ECON 101 Population and the North Bay
By Robert Eyler D ata from the the previous July 1), along with the California Department of Finance (DOF) fiscal-year population estimates, are typically released near the time of the California Governor’s Budget in early January. Census Bureau on population through June 30, 2025 (since These data provide insight into population trends by comparing statewide Census estimates with the California Department of
Finance’s estimates for the state’s 58 counties. Tracking change since the last Census — and ahead of the next Census for congressional mapping — is just one outcome. At the state level, DOF data helps counties examine why populations are changing and what trends are driving them. Such data can inform local economic and workforce development, school districts and policymakers. For Marin, Napa and Sonoma counties, the latest DOF data suggest a combined loss of 460 residents:
Marin County was estimated to have lost 969, Napa gained 492, and Sonoma gained 17. An important aspect of these data, which are “trued up” and finalized after the next Census, is the trend. In Marin County, the population reversal began in earnest in 2017, and there has been a loss of over 11,000 since the population peak. Marin County is estimated to have roughly the same population in July 2025 as it did in July 2010. Sonoma and Napa counties experienced similar trends but have slowly reversed the population’s direction after the pandemic
Source: California Department of Finance and Author’s Calculations
18 NorthBaybiz
March | April 2026
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