There are a lot of people talking about the mass long-distance moving exodus out of California. The theory is that between business regulations, the wild fires, escalating home prices and the increase in remote working because of COVID, people are leaving in droves.
While it is true that Fairprice Movers’ long-distance moving division is busier than ever, the reality is that not as many people are moving out of California as newspaper headlines might lead you to believe.
Are people leaving?
While 2020 statistics aren’t out yet, it is true that last year, a lot of people left California. More than 653,000 people moved from the Golden State in 2019. That’s more than any state. However, with nearly 40 million people, California’s population is much larger than any state.
As a percentage of population, Californians are among the last likely to leave. Only Michigan and Texas are retaining a higher percentage of their population.
What this year is telling us
We don’t have a lot of statistics to look at for 2020. One reliable indicator is the real estate market, which is doing pretty well. People are moving, but many are moving locally within the state. People who work within the tech industry, and others who have the option of working remotely, are moving outside of the cities into areas where they can stretch their legs and easily socially distance.
In other words, while real estate prices in San Francisco might be falling slightly, prices in nearby cities such as Richmond are rising. At Fairprice Movers, we see it every day.
What about rentals?
There is one market that’s falling pretty quickly, and that’s the rental market. Only one Bay Area county has seen an increase in rents and that’s Solano. Like with the real estate market, urban areas are taking the hardest hit while outer Bay Area counties are taking less of a hit.
Are people moving to California?
While the vast majority of Californians are staying, there aren’t a lot of people moving to California, and the high cost of living and the annual wildfires may be to blame, at least partly. Overall we lost more people last year than we gained, which might partially explain why our long-distance moving business is booming.
Featured image via pxfuel
