California Loses Population Again
Sonora, CA — New Census figures show that more people are choosing to leave the Golden State, and the local counties are also losing population.
California’s population declined in both 2021 and 2022.
Over the two-year period, through July of 2022, the population dropped by over 500,000 people.
The state’s population was 39,501,653 in 2020, fell to 39,142,991 in 2021, and to 39,029,342 in 2022.
Some of the factors cited by officials include the high cost of housing, crime, and long commutes. In addition, some people were able to relocate to lower-cost areas and work from home during the pandemic.
Meanwhile, western states which saw population growth over the past couple of years include Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Montana and Colorado. In addition to California, western states which posted declines were Oregon and Alaska.
The latest statistics from the California Department of Finance note that Tuolumne County’s population on July 1 of 2022 was estimated to be 53,642, a decline of 1,063 people from the previous year. Calaveras County was at 44,883, a drop of 180 people from the prior year.
