Over the past two years, California has experienced a net loss of 500,000 residents as people seek alternatives due to high living costs and COVID-related restrictions, according to census data.
Many residents have fled to nearby states like Utah, Nevada, and Texas to escape problems like homelessness, crime, and escalating housing prices. However, California remains the most populous state in the US with around 38 million residents.
While state officials are transitioning to renewable energy to combat climate change, this could cause power outages and disruptions in the future, especially as the state also pushes for electric vehicle mandates in the transportation sector, Fox News reported.
Furthermore, there has been a rise in Americans relocating from more expensive cities to more affordable areas, with Democrat-run cities suffering the highest net outflows of residents.
The typical high cost of living in places like San Francisco and Los Angeles, along with increased mortgage rates, are making remote work and relocation more appealing to many people.
“They’re going to have to build an outrageous amount of wind and solar in a very short time if they want to accomplish their objectives of electrifying – our whole transportation sector and our whole home heating and cooling and residential sector,” Edward Ring, a senior fellow with and co-founder of the California Policy Center, told Fox News Digital on Tuesday.
“There’s a burden to the consumer that’s going to get very heavy,” he continued. “Even if they can pull it off without blackouts, the burden to the consumer is going to be ridiculous.”
As we reported last year, Americans are escaping Democrat-run cities in blue states due to soaring housing costs, inflation, and crime.
According to a report from the real estate brokerage site Redfin, Americans are now relocating to more affordable metro areas.
Redfin reveals an all-time high of 32.6 percent of its users “looked to move from one metro to another in the second quarter, up slightly from 32.3% in the first quarter and roughly 26% before the pandemic.”
Unsurprisingly, eight of the top ten cities with the highest outflows of residents are Democrat-run cities, while the other two cities are Washington, DC, and Boston, Massachusetts.
Charlie Baker, the Bay State’s governor, is a Republican, but Massachusetts has also gone blue in every presidential election since 1984.
These are the ten cities with the highest net outflows of residents, and they are all led by left-leaning mayors:
San Francisco, CA – Net Outflow: 48,718
Los Angeles, CA – Net Outflow: 40,632
Los Angeles, CA – Net Outflow: 40,632
New York, NY – Net Outflow: 35,165
Washington, DC– Net Outflow: 24,492
Seattle, WA – Net Outflow: 18,594
Boston, MA – Net Outflow: 12,492
Detroit, MI – Net Outflow: 7,334
Denver, CO – Net Outflow: 5,635
Chicago, IL – Net Outflow: 4,769
Minneapolis, MN – Net Outflow: 2,795
The cities listed have higher outflows than the second quarter of 2021, except New York City, Denver, and San Francisco.
Redfin deputy chief economist Taylor Marr stated:
“The typical home in San Francisco or San Jose now costs more than $1.5 million,” he said.
“Add in today’s 5%-plus mortgage rates, and you have a sky-high monthly payment.”
“Those factors, along with more companies giving employees the permanent flexibility to work remotely, are driving a larger portion of buyers to consider homes in other parts of the country.”
“Someone who would have to stretch beyond their budget in Los Angeles may be able to afford a home in Phoenix or San Antonio comfortably.”
In quarter two, metros areas in red and purple states are among the cities with the most increased net inflows.
Source: California Loses 500,000 Residents in 2 Years Due to High costs, COVID Restrictions