Editor’s note: This is excerpted, with permission, from the Pacific Research Institute’s “Right by the Bay” blog, which you can find here.

‘The exodus from California is real, troubling, and has become too large to ignore.”

That was the message of “California Migrating,” the Pacific Research Institute’s report in 2021 on the mass migration of Californians to other states.

The trend has not abated since. From 2020 to 2025, California lost nearly 1.7 million more people due to net domestic migration – meaning that more Americans moved out than in. And this exodus was widespread – 44 of California’s 58 counties were on the losing end.

That is real, and troubling. But there is a tiny silver lining. Census data show that 14 of California’s counties had net gains in population over the past five years.

Understanding why would be a good idea. As the 2021 report noted, the consequences of the California exodus “are dire” and “understanding the drivers of the exodus is essential.”

So, what did those 14 winning counties have in common? What did they do right? What can they teach the rest of the state about drawing people in?

Is it location?

That doesn’t seem to be the case, since none of the 14 counties is on the ocean. And while several are close to Sacramento, the rest are scattered.

Read the entire blog post here.