What states are people in moving to and from?

Updated May. 13, 2026Refreshed annually
In 2024, most people moving to California came from Texas, Arizona, and Washington state. The top states people from California left for were Texas, Arizona, and Washington state. Overall, about 661,200 people left California for another state. Meanwhile 406,900 moved in from elsewhere in the US. Newcomers from other states accounted for 1% of California's population.
California ranked 50th among states in total domestic net migration, with a loss of 254,300 residents.

1 in 60

people living in California the previous year moved to another state in 2024

50th

California's rank in net state-to-state migration (2024)
Along with immigration and natural population change, state-to-state migration is one of the three ways a state's population may shift. In 2024, California had negative net migration with 40 states and Puerto Rico.
California had a net increase of 4,800 residents with Illinois, the highest among all states. The largest net decrease in 2024 was with Nevada at -32,200.

California had negative net migration with 40 states in 2024.

Net migration between California and other states, Washington, DC, or Puerto Rico

How many people from California moved to another state in the past year?

In 2024, 27.6% of the 662,100 people who left California for another state moved to just three destinations: Texas (77,200), Nevada (53,300), and Arizona (52,400).

In 2024, people leaving California most often moved to Texas, Nevada, and Arizona.

People moving from California to another state, Washington, DC, or Puerto Rico

How many people from another state moved to California in the past year?

Of the 409,900 people moving to California from another state between 2023 and 2024, 24.5% came from three states: Texas (+45,400 residents), Arizona (+28,200), and Washington state (+27,000).

In 2024, newcomers arrived in California most often from Texas, Arizona, and Washington state.

People moving to California from another state, Washington, DC, or Puerto Rico

How does the share of people who moved from another state vary across California's 58 counties?

From 2020 to 2024, Alpine County had the highest share of newcomers from other states, averaging 3.6% of its population each year. At the other end, Sierra County recorded the lowest share, with 0% of residents moving in from another state.

The share of the population that moved from another state in a given year varies throughout California.

Annual average of share of population 1 year or older who moved from another state in the previous year (2020–2024)

Migration routes between California and other states (2024)

Migration routes between California and other states (2024)
Residence 1 year agoEstimate
1.

Texas 

45,400
2.

Arizona 

28,200
3.

Washington state

27,000
4.

New York

24,900
5.

Nevada 

21,100
6.

Illinois 

20,000
7.

Virginia 

18,100
8.

Oregon 

18,000
9.

Florida 

16,000
10.

Colorado 

15,800

Keep exploring

Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.