Written by : Ujala Umair
Moving is a familiar process for most Californians, from mountains of cardboard boxes to reels of packing tape. On average, people in the United States will pack up and start over 11 times throughout their lifetime, with summer being the busiest moving season. According to a U-Haul research dated July 16, over half of all moves in the US occur between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Where are Californians moving in the United States?
According to U-Haul’s 2025 study, Californians are largely going to Texas, Colorado, and Tennessee. Houston, Denver, and Las Vegas are among the most popular relocation destinations.
People are moving to California. Where do they come from?
According to U-Haul, most consumers are migrating to California from locations such as Denver, Seattle, and Portland, Oregon. Here are the top ten states from which people move to California: 1. Arizona. 2. Nevada 3. Texas 4. Washington. 5. Oregon. 6. Colorado 7. Utah 8. Florida. 9. Illinois 10. New York.
How many people did California lose?
Despite the fact that people are shifting all across the country, California leads the way in terms of the number of moves. According to Retirement Living figures, the Golden State saw an inflow of 406,873 persons and an outflow of 661,205, for a net loss of around 254,332 residents. “Cost of living may play a factor here, with California having one of the highest costs in the U.S.,” according to the website. “Additionally, the destructive wildfires taking place in the state in recent years may provide an extra incentive to leave.”
Which California communities are attracting the most new residents?
Not everyone is packing and leaving California. According to the U-Haul survey, many residents are just moving from one section of the state to another, and the following cities are attracting the most new arrivals: The Riverside Bay Area, particularly the San Francisco and San Jose metros, San Diego, Sacramento, and Bakersfield.
How did U-Haul arrive at its findings?
U-Haul stated that since the COVID-19 outbreak, the largest urban regions in the United States had grown. This would be “a change from what was seen following the COVID-19 pandemic when people took advantage of remote work and migrated to less-crowded markets,” according to U-Haul’s analysis. To follow the trend, U-Haul examined one-way moves from January to July 2025, looking at where its equipment left and went in the nation’s 35 largest metro regions with populations of more than 2 million.
Important criteria for moving Cost of living:
High house prices,
General living expenses and utility costs are significant barriers to living in California.
Taxes:
California’s high state income and property taxes are a major reason, as many people relocate to states with reduced or no state income taxes.
Politics and social climate:
Some residents leave to find a political or social environment that better suits their personal beliefs.
Quality of life:
Problems such as traffic, crime, and homelessness in cities lead to a desire to leave.
Family and jobs:
Some people relocate to be closer to aging parents or to pursue better work possibilities in new cities.
Remote work:
As the number of remote work possibilities has increased, it has become easier for people to relocate and work from a lower-cost state.
FAQs
Q1: Are more people departing California than arriving?
According to a new Retirement Living research, more individuals are leaving California than are moving in, regardless of age. The retirement planning website discovered that the Golden State has the “highest negative net migration rate” among all generations.
Q2: Where do most people who leave California go?
A new U-Haul research shows where individuals are moving to and from in California using one-way truck rentals. The most popular destinations for those leaving California are Texas, Colorado, and Tennessee. The most prevalent states that people relocating to California come from are Arizona, Nevada, and Texas.
Q3: Why is California losing so many people?
An Expensive Housing Market.
Even if prices in some areas, such as SoCal, appear to be stabilizing or even declining, home values in California remain high overall. As a result, many people are leaving California to pursue their dreams of homeownership.
Q4: Will people relocate from California?
According to U-Haul’s 2025 study, Californians are largely going to Texas, Colorado, and Tennessee.
Q5: Is California thinking about leaving the United States?
Secession would necessitate the approval of a constitutional amendment by two-thirds of the US House of Representatives and Senate, followed by ratification by all 38 state legislatures. Analysts believe that California would be unlikely to secede.