BLUE STATE BLUES: The California Exodus Grows as Affordability Crisis Pushes Residents Out.

“The region recorded the largest population drop of any in the nation between July 2024 and July 2025, according to newly released estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau,” the New York Post reported. “The data, published March 26, shows roughly 54,000 residents left the county during that one-year period. The losses mark a continuation of a steady slide for the nation’s most populous county.”

LA County’s population dropped below 10 million for the first time since 2020. It appears that outlying regions have particularly benefited from the departures, including Las Vegas, which saw a population increase of 20,000.

As more than a few noted on social media, it’s remarkable that people want to leave Southern California. But the high cost of living, crime, poor governance, and general disorder are making it intolerable for many.

While there are many reasons an area can experience a sudden population drop, LA’s precipitous one coincides with a general trend for the Golden State. Much of the state has been bleeding residents (particularly middle-class ones) for over a decade. The numbers stabilized due to immigration, but now that is petering out, too.

California used to be expensive but well-run. Now it’s even more expensive, but to give just one example, has the worst roads in the nation.

Apparently, people don’t like that.