More Californians Moving to Conservative States: Report
Californians fleeing the high cost of living in the blue state are continuing to pack up and leave, as reported by a major moving and storage company. The Golden State’s reputation for imposing hefty sales, income, and property taxes, as well as a cost of living about 50 percent higher than the national average, has been a significant factor leading to this exodus.
The latest report on 2024 moving trends by PODS highlighted the increasing number of people making their way to the southern Appalachian region, encompassing parts of conservative states such as South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama. Businesses are also following suit, with companies shifting their operations to states like Texas, Georgia, Arizona, North Carolina, and Tennessee, citing lower operational costs, tax incentives, and better value for employees as key reasons for the move.
Los Angeles and San Francisco have emerged as the top two cities witnessing the highest number of residents relocating elsewhere. Some experts and analysts have pointed out that California’s policies have been detrimental to the middle class, resulting in an exodus of residents seeking a better quality of life, lower living costs, improved education, and alignment with their political beliefs.
Homelessness in California has seen a worrying uptick under Governor Gavin Newsom’s tenure, with the number of homeless individuals rising from 151,000 in 2019 to 181,000 in 2024. A recent 10-day tour of southern towns revealed that many individuals leaving California are motivated by a desire for a higher quality of life, affordable living costs, better educational opportunities, and a political environment that resonates with their values.
According to the report, four California markets, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Stockton-Modesto, rank among the top 10 for outbound moves. The statewide exodus is clear from the diverse locations of these cities experiencing significant population shifts.
In 2020, California experienced its first-ever population decline during the COVID-19 pandemic due to strict lockdown measures. From January 2020 to July 2022, the state witnessed a loss of over half a million residents, with outbound movers outnumbering inbound ones by nearly 700,000. In the U-Haul Growth Index list for 2023, California stood out for having the highest number of net outbound movers.
California boasts a high per capita GDP, ranking second largest among large economies. Newsom’s office emphasized the state’s achievements, highlighting its status as the #1 state for new business starts, access to venture capital funding, and prominence in manufacturing, high-tech industries, and agriculture.
