California population declines for second year in a row

[Kinnakeet]

I love living in Florida, love spending time at Lido Key and South Daytona. I love Maine as well. Just got back from coastal Maine last night. I’ll be spending time at my place in Tobermory Ontario soon.

But I love Florida. Such a nice state, nice people. Love the heat. It’s now my home base. So much to do and see. Happy to be a resident.

No desire to live in California.

[Blansky]

When I moved from Canada in the middle 1980s to LA and lived at the beach I loved it and thought this was heaven. Riding my bike on the beach on Christmas Day at 78 degrees, and the summers with no bugs was great.

But talking to the "natives" was always, "yeah it's ok, but you should have seen it in the 60s" ......"man it was great then" ......Gidget time I guess.

And others were like "the 70 man, that was the best...free love"....what ever that means....is love ever free???

So now I've lived at the beach, Silicon Valley, Wine country, and now suburbia above Malibu. Great life in all the locations......

This is a fun article on "yeah but it was way better before" ......only this is about NYC.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2...e-i-moved-here

[austinp]

I grew up in San Diego but don’t live there anymore. It has my favorite weather in the country and I love going back there. We still have a house there and may return some day. We chose to raise our family in Florida and I don’t regret decision. Both places are pretty great. California is a really big state. SoCal is awesome. I don’t really care for the rest of it except Tahoe. Love it there.


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[whattimeyougot]

Hmm……High taxes, incompetent government, sky high cost of living, homeless, high crime. I can’t imagine why people are leaving in droves!


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[Blansky]

Originally Posted by whattimeyougot

Hmm……High taxes, incompetent government, sky high cost of living, homeless, high crime. I can’t imagine why people are leaving in droves!


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That's hilarious. I'm guessing you're getting your information from your favorite newscast.

Meanwhile life is good. Cost of living is ok. Homelessness is in every state and lots of the homeless people from other states came here so the wouldn't freeze to death. Crime is in certain areas much like any other place with 40 million people.

[ronricks]

My neighbors just moved here from California. When I asked them why they left they said:

High Taxes/Cost of living
Corrupt/Incompetent leadership
High Crime
Homeless crisis

They hated to leave but said they were left with no choice.

[77T]

Originally Posted by ronricks

My neighbors just moved here from California. When I asked them why they left they said:

High Taxes/Cost of living
Corrupt/Incompetent leadership
High Crime
Homeless crisis

They hated to leave but said they were left with no choice.

I think they perfectly described Californication Entropy.

That is, the influx of Californians into various other States due to their own State’s gradual decline into disorder.

I don’t deride other folks hometowns, States of residence, or situations because we can all lament the general demise of public responsibility.

Ebb and Flow - California has so much natural beauty and a wealth of resources. People who leave troubled urban/suburban areas could choose majestic mountains, uncluttered Oceanside towns or small farm communities if they wished.


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[Al1969]

Originally Posted by ronricks

My neighbors just moved here from California. When I asked them why they left they said:

High Taxes/Cost of living
Corrupt/Incompetent leadership
High Crime
Homeless crisis

They hated to leave but said they were left with no choice.

I’m sure you can add immigration ‘issues’ that strain the state’s resources.

[macrowatch]

Soon will be less crowded and back to paradise status! Like a return of 5711 to gray price of 40k. Is that really a bad thing?

[Mifune]

as the tax base shrinks, they are going to be in a world of hurt. unfortunately the governor will already be gone.

[JoeJoeBobo]

Originally Posted by Mifune

as the tax base shrinks, they are going to be in a world of hurt. unfortunately the governor will already be gone.

God help us all if because he’s in higher office.

[Cazador60]

We would have left the state but our kids are in college here and who knows where they will end up professionally afterwards. Once Kids finish school, we are gone. My once beautiful state has so deteriorated that I cant defend it any longe: $6-7 dollar gas, crime, taxes, homelessness, congestion, young professionals cant but a house. Sad and despicable.

[austinp]

One byproduct of a shrinking population is losing Congressional seats. California and New York are among 7 states losing seats while Florida, Texas and a couple others are gaining seats. Texas gains 2 seats in 2022.


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[JParm]

Originally Posted by austinp

One byproduct of a shrinking population is losing Congressional seats. California and New York are among 7 states losing seats while Florida, Texas and a couple others are gaining seats. Texas gains 2 seats in 2022.


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That is a great point.

[RyanJ]

I moved from beautiful Southern California to a state with low cost of living, no state income taxes, etc and regret it every single day now.

I absolutely loved CA. Beautiful weather, never experienced crime, corruption, homelessness, etc. None of that impacted me. I am sure it is there but I lived a great life.

I moved to be closer to family which is nice but... I sit here in a very low cost of living area. Great... So I have 12-15% more monthly income and my house costs 1/3rd of what I would have spent in CA. Just like in CA, most of my free money goes into after tax investments anyway. So now I just have more money to put into investments.

As a single individual what good is more money when I cannot enjoy it? I will probably be moving back within the next year, buying a house, and start enjoying life again.

I know people love hating on CA but, as far as I am concerned, if you can afford to live there; there is no better place than coastal Southern California. This coming from a single (divorced) male pov.

[DocHorton]

Originally Posted by RyanJ

Great... So I have 12-15% more monthly income and my house costs 1/3rd of what I would have spent in CA. Just like in CA, most of my free money goes into after tax investments anyway. So now I just have more money to put into investments.

As a single individual what good is more money when I cannot enjoy it?

Why don't you enjoy it? Travel more, eat at nice restaurants, give to those less fortunate, take more frequent vacations, buy a sports car, retire younger, etc.

I can think of a lot of ways to enjoy more money....

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by RyanJ

I moved from beautiful Southern California to a state with low cost of living, no state income taxes, etc and regret it every single day now.

I absolutely loved CA. Beautiful weather, never experienced crime, corruption, homelessness, etc. None of that impacted me. I am sure it is there but I lived a great life.

I moved to be closer to family which is nice but... I sit here in a very low cost of living area. Great... So I have 12-15% more monthly income and my house costs 1/3rd of what I would have spent in CA. Just like in CA, most of my free money goes into after tax investments anyway. So now I just have more money to put into investments.

As a single individual what good is more money when I cannot enjoy it? I will probably be moving back within the next year, buying a house, and start enjoying life again.

I know people love hating on CA but, as far as I am concerned, if you can afford to live there; there is no better place than coastal Southern California. This coming from a single (divorced) male pov.

Originally Posted by DocHorton

Why don't you enjoy it? Travel more, eat at nice restaurants, give to those less fortunate, take more frequent vacations, buy a sports car, retire younger, etc.

I can think of a lot of ways to enjoy more money....

Ryan, send the good Doc and I your money … we will show you how to spend it

[RyanJ]

Originally Posted by DocHorton

Why don't you enjoy it? Travel more, eat at nice restaurants, give to those less fortunate, take more frequent vacations, buy a sports car, retire younger, etc.

I can think of a lot of ways to enjoy more money....

So I enjoy my environment more than things. There comes a time for a single person where more money doesn't mean much. When you are sitting at 600k a year, does making 650k really change much? Just using that as an example, not saying what I actually make.

Eat at nice restaurants: I have eaten at every nice restaurant within a 50 mile radius of my house. In CA there are many many more choices. Pre-pandemic I had hired a chef to teach me how to cook. I also planned on taking cooking classes in various types of cuisine. I actually prefer to cook.

Give to those less fortunate: 15% of my income goes to charity, sometimes more.

Travel more: I used to travel 6 months out of the year. I still do 3-4 times a year as well as 3-4 vacations. Fly first class and stay in nice hotels. Traveling from a smaller city actually sucks because of all the connecting flights.

Buy more stuff: I am actually in the process of removing things that I have purchased as I hate having all this stuff. Sports cars do nothing for me.

Basically what I am saying is my environment and where I live means more to me than anything else. It took me a long time to figure this out. I am a homebody so building a nice house overlooking the ocean and relaxing at home on my own property seems heavenly to me.

Having access to luxury shopping, restaurants, and easy direct flights everywhere are just icing on the cake for me.

Could there be other places that would also make me happy besides CA... Absolutely. I just know my decade or more in CA was the happiest time in my life and I should not have moved.

The only thing that keeps me here is the happiness I see on my families faces (mom, dad, sister, niece, nephew, etc.) when I visit with them almost every day. Their smiles are the only things keeping me here.

I am not mentioning where I live because it is a beautiful state and I can see why people love it here. It just is not for me.

[DocHorton]

Originally Posted by RyanJ

So I enjoy my environment more than things. There comes a time for a single person where more money doesn't mean much. When you are sitting at 600k a year, does making 650k really change much? Just using that as an example, not saying what I actually make.

Eat at nice restaurants: I have eaten at every nice restaurant within a 50 mile radius of my house. In CA there are many many more choices. Pre-pandemic I had hired a chef to teach me how to cook. I also planned on taking cooking classes in various types of cuisine. I actually prefer to cook.

Give to those less fortunate: 15% of my income goes to charity, sometimes more.

Travel more: I used to travel 6 months out of the year. I still do 3-4 times a year as well as 3-4 vacations. Fly first class and stay in nice hotels. Traveling from a smaller city actually sucks because of all the connecting flights.

Buy more stuff: I am actually in the process of removing things that I have purchased as I hate having all this stuff. Sports cars do nothing for me.

Basically what I am saying is my environment and where I live means more to me than anything else. It took me a long time to figure this out. I am a homebody so building a nice house overlooking the ocean and relaxing at home on my own property seems heavenly to me.

Having access to luxury shopping, restaurants, and easy direct flights everywhere are just icing on the cake for me.

Could there be other places that would also make me happy besides CA... Absolutely. I just know my decade or more in CA was the happiest time in my life and I should not have moved.

The only thing that keeps me here is the happiness I see on my families faces (mom, dad, sister, niece, nephew, etc.) when I visit with them almost every day. Their smiles are the only things keeping me here.

I am not mentioning where I live because it is a beautiful state and I can see why people love it here. It just is not for me.

Sounds like you are living the dream and California is the perfect place for you. Hope you get a chance to move back soon.

[BLACKHORSE 6]

Being located in a state where people are moving into, it’s crazy to see all the transplants.

[HHIslander]

Originally Posted by BLACKHORSE 6

Being located in a state where people are moving into, it’s crazy to see all the transplants.

Here too. For the most part, they aren't exactly the type of folks who seem like they would fit in all that well in CA/NY/etc. anyways. Would be interesting to see the demographics of those who are leaving. Just about all of those who are coming here are coming from the big cities and working remotely. Made a few new friends.

[Blansky]

Originally Posted by HHIslander

Here too. For the most part, they aren't exactly the type of folks who seem like they would fit in all that well in CA/NY/etc. anyways. Would be interesting to see the demographics of those who are leaving. Just about all of those who are coming here are coming from the big cities and working remotely. Made a few new friends.

Perhaps look inward.

Maybe you have a skewed view of what people in California are like.

[HHIslander]

Originally Posted by Blansky

Perhaps look inward.

Maybe you have a skewed view of what people in California are like.

I am looking strictly at the majority demographic data of the big cities they are coming from and these folks who are moving here do not fit that demographic.

[JoeJoeBobo]

Originally Posted by Blansky

Perhaps look inward.

Maybe you have a skewed view of what people in California are like.

Maybe you should and do as well!

[Blansky]

Originally Posted by JoeJoeBobo

Maybe you should and do as well!

Well comparing San Francisco to LA and LA to Orange County and LA to San Diego and Wine Country to San Diego and Fresno to San Francisco and Bakersfield to Mountainview and Redding to Sacramento and Lake Tahoe to Palm Springs and Modesto to Berkeley and Chico to Malibu and Palo Alto to Carmel etc etc......you'd find vastly different people, different viewpoints different lifestyles, different races, different income level and ideas.

So unless you've visited or lived in these extremely varied places you'd have a difficult time saying that people from California are this or that. So whatever blather you hear on the evening news cast you would not get a very good picture of the largest population in the country. San Francisco has a population of less that 900,000 and LA depending where you draw the boundaries has 12 millionish and California has a population of 39 million.

[Booth9999]

California in a big state fellas, not everyone here lives in LA or SF. Shit is tough every where, but California has some great safe places once you get out of the city. Don’t drink the cool-aid, the ones who left were the ones who couldn’t make it here and will never be able to afford to move back. Taxes are higher yes but so are the wages so I think it tends to balance out.

[Blansky]

An opinion in todays paper....

https://www.yahoo.com/news/op-ed-cal...100233743.html



https://kinder.rice.edu/urbanedge/it...ing-texas-true

[TNT009]

I wish the politicians would focus on dealing with the homeless and taxes.. But ooh well.... Im sooooo embarasssssed that Philly is coming to My beautiful city and one of the newest stadiums and will have to step over dopers and transients everywhere! Go Padres !!

[TheVTCGuy]

Originally Posted by TNT009

I wish the politicians would focus on dealing with the homeless and taxes.. But ooh well.... Im sooooo embarasssssed that Philly is coming to My beautiful city and one of the newest stadiums and will have to step over dopers and transients everywhere! Go Padres !!

Was that cool Saturday night or what!!!?!?!?!!!?! I was at the casino and the whole place was rocking as loud as the stadium watching the game

[TheVTCGuy]

To those of you completely bashing my home state….

I love California, I was born here and except for attending a boarding military school in Michigan as a teenager and living in Mexico for a year (also as a teenager) I have lived here all my life. Wherever you live, be it Fairbanks, or Tahiti, if you are happy there then more power to you. Let’s look at some of the issue people have brought up (bashed) California about.

1. High Taxes and cost of living. Yep, can’t argue that. My 685 square foot condo is near the beach, the money that costs could pretty much buy a mansion in a midwest state. My friends sold their modest home in a modest part of San Diego, and bought a 3,000 square foot, four-bedroom home with one acre of land in Texas. I admit, I understand the allure. Everything here is very expensive; no argument.

2. Crime California ranks 19th,

https://worldpopulationreview.com/st...-rate-by-state

If this is an issue for you, and your priority is to live in a state that has a lower rating, I can not question your motives, more power to you. To those of you that are portraying my state as a crime-controlled dystopian community like in the movie escape from New York, you are WRONG. I am not bragging about 19th, I wish we were 50th, but I hardly carry out my day concerned I will be the victim of a violent crime. I take practical precautions, like every other state we have good and bad areas, but be basically vigilant and crime does not enter in to your life.

3. Homeless Yes, California ranks highest in homelessness, it is exceptionally bad in LA

https://worldpopulationreview.com/st...ation-by-state

Two points: A. We have the most homeless population, around 161,000, however we also have the most PEOPLE in the country, by around seven million more then the second-most populous state. B. Homeless tend to migrate to our state because of the mild weather. I see it, and there are parts of LA that are absolutely disgusting, but show me any major city in the US that does not have a homeless problem.

4. Politics - I won’t (can’t) get in to it here, but I will say this. We (California) have always been progressive. One example is the clean-air standards. Our requirements for vehicles were much more strict then the rest of the country back in the 80s, eventually, EVERY state adopted those standards. New, gasoline-only cars can not be sold in our state starting in 2035. New York has adopted the same standard. 12 COUNTRIES, Germany, Norway, etc. have adopted similar standards of switching to EVs. Personally, I value this attitude and am proud of our efforts towards the environment.

Again, if you live in a cabin in remote Alaska, are happy, I commend you and more power to you. If you live in downtown NY and enjoy life, good on you again. Wherever someone chooses to live taking in ALL the aspects, weather, cost of living, crime, pollution, education etc. I respect their decision and wish them well. For those of you that have trashed my home state, calling it crime-ridden, crowded, basically one step away from hell, I ask you: If it is such a terrible state why is it the most populous? We have problems, but over all I think it is an excellent place to live. I am surprised the population declined the last two years but am not sad. As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t mind locking the door and not letting anyone else in (but that’s me).

This thread was not started as a California-bashing symposium, but to discuss the allure of being able to buy more with the dollar, more space etc. Those of you that have claimed it is crime ridden and flooded with homeless and one step out of purgatory, take a look at your own state before you throw insults.