Turns Out There's A Catch To California Rosy Population Stats
California's population is growing again, but not because Americans are moving in, according to The Wall Street Journal. In 2024, nearly240,000Californians packed up and left the state, WSJreported. The state's population still rose by 0.6% overall because more than 361,000 immigrants arrived to take their place. The exodus from the state is not a new phenomenon, as around 344,000 Californians left in 2023, while 292,000 international migrants arrived, the outlet reported. About 56% of Californians have considered leaving the state due to the exorbitant cost of living, a 2024 Emerson Collegepollfound. California's median home price topped$900,000in 2024 — well over double the national average — while utility andgas pricesremain among the country's highest. The state's population decreased for the first time in history in 2020, when over 477,000 Californians left, leading to the statelosing a congressional seat. The population continued to decline until 2023, buoyed by an influx of international immigrants.(RELATED: PATEL: How To Fix Big Tech's Favorite Broken Immigration Policy) Viv Thousands of people fill the streets of Los Angeles, California on May 1, 2025 to attend the rally of May Day, also known as Workers' Day. In addition to calling for workers rights, the rally turned to a stage to criticize Trump's decision including his immigration policies. (Photo by ALI MATIN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images) TheH-1B visaprogram, which allows businesses to employ skilled foreign workers with bachelor's degrees, brought nearly 79,000 workers to the state in 2024, WSJ reported. However, applications for the program fell by 25% compared to a year ago due to higher fees and expectations that the Trump administration could impose more restrictive immigration policies. The H-1B visa program has sparked fiercedebateamong Republicans in recent months. While big names such asElon MuskandVivek Ramaswamyhave defended the program, opponents have argued it allows companies to undercut American workers by importing cheaper labor from abroad. In addition to California, many states rely on immigration to drive population growth. In 38 states and Washington, D.C., immigration outpaced domestic migration last year, and in 16 states, it was the only reason populations grew, WSJ reported. California has the highest share of foreign-born residents in the nation, with more than25%of its population born outside the U.S., according to the Public Policy Institute of California. As of 2022, about17%of California's immigrant population was in the country illegally, according to the Pew Research Center. At the same time, the Golden State faces mounting challenges, including a$45 billionbudget deficit, while programs like Medi-Cal — coveringhundreds of thousandsof illegal immigrants — are projected to cost taxpayers$8.4 billionin the 2024–2025 fiscal year. The office of Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation's request for comment. All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter's byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contactlicensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
Turns Out There's A Catch To California Rosy Population Stats California's population is growing again, but not because Americans ar...
