Yahoo Finance Why Many Regret Moving to California Post-Pandemic
During the pandemic, many Americans took advantage of the new work-from-home policies and moved to lower-cost states. This caused some states’ populations to shrink, including California’s. According to the California Department of Finance, the Golden State has finally reversed its three-year population decline, but many new Californians are having second thoughts.
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Here are several reasons why many regret moving to California post-pandemic.
Crime Rates
Reported violent crime in California is at its highest since 2008, the Los Angeles Daily News reported, citing federal data. The state also outpaces national trends, as violent crime has increased since 2020 but declined everywhere else. In 2022, the state averaged 499.5 violent crimes per 100,000 people, while the U.S. average was 380.7 per 100,000.
“Aggravated assault is definitely what’s on my radar, definitely more than any other crime,” said Magnus Lofstrom, policy director of criminal justice and a senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California.
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It’s Expensive
California’s higher cost of living makes it one of the most expensive states to raise a family.
The personal finance website SmartAsset reviewed data from the MIT Living Wage Calculator, which estimates the living wage necessary to support families nationwide. SmartAsset found that seven of the 10 most expensive cities for a single adult, and five of the 10 most expensive cities for families, were in California. In San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland, a family of four needs to earn more than $300,000 to live comfortably.
Traffic Congestion
You’ll need a car to get around the state, but be prepared to sit in traffic. “I left Los Angeles in 2020 because it was killing me,” Davrick Hayes told Business Insider. Hayes moved from Los Angeles to North Dakota to get away from the higher cost of living and long commute to work. “My office commute was almost two hours one way, even though my job was just 15 miles from my home.”
Based on data from the TomTom Traffic Index, which analyzes hundreds of cities worldwide to determine their average travel times, drivers in Los Angeles lose about 86 hours per year at rush hour, while drivers in San Francisco lose 72 hours at rush hour.
Droughts, Wildfires and Earthquakes
California is prone to a range of natural disasters. Local governments are authorized to enforce water use restrictions during severe droughts. In addition, wildfires, floods and earthquakes along the San Andreas Fault pose a serious health and safety risk for those in affected areas.
Summer Heat
The majority of California has a Mediterranean climate, with little to no humidity in the summer, especially along the coast, according to The Honest Local. But inland, summers are brutal. It’s not uncommon for temperatures to hover around 100 degrees Fahrenheit in cities like Sacramento. California is also home to Death Valley, which has some of the hottest air temperatures on the planet.
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