City with 8,804,190 people; the capital, Washington, has 689,545.
The national capital, Washington, is about 3,653 km away; the nearest large city is Chula Vista, 11 km from San Diego.
United States as a whole has a live population of 349,544,454 (+0.5% a year) and ranks #3 of 238 countries — see the United States population page for the full statistics and the United States atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near San Diego
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Chula Vista California | 11 km | 265,757 |
| El Cajon California | 21 km | 103,679 |
| Escondido California | 45 km | 151,038 |
| Carlsbad California | 52 km | 114,746 |
| Vista California | 54 km | 100,890 |
| Oceanside California | 57 km | 175,691 |
| Temecula California | 87 km | 110,003 |
| Murrieta California | 93 km | 109,830 |
Largest cities in United States
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York City | New York | 8,804,190 |
| 2 | Los Angeles | California | 3,820,914 |
| 3 | Chicago | Illinois | 2,664,452 |
| 4 | Houston | Texas | 2,314,157 |
| 5 | Phoenix | Arizona | 1,650,070 |
| 6 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1,573,916 |
| 7 | San Antonio | Texas | 1,526,656 |
| 8 | San Diego | California | 1,404,452 |
| 9 | Dallas | Texas | 1,326,087 |
| 10 | Jacksonville | Florida | 1,009,833 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of San Diego?
San Diego has about 1,404,452 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is San Diego the capital of United States?
No. The capital of United States is Washington (689,545 people), about 3,653 km away. San Diego is the 8th largest city of the country and a district seat.
How big is San Diego compared with the rest of United States?
Its 1,404,452 residents are 0.4% of the 349,544,454 people living in United States today. New York City is larger with 8,804,190 people.
Where is San Diego?
In California, United States, at latitude 32.72 and longitude -117.16, 20 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Chula Vista (11 km), El Cajon (21 km), Escondido (45 km).
Explore more
Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). San Diego Population 2026 — United States. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/united-states/san-diego/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/united-states/san-diego/">San Diego Population 2026 — United States</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.