May 1, 2026
Dear Fiscal Officer:
Price Factor and Population Information
Appropriations Limit
California Revenue and Taxation Code section 2227 requires the Department of Finance to transmit an estimate of the percentage change in population to local governments.
Each local jurisdiction must use their percentage change in population factor for January 1, 2026, in conjunction with a change in the cost of living, or price factor, to calculate their appropriations limit for fiscal year 2026–27. Attachment A provides the change in California’s per capita personal income and an example for utilizing the factors to calculate the 2026–27 appropriations limit. Attachment B provides the city and
unincorporated county population percentage change. Attachment C provides the population percentage change for counties and their summed incorporated areas. The population percentage change data excludes federal and state institutionalized populations and military populations.
Population Percent Change for Special Districts
Some special districts must establish an annual appropriations limit. California Revenue and Taxation Code section 2228 provides additional information regarding the appropriations limit. Article XIII B, section 9(C) of the California Constitution exempts certain special districts from the appropriations limit calculation mandate. Special districts required by law to calculate their appropriations limit must present the calculation as part of their annual audit. Any questions special districts have on this requirement should be directed to their county, district legal counsel, or the law itself. No state agency reviews the local appropriations limits.
Population Certification
The population certification program applies only to cities and counties. California Revenue and Taxation Code section 11005.6 mandates Finance to automatically certify any population estimate that exceeds the current certified population with the State Controller’s Office. Finance will certify the higher estimate to the State Controller by June 1, 2026. Please note: The prior year’s city population estimates may be revised.
The per capita personal income change is based on historical data.
If you have any questions regarding this data, please contact the Demographic Research Unit at (916) 323-4086.
/s Erika Li
Attachment
May 2026
Attachment A
A. Price Factor: Article XIII B specifies that local jurisdictions select their cost of living factor to compute their appropriation limit by a vote of their governing body. The cost of living factor provided here is per capita personal income. If the percentage change in per capita personal income is selected, the percentage change to be used in setting the fiscal year 2026 –27
appropriation limit
is:
Pe
r Capita Personal Income
Fis
cal Year Percentage change
(FY) over prior year
2026
-27 4.95
B. Fo
llowing is an example using sample population change and the change in California per capita personal income as growth factors in computing a 2026–27 appropriation limit.
2026–27:
Per Capita Cost of Living Change = 4.95 percent
Population Change = -0.14 percent
Pe
r Capita Cost of Living converted to a ratio: 4.95 + 100 = 1.0495 100
Po
pulation converted to a ratio: -0.14 + 100 = 0.9986
100
Calculation of factor for FY 2026–27: 1.0495 x 0.9986 = 1.0480 About the Data
FISCAL YEAR 2026-27
Attachment B
Annual Percent Change in Population Minus Exclusions*
January 1, 2025 to January 1, 2026, and Total Population January 1, 2026 City County Percent Change 25-26 Population Minus Exclusions 1-1-25 Population Minus Exclusions 1-1-26 Total Population 1-1-26 Dinuba Tulare 1.59 26,149 26,566 26,566
Exeter Tulare -0.17 10,305 10,287 10,287
Farmersville Tulare -0.65 10,406 10,338 10,338
Lindsay Tulare -0.87 12,823 12,712 12,712
Porterville Tulare -0.26 63,732 63,565 63,719
Tulare Tulare 0.61 72,495 72,936 72,936
Visalia Tulare 0.21 147,735 148,046 148,302 Woodlake Tulare 1.62 8,038 8,168 8,168
Unincorporated Tulare -0.08 136,645 136,536 136,582
Incorporated Tulare 0.27 351,683 352,618 353,028
County Total Tulare 0.17 488,328 489,154 489,610
*Exclusions include residents on federal military installations and group quarters residents in state mental institutions, state and federal correctional institutions and veteran homes.