Top 10 Reasons Why People Are Leaving California and Never Looking Back

The rise of violent crimes 

The past few years have shown an increase in violent crime and retail theft. The state had a decline in crimes in the 90s after a historic high, but around 2014, there was an uptick in violent crimes. Things began to escalate as the pandemic cooled off, and many accused the state of being too soft on crime. Apart from violent crimes, property crimes have also skyrocketed. 

California is expensive

In 2023, California was the second most expensive state. California’s living cost is 38% higher than the national average, but even worse, housing is 97% higher than the national average. Necessities like food and clothing are around 10% above the national average, and clearly, housing is the main issue. 

California’s unemployment rate is the highest in the nation

According to the latest reports, the Golden State’s unemployment is the highest in the nation, at 5.3%. The state lost  2.7 million jobs once the pandemic started, and the stay-at-home order prompted many businesses to close. Slower job growth is part of the problem, with the overhiring in the tech sector in the first post-pandemic year being another. 

The rise and rise of taxes 

The state, which is home to the largest number of millionaires and billionaires, has some of the highest taxes in the nation for the wealthiest. A WalletHub study found that a gasoline tax of 57.9 cents a gallon is considered the nation’s highest. However, tax expansion increased the state’s top income tax bracket from 13.3% to 14.4% for those earning over a million. 

Businesses are leaving California 

Business owners and their families are leaving the Golden State due to high minimum wages and an unfriendly business environment. They are also taking jobs with them. California has lost about 750,000 people, but the main change is that those leaving are the wealthy ones. 

Homelessness is on the rise 

The Golden State has 28% of the nation’s total homeless population. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reported an increase of 40% in 2023 compared to 2022. The issue is so widespread that no part of California is unaffected. Many homeless people require health care, and the state government is testing out solutions that would benefit both taxpayers and homeless people. 

Political climate

Some conservatives spoke about the inability to express their opinions that oppose an overly liberal society. Jackie Burse told Business Insider that she left Orange County for Texas in 2021 over her ultra-conservative views. Some policies, including COVID-19 restrictions, did not sit well with conservatives. 

Traffic report

Large California cities are known for massive highways and traffic jams. Davrick Hayes told Insider he left Los Angeles in 2020 since his job was only 15 miles away, but it took him two hours to get to the office. Car collisions are a common cause of traffic congestion. In 2021, the city’s traffic was the sixth worst in the U.S. and No. 33 globally. People lost 62 hours to traffic, twice the national average. This is unsurprising since the Golden State is the most populous in the U.S. 

Education struggles 

WalletHub’s report found that California has the 8th-highest quality of education in the U.S., but its ranking is 37th for educational attainment, meaning it placed 29th overall. The U.S. Census Bureau from 2022 found that 84.7 percent of Californians aged 25 or over graduated from high school. These gaps in quality and number of highly educated students raised concerns among parents. 

The wildfires 

PPIC found that most Californians view the threat of wildfires in their area as a significant problem. Between 2017 and 2021, the average annual losses totaled over $117.4 billion. CalMatters reported that half of the state’s 20 deadliest wildfires have happened in the past two decades, and their power is growing with climate change.