California’s population decline is slowing. These counties added and lost the most people
California continued to lose residents in 2022, but the state’s population decline is slowing as immigration ramps up again following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The state is currently home to about 38.9 million people, down more than 138,400 year-over-year, according to the California Department of Finance. The 0.35% decline from 2022 to 2023 is an improvement over the 0.53% decrease that occurred between 2021 and 2022, when California lost more than 200,000 people.
The Department of Finance calculates the population numbers using data collected from birth and death records, driver license address changes, tax return information, Medicare and Medi-Cal enrollment, immigration reports, school enrollments and other sources.
The agency attributes the slowdown in the population decline to a significant uptick in immigration and “natural increase,” or net births minus deaths.
Almost three times as many immigrants came to California in 2022, compared to 2021. That took the state from a net gain of 31,300 in 2021 to more than 90,000 in 2022.
On the natural increase side, births decreased slightly, while deaths also declined.
“While foreign immigration to California has nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels, natural increase has not rebounded,” the department said in a statement. “Total births remain low due to fertility declines; while deaths have eased gradually from their pandemic peak, they remain elevated.”
Which counties saw gains and losses?
California in 2022 lost population in all but 12 of its 58 counties. Growth in inland counties, including those in the Central Valley and Inland Empire, “slowed but remained positive,” the agency reported. With one exception — San Benito County on the northern Central Coast — all coastal counties, known for their higher cost of living, lost population.
Lassen (-4.3%), Del Norte (-1.3%) and Plumas (-1.2%) counties in Northern California lost the most people. Los Angeles County saw a 0.75% population decline, San Diego County a 0.2% dip and Orange County a 0.5% decrease.
Increased housing construction drew more people to Paradise in Butte County, which experienced a 24.1% population increase as it continues to recover from the 2018 Camp Fire.
Lathrop in San Joaquin County was up 11%, Duarte in Los Angeles County added 6.6% and Wheatland in Yuba County grew by 4.6%.
The Department of Finance attributes the continuing population decline to fewer people moving to California and more moving out.
The departures have been highly politicized, with Republicans claiming Democrats’ liberal policies are driving away the wealthy and the taxes they pay.
However, the Public Policy Institute of California tends to agree with the Department of Finance’s assessment that remote work options created during the pandemic have led higher-income people to move to less expensive places. Most people who leave the state move due to family, cost of living and job factors.
The Public Policy institute reported many people cite housing costs as their reason for moving, although conservatives are more likely to consider leaving California than liberals.
This story was originally published May 2, 2023 at 4:00 AM with the headline "California’s population decline is slowing. These counties added and lost the most people."