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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCalifornia reports first yearly population decline in its history, a drop of more than 182K people
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California's population fell by more than 182,000 people in 2020, marking the first year-over-year loss ever recorded for the nation's most populous state.
State officials announced Friday that California's population dipped 0.46% to just under 39.5 million people from January 2020 to January 2021.
The news comes one week after the U.S. Census Bureau announced a paltry population growth for California, resulting in the state losing a congressional seat for the first time because it grew more slowly than other states over the past decade.
But the census numbers reflect the state's population in April 2020. The new state numbers released Friday reflect the state's population as of January 2021.
https://abc7.com/california-population-decline-congressional-seat/10594297/
samnsara
(17,622 posts)ansible
(1,718 posts)The most bizarre thing is that despite the population drop, the prices of houses are increasing upwards to millions of dollars.
$5/gal gas and 1300sf 50 year old houses selling for $800k
It was botched.
MichMan
(11,932 posts)Johonny
(20,851 posts)People leave California all the time. California doesn't have a leaving problem, it had a coming problem. Covid among other things restricted immigration last year and the number of new incoming residents was vastly lower than normal. This will likely correct in a post Covid world.
tirebiter
(2,537 posts)California loses a U.S. House seat for the first time based on new census data, but people arent leaving the Golden State in droves.
Known for its growth, California's population grew by just 6.1% during the last decade, the U.S. Census Bureau announced on Monday, slower than the national average of 7.4%.
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2021-04-27/census-shows-california-population-growth-at-a-record-low
If California was granted representation on a Wyoming level wed have gotten something like 20 more seats.
MichMan
(11,932 posts)uponit7771
(90,347 posts)Celerity
(43,408 posts)WY pop 569,013
CA pop 39,466,917 (easily over 40 million if the Census was truly representative of all the undocumented and others who were not counted.)
40 million yields 70 seats on a true pop for pop basis with WY, yet we only get 53 going forward.
In terms of the Electoral College, a WY POTUS vote is now worth 3.78 times MORE than a CA POTUS vote.
It is fucking bullshit.
WarGamer
(12,449 posts)And it's struggling with some challenges right now.
The Middle class in California is much smaller than before
There are high income individuals and their gardeners, housekeepers, swimming pool guys, dog walkers, Starbucks baristas and those who sell the wealthy people stuff.
That's a big chunk of the population.
Massive numbers have moved to Arizona, Nevada, Texas and Florida.
eissa
(4,238 posts)That's not a whole lot. Also, I know people complain about the expense of living in CA, and they're not wrong, BUT -- California is more than just SF and LA. There are places up and down the valley, and in the northern part of the state where affordable housing does exist.
While I knew several families who have left (one to Idaho, another to Texas) they did so because of their political leanings, not economics.
Zeitghost
(3,862 posts)Has some of the highest housing price increases in the nation with Bay Area and So-Cal workers bringing their big city WFH salaries to the area and driving prices up. I believe Fresno saw a 20% rental increase in 2020. The entire state is becoming harder and harder to afford.
eissa
(4,238 posts)And you're correct - prices in the San Joaquin and Stanislaus county areas have skyrocketed, mainly because those who work in the Bay Area can now do so remotely, and many are fleeing their exorbitant rents and buying here. But there are pockets between Fresno and Bakersfield, and north of Sacramento - areas outside of the SF/LA commuter drives -- that are still (comparatively) reasonable.
Raine
(30,540 posts)traffic is also terrible because of way too many people. Everyone who leaves hopefully will take others with them.
ansible
(1,718 posts)Good luck fighting the farming lobby in CA
MichMan
(11,932 posts)Hekate
(90,714 posts)That would skew the results. Just a thought.
Texasgal
(17,045 posts)Seriously!