HomeCalcy
HomeBeds › California King size

California King Bed Size and Dimensions

ChartStandard dimensions — nothing to enter.

A California King mattress is 72 × 84 inches — 6 ft wide by 7 ft long, or 183 × 213 cm. It needs a room of at least 10 × 9 ft.

California King bed size at a glance

MeasurementSizeMetric or area
Width72 in183 cm
Length84 in213 cm
In feet6 ft × 7 ft
Sleeping surface42 sq ft
Smallest room it fits10 × 9 ft90 sq ft
Comfortable room12 × 10 ft120 sq ft
Fitted sheet72 × 84 intypical range
Flat sheet108 × 102 intypical range
Comforter or duvet104–110 × 94–98 intypical range
Pillows2 king (20 × 36 in)
Rug under the bed9 × 12 ft

Room sizes assume 24 in of clear floor down each side and at the foot as a minimum, 36 in to be comfortable. Bedding is not standardized the way mattresses are. Mattress dimensions are fixed, but sheet and comforter cuts vary between manufacturers, so these are the common US retail ranges — check the size on the packaging of the set you are buying.

How this was worked out

The mattress itself. A California King is 72 × 84 inches — 6 ft wide by 7 ft long, or 183 × 213 cm. It is also sold as a Cal King or a Western King. Four inches narrower than a standard king and four inches longer. It is the length upgrade, and the only common size over 80 in long.

The room it needs. Bed dimensions are only half the question; the floor around the bed is the other half. The rule used across this site is 24 in of clear floor down each side and 24 in at the foot as the minimum you can live with, and 36 in as the figure that fits a nightstand and lets two people pass. For a California King that is 10 × 9 ft at minimum and 12 × 10 ft to be comfortable. Those are the same numbers the mattress size chart uses, because both come from the one rule.

Bedding, and why these are ranges. The fitted sheet is cut to the mattress, so a California King fitted sheet runs 72 × 84 in. Everything else is deliberately larger: the flat sheet at 108 × 102 in and the comforter at 104–110 × 94–98 in have to hang over the sides and the foot, which is why a comforter bought to the mattress size always looks too small on the bed. Bedding is not standardized the way mattresses are. Mattress dimensions are fixed, but sheet and comforter cuts vary between manufacturers, so these are the common US retail ranges — check the size on the packaging of the set you are buying.

How it compares. A California King is 4 in narrower and 4 in longer than a King (72 × 84 in against 76 × 80 in). A California King is 4 in narrower and 4 in longer than a Split King (72 × 84 in against 76 × 80 in). Full dimensions for every size sit on the mattress size chart.

Pocket depth still matters. These dimensions describe the mattress footprint, not its height. A fitted sheet also has to clear the mattress depth plus any topper, which is the measurement most often got wrong — the bedding size chart covers the depth bands.

Sources. Mattress dimensions and the 24 in minimum clearance around a bed are confirmed against Sleep Foundation — Mattress Sizes and Dimensions. Mattress sizes are a US retail convention rather than a legal standard — there is no published standard that fixes them. The room sizes here are our own arithmetic from that clearance figure, written out above so you can check it. Bedding figures are ranges because sheet and comforter cuts have no published standard. Last reviewed 28 August 2026.

Common questions

What size is a California King bed in inches?

A California King mattress is 72 × 84 inches, which is 6 ft wide by 7 ft long. In centimeters that is 183 × 213 cm.

What size room do I need for a California King bed?

A 10 × 9 ft room (90 sq ft) is the smallest that leaves 24 in down each side and 24 in at the foot. 12 × 10 ft (120 sq ft) is where it stops feeling tight and a nightstand fits on both sides.

How many people can sleep on a California King?

It is built for tall adults. Split across two sleepers, a California King gives each person 36 in of width — a single bed is 38 in for comparison.

What size sheets fit a California King?

Fitted sheet 72 × 84 in, flat sheet 108 × 102 in, comforter or duvet 104–110 × 94–98 in, and 2 king (20 × 36 in). These are ranges rather than one number because bedding cuts vary by manufacturer, unlike the mattress itself. Sheets are sold by bed name, so buying "California King" is right — the mattress depth is the measurement worth checking on the packaging.

What is the difference between a California King and a King?

A California King is 4 in narrower and 4 in longer than a King (72 × 84 in against 76 × 80 in). The King needs the bigger room: 11 × 9 ft against 10 × 9 ft.

What size rug goes under a California King bed?

A 9 × 12 ft rug is the size that works in most rooms — it carries the bed and still shows floor on all three walking sides. The exact answer depends on your room, which is what the rug size calculator works out.

Next

Calculator + chartMattress size chartEvery US size, and what fits your roomCalculator + chartBedding & sheet sizesWhat sheets and duvets fit your mattressCalculator + chartRug size for a bedWhat size rug goes under a King or Queen