Why People Move
What actually drives the decision to leave California.
Long-form analyses built on published research — the data, the economics and the politics — written to be fair to readers whatever brings them to the question.
11 min read
California migration: the data
What official sources (California DOF, U.S. Census Bureau, IRS) actually report on California population and migration, and how to read them.
16 min read
The economics of leaving California
Why housing costs, taxes, wages, and insurance push so many Californians to leave — and what the numbers actually show.
18 min read
Politics and the decision to leave (or move to) California
A neutral look at how politics and policy factor into decisions to leave California, and into decisions to move to or stay in California.
Related: Companies leaving California (tracker) · Is there a penalty for moving out? · States and cities that pay you to move