https://grok.com/share/c2hhcmQtMi1jb3B5_86f795ba-64a4-4c0d-8fe4-4ba15b0cdc9d
The question asks about how many people have **left** California in the last ten years (roughly 2016–2025 or similar periods, based on available data up to mid-2025/current estimates). This typically refers to **out-migration** (people moving out to other U.S. states), often discussed in the context of the "California exodus." Note that "left" usually means domestic out-migrants, not including deaths or international moves.
Key data sources include the U.S. Census Bureau (state-to-state migration flows from the American Community Survey) and California Department of Finance estimates.
### Gross Out-Migration (People Who Left)
- From 2010 through 2024 (per American Community Survey data cited in recent analyses), **almost 10 million people** moved **out** of California to other states.
- This is the total gross outflow over ~14–15 years. For a more precise 10-year window, annual out-migration has typically ranged from about 570,000–840,000 per year in recent decades, with peaks during/after the pandemic (e.g., over 800,000 in some years like 2021–2022).
- Summing recent annual figures (from various Census and state reports):
- Out-migrants often exceed 600,000 annually in the 2010s–2020s.
- A rough estimate for the last 10 years (e.g., ~2015–2025) aligns with several million gross departures, consistent with the longer-term ~10 million figure starting from 2010.
### Net Domestic Migration (More People Leaving Than Arriving)
This is the more commonly cited metric for the "exodus," as it accounts for inflows too (net loss = out-migrants minus in-migrants from other U.S. states).
- California has had **negative net domestic migration** (net loss) every year since at least the early 2000s, accelerating post-2015 and during the pandemic.
- Over the last 10 years (various overlapping periods):
- Recent analyses (e.g., Public Policy Institute of California) cite a substantial net loss, with lower-income adults seeing particularly high outflows (net loss of ~532,000 lower-income adults over the past 10 years).
- Pandemic peak: Net losses reached ~300,000–400,000+ annually (e.g., -407,000 in 2021–2022).
- Recent years: Losses have moderated but remain negative (e.g., -239,575 net domestic loss in 2023–2024; -229,000 in mid-2024–2025 estimates).
- Cumulative net domestic out-migration over roughly the last decade is in the range of **1.5–2.5 million** or more, depending on exact years (e.g., pre-pandemic slower losses of ~100,000–200,000/year, plus higher pandemic-era figures). Some longer views (2010–2020) show ~1.3 million net loss domestically.
- Overall population impact: International immigration has often offset much of the domestic loss, so total population has been stable or slightly declining in some years but not collapsed (e.g., ~39.5 million in recent estimates, with minor net losses or gains recently).
### Summary
- **Gross number who left** (moved to other states): Several million over the last 10 years, with ~10 million total since ~2010.
- **Net effect**: A net loss of around 1–2+ million domestically (more left than arrived from other U.S. states), contributing to discussions of an "exodus" driven by factors like housing costs, though offset by international arrivals.
- The trend has slowed recently (smaller net losses in 2024–2025), but California continues to see more domestic out-migrants than in-migrants.
For the most precise year-by-year breakdown, the U.S. Census Bureau's state-to-state migration tables provide annual flows.
Henry McClure
785.383.9994
sent from mobile 📱
time kills deals
