Many individuals are leaving Los Angeles and California, impacting living costs in various red states after years of migration from more liberal areas.
A recent study highlighted that, among the top 10 cities where residents have departed from Los Angeles, median rents and home prices are rising more swiftly in all these cities compared to Los Angeles, despite their overall costs being lower.
This list includes traditionally conservative cities like those in Tennessee, Texas, Arizona, and Georgia, along with some blue cities such as Portland, Seattle, Las Vegas, and Denver.
Looking at the data from the Council for Community Economic Research (C2ER), it’s clear that the cost of living increased significantly in all 10 cities from 2020 to 2025. Some cities even experienced double the increase compared to Los Angeles.
Evan White, co-founder of the California Policy Lab, noted that the gap in affordability seems to be closing, but people still “are going to places that are dramatically cheaper.”
Interestingly, the research indicates that those leaving California tend to find homeownership more attainable in their new locations. As home values in these destinations escalate, selling a home in California appears less advantageous.
While Zillow’s data shows that median rents in Los Angeles have surged over 29% in just five of these cities, it also points out that only 6 out of 10 cities saw home prices increase at a rate higher than Los Angeles’s 45%. However, places like Phoenix and Nashville experienced home price jumps of around 70%.
Despite these increases, all ten cities remain more affordable than Los Angeles, often by a considerable margin.
Urban planners, such as Chris Gannon in Austin, are currently grappling with the population surge propelled by Californians arriving, alongside the accompanying home price spikes for local residents. Gannon remarked that fewer arrivals from California could ease competition for housing, benefiting those already living there.
In summary, the Californian exodus appears to be reshaping housing dynamics across several states, leading to rising costs while still offering a different kind of affordability compared to the Golden State.
