Where Californians are moving
The metros drawing the most former Californians, from Census migration flows.
By Muhammad Tahir · Updated 2026-06-15
California has been the nation's biggest source of out-of-state movers for years. Using Census migration flows, these are the metros — outside California — drawing the most former Californians.
Phoenix, AZ tops the list, with roughly 39,999 arrivals from California over the five-year flow window. Texas, Arizona, and the Pacific Northwest recur throughout the ranking.
| # | Metro | Arrivals from California |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phoenix, AZ | 39,999 |
| 2 | Las Vegas, NV | 37,674 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | 31,986 |
| 4 | New York, NY | 27,205 |
| 5 | Dallas, TX | 27,062 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | 21,543 |
| 7 | Austin, TX | 17,576 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | 16,081 |
| 9 | Washington, DC | 15,277 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | 15,104 |
| 11 | Houston, TX | 15,041 |
| 12 | Atlanta, GA | 14,163 |
| 13 | Boise City, ID | 13,475 |
| 14 | Boston, MA | 11,569 |
| 15 | Reno, NV | 10,243 |
| 16 | San Antonio, TX | 9,709 |
| 17 | Miami, FL | 8,345 |
| 18 | Nashville, TN | 7,895 |
| 19 | Virginia Beach, VA | 7,793 |
| 20 | Urban Honolulu, HI | 7,543 |
| 21 | Tucson, AZ | 7,422 |
| 22 | Philadelphia, PA | 6,021 |
| 23 | Eugene, OR | 5,921 |
| 24 | Colorado Springs, CO | 5,846 |
| 25 | Provo, UT | 5,743 |
Census ACS migration flows (5-year). Counts movers from California into each metro; California metros are excluded by construction.
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