California: The Most Populous State in the US Pacific Region

The Pacific Region of the United States (as defined by the Census Bureau) comprises five states: California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii.

By a massive margin, California has the largest population:

• California: 39.5 million (2020 Census) — most populous state in the entire US.
• Washington: 7.7 million
• Oregon: 4.2 million
• Arizona: 7.2 million (sometimes grouped Southwest, but Census Pacific includes AK/HI only; AZ is Mountain).
• Hawaii: 1.4 million
• Alaska: 0.73 million

California alone accounts for ~75% of the Pacific Region's total population (~53M). Its dominance drives the region's economy (5th largest globally), culture, politics, and congressional representation (52 House seats).

Note: "Pacific Region" definitions vary. Census Bureau: CA, OR, WA, AK, HI. Some economic/geographic definitions include AZ, NV. By any definition, CA is #1.