
In the forties and fifties, they came in droves, many from the Midwest, and orange groves became Disneyland surrounded by Orange County. Similar migration took place in northern California. Now, their modern day counterparts are leaving. MarketWatch reports on a new study of census data that confirms net migration out of the state.
Over a million more people moved out of California from 2006 to 2016 than moved in, according to a new report, due mainly to the high cost of housing that hits lower-income people the hardest.
“A strong economy can also be dysfunctional,” noted the report, a project of Next 10 and Beacon Economics. Housing costs are much higher in California than in other states, yet wages for workers in the lower income brackets aren’t. And the state attracts more highly-educated high-earners who can afford pricey homes.
There are many reasons for the housing crunch, but the lack of new construction may be the most significant. According to the report, from 2008 to 2017, an average of 24.7 new housing permits were filed for every 100 new residents in California. That’s well below the national average of 43.1 permits per 100 people.
If this trend persists, the researchers argued, analysts forecast the state will be about 3 million homes short by 2025.