It’s no secret that California has lost a lot of residents to Texas. In 2021, 111,000 Californians left for the Lone Star State. That’s around 300 people a day! But a review of data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows the situation is starting to look a bit more complicated.
While plenty of Californians are still picking up and leaving for Texas, an increasing number of Texans are leaving for California. According to the Houston Chronicle, a record 42,279 Texans moved to California in 2022. That’s the most of any state.
The main factor driving Texas-to-California migration is compensation. The average salary in Texas is $57,300, which is slightly below the national average of $59,428. Californians earn an average of $73,220 per year, which is the third highest in the nation.
To be clear, the number of California residents moving to Texas still trumps the number of Texans heading West. While 42,279 Texans moved to California last year, 102,000 Californians headed to places like Houston, Austin and Dallas.