Californians Are Escaping the State in Massive Numbers

In a stunning report, StorageCafe reveals that California remains the “undisputed leader in outbound migration nationwide, with nearly 683,000 residents leaving the state in a single year, according to the latest available U.S. Census data.” The evacuees’ top destination is Texas, which welcomed approximately 98,000 former Californians in 2023 alone.

Millennials are leading the migration to Texas, making up over 31% of all movers. They are followed by Gen Zers, who account for 20%, and Gen Xers, representing nearly 15% of those relocating. Interestingly, Californians moving to Texas tend to earn more than the national average across most age groups, highlighting the financial advantage of the move.

The news from StorageCafe isn’t unique. U-Haul has released a new report, and for the fifth straight year, California topped its Growth Index—meaning more residents of the Golden State rented one-way U-Haul trucks to leave the state in 2024 than residents of any other state. Texas was the top go-to state.

People are fleeing the formerly Golden State for various reasons—high crime rates, exorbitant taxes and insurance costs, clueless leadership, and a failing education system.

Businesses are also packing up and going elsewhere. Major companies, including Chevron, SpaceX, and Charles Schwab, have departed California. In total, 441 businesses have left the state since 2018 and moved their headquarters elsewhere. High taxes, skyrocketing rent, soaring costs of living for employees, and excessive red tape are some of the reasons cited by the businesses that have exited, with, again, Texas being the primary destination state.

On the education front, per the California Policy Center, 45 out of California’s 58 counties have experienced a decline in traditional public school (TPS) enrollment over the last decade. Over the past ten years, statewide TPS enrollment has decreased by more than 612,000 students.

It’s important to note that California introduced transitional kindergarten during this period, which increased TPS numbers. When considering only grades K-12, enrollment has dropped by more than 762,000 since 2015.

There are myriad reasons for parental dissatisfaction, but perhaps the most egregious is that the state has taken on a co-parenting role, perhaps best exemplified by AB 1955, which California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law in 2024. This troubling legislation prevents school districts from requiring staff to inform parents if their child chooses to change their gender. No other state in the country has enacted such a strict law. The “Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today’s Youth (SAFETY) Act” explicitly bans schools from enforcing any policies that mandate sharing “any information related to a pupil’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression to any other person without the pupil’s consent.”

In addition to the state legislature, many school districts across the state have crossed traditional barriers. Parents of students at Sage Creek High School in Carlsbad, California, are seeking answers after a self-described BDSM (bondage, discipline, sadism, masochism) expert from a clinic offering trans surgeries was scheduled to speak at the school during a recent week dedicated to LGBTQ student support.