California reported a yearly population decline for the first time ever aharoun@businessinsider.com (Azmi Haroun) California recorded its first ever yearly population loss in the its history as a state. California's population dipped by over 182,000 people in 2020, state officials announced Friday, recording the first-ever yearly population loss in the Golden State's history. At an announcement Friday, officials said that the population dropped 0.46% and that decline was measured between January 2020 and January 2021. Census numbers showed that California's population rate slowed, but those numbers reflected the population count in April 2020. Based on population trends recorded in the census, California is set to lose one congressional seat for the first time.