California may be the Golden State.
But it seems to be losing some of its shine for some people who are opting to pack up and move to other states.
For the seventh straight year, more people left California than moved in, according to new census data.
The new numbers show that approximately 691,000 people moved from California to another U.S. state in 2018. About 501,000 people moved from another state into California over the same time period.
The yearly net population change is 190,000. Yes, California almost lost 200,000 people in 2018. And with the giant rats and ‘ancient’ diseases that proliferate in the garbage streets of the state, I bet 2019 will be worse.
The exodus from California also led among other states. Only the numbers for Texas, Florida, and New York came close, with 462,000, 458,000 and 470,000, respectively.
Where Are All the California Refugees Going?
Here are the most popular destinations for Californians moving out of state, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s annual American Community Survey:
- Texas: 86,164 people
- Arizona: 68,516 people
- Washington: 55,467 people
- Nevada: 50,707 people
- Oregon: 43,058 people
- Colorado: 28,288 people
- Florida: 26,888 people
- New York: 25,255 people
- Virginia: 21,210 people
- Idaho: 21,018 people
The No. 1 destination Texas isn’t a huge surprise as it’s a big state with the second-largest population after California and jobs there are also plentiful.
But why Arizona? Sure, the state has always been a popular destination for retirees, but perhaps the Greater Phoenix Economic Council’s trash-talking campaign has been able to draw even more Californians to the desert.
Why Do People Leave California?
In a recent University of California, Berkeley poll, 52% of registered voters said they’ve considered leaving the state for some of the following reasons:
- 71% cite the high cost of housing
- 58% cite high taxes
- 46% cite political culture (particularly conservatives who say the state’s policies are not in line with their own)
Despite the population decline the state is adding people at the higher income level, with most of them moving to the San Francisco Bay Area.
The California exodu is real and the crisis will continue increasing if bad politics, giant rats and garbage streets continue to spread in the state. [Census, Berkeley, ABC10, Capolitical Review]
