California reports first yearly population decline in its history, a drop of more than 182K people

[ansible]

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]

1. how can anything related to this trump-botched census be believed

[ansible]

2. Cost of living in CA is insane, it's not hard to imagine why people are leaving

The most bizarre thing is that despite the population drop, the prices of houses are increasing upwards to millions of dollars.

[WarGamer]

5. correct.

$5/gal gas and 1300sf 50 year old houses selling for $800k

[hunter]

10. Yep.

It was botched.

[MichMan]

12. Because the numbers were compiled by the state and not the census?

[Johonny]

18. The number are likely correct, but the decline is likely short lived

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]

3. California actually showed population growth

California loses a U.S. House seat for the first time based on new census data, but people aren’t 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 we’d have gotten something like 20 more seats.

[MichMan]

13. The OP specifically states that there was a loss of population

[uponit7771]

17. For one year, the poster was stating the net growth over the decade

[Celerity]

19. CA should have 70 House seats to WY's 1

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]

4. I've mostly lived there since the 70's... except for work travel

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]

6. Out of a population of about 12 million

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]

7. The Central Valley

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]

8. I'm in the Central Valley

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]

9. This is good news, I hope it continues. We have limited resources like water etc

traffic is also terrible because of way too many people. Everyone who leaves hopefully will take others with them.

[ansible]

11. Farmers drain far, far more water than people do

Good luck fighting the farming lobby in CA

[MichMan]

14. I prefer eating to not eating, but that's just me.

[Hekate]

15. I wonder how many undocumented people refused to participate, due to Trump's threats...

That would skew the results. Just a thought.

[Texasgal]

16. They are all moving to Texas!

Seriously!