California is bleeding residents for the first time since the pandemic — with more than 50,000 leaving the Golden State last year, a new report revealed.
The California Department of Finance recorded a 0.14% decline in population statewide as of January 1, or a net of 54,000 residents.
The drop to 39,593,000 total residents “marks the first year of population loss after threeconsecutive years of population increases following the COVID-19 pandemic,” the report said.
Two of the state’s largest five counties lost residents, and none grew more than 0.4%.
Los Angeles County led the charge out of California, with 64,000 people fleeing the state’s most populous county in 2025 — the most of any county in the state.
Among the state’s top 10 most populous cities, Sacramento saw the biggest gains with 1.3% population growth. The city of Los Angeles recorded the largest loss at 0.9%, while nearby Long Beach saw an 0.2% drop and Anaheim lost 0.1% of its population.
California is the largest state by population, with the report recording a total of 39,593,000 residents. The state hasn’t recorded population growth of more than 230,000 people since 2015.
Many residents leaving the state have blamed its unaffordability for their flight. A March report noted that people save on housing costs on average when they leave California.
“One thing is clear: Californians are moving to more affordable locations,” the report said. “The average mover from California relocates to a neighborhood where monthly housing costs are $672 lower than in the community they left.”
It also cited that Californians paid 11%, 40%, and 61% higher than the national average for groceries, gas, and utilities.
Gas has been a particular outlier. California leads the nation in the average price per gallon of regular gas, with Saturday’s prices coming in at $6.08 per gallon statewide, according to AAA.
