L.A. County Loses 90,000 in Population

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Los Angeles County lost 90,000 in population in 2022. 

Despite this, the county remains the largest in the country with 9.7 million residents calling it home. 

California Exodus

What many refer to as the ‘California Exodus’, is the process of people residing in California moving to another state. 

Since the pandemic, over 500,000 people have left the state, which is second in the nation to only New York. So why are people leaving California? 

Primarily, people are leaving the state due to the: 

• COVID-19 pandemic 
• High housing costs 
• Long commutes and crowds
• Crime and pollution 
• Remote work 

In terms of Los Angeles County, they experienced the largest county population decline in the nation between July 1, 2021, and July 1, 2022, with over 90,000 leaving. 

However, it is much less than the nearly 180,000 that left the year prior.  

While many believe that the 90,000 people leaving the county is not a huge number compared to the nearly 10 million residents that call LA County home, they worry that the high cost of living will continue the trend. 

National Trend 

Over the last few years, only 18 states saw a population decline with New York, California, Illinois, and Louisiana leading the way. 

In addition, other Western states such as Utah have seen their population rise. Despite those states having lower-paying jobs, they also have lower housing costs and the belief their money goes further there. 

For the latest news in the Greater Los Angeles Area, keep up with BOMA on the Frontline.