Moving to, from or around California: Readers share their reasons

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Friday, April 14.

Last week, I wrote to you about California’s population ebbs and flows, which grew even stronger through the COVID-19 pandemic. More populous urban counties were hit hardest early on, but the exodus slowed between July 2021 and July 2022. While some counties are seeing a slight increase in population, some others that gained residents during the early part of the pandemic are seeing a dip.

People move for a whole host of reasons, and we wanted to get a sense of those experiences from you. So we asked: What’s driving those of you who have moved — or plan to move — to, from or around the state?

A few common reasons emerged from the responses we got: the soaring cost of living; skyrocketing rents and home prices; growing concerns over local crime; a desire to be closer to family; dissatisfaction in the state’s government.

“It’s gut wrenching!” wrote Carlos P., whose family is in the process of moving out of L.A. County due to the high cost of living. “I feel like I’m forced to choose and there’s no winning.”

Some former Californians shared their experiences moving out of the state — and as far away as New Zealand and Portugal (a growing haven for California expats).

Climate change was also a factor for some, with years of drought and the risk of worsening wildfires making a move more palatable.

Here are more voices from people who changed counties, left the state altogether or moved to California (edited for clarity and brevity). While we don’t have the space to include all of your responses, I want to thank everyone who spent time writing to us.

Alberto E.
Moved from Alameda County to New Mexico

“Despite my PhD degree and a desire to return to California to be near friends and family, I knew I would not be able to afford to buy a home if I moved back. I ultimately went somewhere with a much lower cost of living and good weather — despite being a fully remote worker. I had no connections in Albuquerque before coming, but it was the right choice given the housing crisis back home.

My quality of life is better than it has ever been, both because I’ve advanced in my career but also because I can live comfortably, save money and have a mortgage in a place that is more affordable. I do miss California dearly, but not enough to move back.”

Bruce J.
Moved from Orange County to Riverside County

“Our long-term plan had always been to move to Palm Springs for retirement in the future. With both of our in-office jobs shifting to remote during the pandemic, we were able to accelerate our time schedule. We purchased a new home in May 2020 and made the move permanent, selling our Orange County home of 25 years in April 2021.

I had continued to work remotely until July 2022, when I was laid off due to a staff reduction, and have since retired. My spouse’s job has required him to now be back primarily in the office, which is located in Orange County. He will frequently drive in on Monday mornings, stay with his mother in Los Angeles during the week and drive back out on Friday evening. This has resulted in excessive commuting and time apart. It’s taking a toll on time, resources and well-being.”

Catherine F.
Moved from Santa Cruz County to Indiana

“We are progressive Democrats who feel that California has undermined its liberal promise and has failed to address the growing gap between rich and poor, housed and unhoused residents. [We left due to the] absurd cost of living, terrible traffic, skyrocketing property crime, poor public amenities (parks, bike paths, etc.), unresponsive and obstructionist city and county government.”

Katie B.
Moved from Santa Barbara County to Yolo County

“My family moved from Santa Barbara to Davis at the start of 2023 for a job opportunity and a better cost of living. We love it here and are so glad we can afford a home and connect with other families, but SB is a pretty magical place and we miss it there, too. We are enjoying first-time homeownership and many of the joys of Yolo County and neighboring Sacramento, but missing the beaches and the community we left behind. It’s hard to start over, but we’re grateful for the opportunities we have here.”

Beth N.
Moved from Los Angeles County to Riverside County

“Remote work gave us the opportunity to live in an area where we could afford a larger house and be near cleaner parks and better schools. I very much miss the diversity, vibrancy and culture of living in Los Angeles. but having small children, I recognize the many ways that Corona is better for our family.”

Sophie H.
Moved from Alameda County to Humboldt County

“We moved a year before the pandemic started. My husband has a job at a large software company in San Francisco. The commute got harder and longer. Our house was crammed between two others. You always had to watch your back. We lived in a desirable neighborhood, but in nine years there were several muggings, a guy roaming the street with a knife and lots of car break-ins.

We craved space, nature, working from home and no crime, and we found it. But the biggest difference is a sense of community in a small college town. People are super friendly. You can make friends easily. It’s quiet, the air is clean. All the hassles of city life are gone.”

Suzanne N.
Moved from Washington state to Riverside County

“Being able to work remotely meant I could return to California and not be tethered to a Seattle office for work. I moved to Palm Springs, which is exactly between my sister in L.A. and my parents in El Centro — with none of the traffic and all of the great offerings that are here in the desert.”

Debra J.
Moved from El Dorado County to Mendocino County

“We moved to help our daughter and her partner with child care for their newborn. When the baby was 6 months old they had to return to work and all day-care options were closed due to the pandemic.

We’re sort of still moving. We decided to sell our family home of 35 years to our other daughter. She moved from Sacramento County to El Dorado County. Now everyone in our nuclear family is in transition. We’re exhausted. We ended up buying a dumpy house to renovate as our permanent residence. We’re participating in a robust economic sector of professional painters, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, etc. — plenty of tasks for us!”

Randi H.
Moving “in the near future” from Solano County to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

“With my husband retiring (I am already retired), we can no longer afford to live in California without severely restricting our lifestyle. We expect that our living costs will reduce dramatically in some categories —food, drink, home costs, and the amount we pay for housekeeping and yard maintenance. We have visited the area for many years and are very familiar with the costs we have experienced when visiting.”

Shenee S.
Moved from Los Angeles County to New Mexico

“We moved out of L.A. in July 2022. My husband and I are both educators and we have two small children. We couldn’t afford to buy a home in L.A. County, so we moved to a place with four seasons and more affordable housing. And as a bonus, it’s closer to my family in Texas. We are very happy in Santa Fe. We got to experience a real winter and a lot of snow. It’s very beautiful here and there’s a lot of outdoor activities. We do miss our previous jobs and our friends and all of the excellent food options and cultural opportunities that L.A. has to offer. But overall, we know that we made the right decision. We’re homeowners now after all!”

Cody L.
Moved from Orange County to San Diego County

“Our primary reason for moving from one county to another was to afford a nicer house. We were mostly priced out of Orange County but found more options in north San Diego County. We’re really glad that we moved. It’s only 45 miles but the gains are larger. For the first time ever, we know our neighbors and enjoy a real sense of community. We’re closer to the beach and find that there’s a lot more going on in our new city.”

John P.
Moved from Santa Cruz County to Sonoma County

“I had been living in the Santa Cruz Mountains for 15 years after leaving L.A. after 60 years. But multiple evacuations (one lasting six weeks), the fire risk, the constant power outages and road closures, terrible to zero access to the internet, lousy landline service, etc. got to be more than I could handle. At 75, I no longer had the pioneer spirit.

The move itself was exhausting, as I did much of the packing and moving myself. I now live in a quiet, semirural town. My daughter, grandson and son-in-law come up from S.F. almost every weekend. The only thing missing is easy access to my friends in Santa Cruz and the weekly jam sessions, poetry groups, the coffee shop and organic market, and the abundant wildlife and starry nights. So there has been a trade-off (Zoom and FaceTime have helped me stay in touch).”

And now, here’s what’s happening across California:

Note: Some of the sites we link to may limit the number of stories you can access without subscribing.

L.A. STORIES

(Jess Hutchison / Los Angeles Times)

City leaders vowed to save lives by launching a mental health crisis response system that didn’t rely on cops. But the rollout of L.A.’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has so far fallen short of its goals, a Times investigation found. Los Angeles Times

Arnold Schwarzenegger terminated some potholes in his Brentwood neighborhood this week, saying the city was taking too long to fulfill a service request. But according to the L.A. Department of Public Works, at least one of the holes was a service trench meant for gas line repairs. Los Angeles Times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Sen. Dianne Feinstein is facing fresh calls to resign after an extended absence that’s put her left-aisle colleagues in a bind, given their slim control of the Senate. The 89-year-old senator was diagnosed with shingles in February and has asked for a replacement to temporarily take over her committee assignments. Los Angeles Times

A growing number of California cities are cracking down on homeless camps, enacting ordinances that limit where unhoused residents can set up tents — or banning them altogether. At the state level, liberal lawmakers have been reluctant to follow suit, wary of appearing to criminalize homelessness. CalMatters

CRIME, COURTS AND POLICING

The state Capitol was shut down early Thursday after a threat by a man suspected in two shootings in Sacramento and Placer counties the day prior. No injuries were reported in those shootings and the suspect, identified as Jackson Pinney, was arrested later that day. Sacramento Bee

The fatal stabbing of Cash App founder Bob Lee shocked many in the tech community, some of whom claimed the killing was endemic of rising street crime in San Francisco. But on Thursday, authorities arrested a fellow tech entrepreneur who knew Lee on suspicion of his murder, piercing that narrative. San Francisco Chronicle

HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Wildflowers aren’t the only thing popping up in SoCal thanks to all that rain. Wildlife experts are expecting the local populations of squirrels, rabbits, rats and snakes to surge in the coming months. “Everything is just exploding right now,” one biologist told The Times. Los Angeles Times

With a 9 1/2-foot wingspan, the California condor is the largest scavenging bird in the nation and a majestic icon of coastal California.

(San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance)

More than dozen California condors in Arizona have died from a highly contagious strain of avian influenza, raising alarms in the Golden State. Biologists say they’re preparing for “a worst-case scenario” for the local species, which is slowly recovering from the verge of extinction. Mercury News

AND FINALLY

Today’s California landmark is from Fred Schumacher of Shell Beach: Morro Bay’s towering trio of smoke stacks.

Morro Bay’s trio of 450-foot smoke stacks.

(Fred Schumacher)

Fred writes:

What are California’s essential landmarks? Fill out this form to send us your photos of a special spot in California — natural or human-made. Tell us why it’s interesting and what makes it a symbol of life in the Golden State. Please be sure to include only photos taken directly by you. Your submission could be featured in a future edition of the newsletter.

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