Los Angeles is a metropolis.
Los Angeles . With a census-estimated 2017 population of 4,042,000 , it is the second-most populous city in the United States ( after New York City ) and the most populous city in the state of California . Los Angeles is the center of the Los Angeles metropolitan area , and is part of the larger designated Los Angeles-Long Beach combined statistical area ( CSA ) , the second most populous in the nation with a 2015 estimated population of 18.7 million . Nicknamed the `` City of Angels '' , Los Angeles is known for its Mediterranean climate , ethnic diversity , and sprawling metropolis .