California’s population declines, again, as state grapples with housing crisis

Report shows state shrank by 138,000 people in 2022, continuing a pandemic trend, but experts warn it’s too soon to declare ‘Cal-exit’

California’s population has continued to plummet, according to a new state report, underscoring a continuing trend as the state scrambles to increase its housing stock and ease a cost of living crisis.

Californians are continuing to leave in droves for other states around the US, a fact some experts attribute to the increasing numbers of high-income workers working remotely during the pandemic. The state’s population shrank by 138,000 people in 2022, according to a report by the California department of finance, which showed a slightly slower decline than during the two previous years.