Another Year of Net Migration Loss for California, New Data Shows

According to a real-estate report, California saw the greatest net outmigration in 2022 with a decline of 343,230 people. Analysis Published Jan. 30, 2008 by the National Association of Realtors

With nearly 39 million inhabitants, however, the Golden State is the most populous state of the nation.

According to the analysis, millions moved during the COVID-19 epidemic, driven by the opportunities for remote work and more space. Yet, the movement rate has fallen over the last six year.

The data was sourced from the U.S. Postal Service’s change-of address database showed that 70 percent of ZIP code locations experienced fewer inbound movements in 2022 than they did in 2021. Official census data for 2022 are not yet available.

According to the realtor’s analysis, in 2022, Florida became the fastest-growing state in the U.S. for the first time since 1957, with more people moving in than out, both domestically and internationally. California, New York, Illinois and Texas saw the largest number of people move out of any state. This led to a decline in population.

‘Leaving California’

“It is no surprise to me that families are fleeing California,” Terry Gilliam is a Florida resident, and the founder of the Facebook group that has almost 100,000 members. “Leaving California” The Epoch Times. Gilliam moved to Florida two years ago. He said he couldn’t have been happier.

“Just about everything is 25 to 50 percent lower in cost here, including housing,” He said.

According to a 2022 Study from the Public Policy Institute of California, it’s expected that “most Californians moving to less expensive states are leaving the areas where housing costs are highest.”

Some areas, such as the Central Coast or San Joaquin Valley, have a slightly lower rate of loss. “every region is a loser when it comes to net migration out of California.”

This trend could have been accelerated by the pandemic, according to the study.

The report found the Bay Area and Los Angeles account for 43 percent of the 3.3 million people who have left the state from 2016 to 2020.

Trends in Migration

The postal data analyzed by the realtors group highlighted the nation’s population trends, showing that the South continues to be a popular destination.

26 states saw an increase in population, with more people moving in to their borders than going out. The states with the most net domestic migration gains in 2022 were Florida with 318,855 people moving in, Texas at 230,961, and the Carolinas—North Carolina at 99,796 and South Carolina at 84,030.

“With most of these fast-growing areas located in the South, this region continues to be the most populous region, with nearly 130 million residents,” The association wrote.

According to the realtors’ group, after the pandemic hit, the Sun Belt region saw a strong job market recovery. All jobs have been reclaimed in the 10 areas with the highest rates of inbound migration. There are also approximately 5 percent more jobs available now than there were in March 2020.

This recovery rate is more than twice that of the national average. Deltona has seen an increase of 6 percent in jobs and an almost 56 percent inbound movement rate since the outbreak. But, large cities such as New York and San Francisco lost movers. Despite these trends Los Angeles, San Jose and Washington have seen a rise in migration.

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that 46 percent were moved in 2021 for housing-related reasons. This represents a 6-percentage points increase from the previous years.

“Based on the data, this increase was primarily due to people looking for a better neighborhood, cheaper housing, and the desire for a newer/better/larger home,” The report stated.

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