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Many California exes are moving to Texas
They say everything is bigger in Texas. That also includes the share of newcomers relocating to the Lone Star State by way of California.
My colleague Terry Castleman analyzed U.S. census data, which showed that “more than 100,000 Californians moved to Texas last year, compared with around 40,000 who made the opposite move.”
A few other states where about 50,000 or more California residents moved last year: Arizona, Washington and Florida. Although more Californians moved to Texas than vice versa, more Texans moved to California last year than did residents of any other state.
For some ex-Californians Terry spoke with, the Golden State has lost its luster. Recent Lone Star State arrivals cited a more reasonable cost of living — especially the availability of affordable housing — but also fewer concerns about crime and traffic.
“Between July 2020 and July 2022, Texas’ housing stock grew by almost 5% — the third-biggest gain of any state,” Terry reported this week. “California’s housing stock increased by just 1.6% during the span.”
But as what some call the “Texodus” continues and the state’s population grows, some say its challenges are beginning to take a California-esque shape.
Mechele Dickerson, a professor of law at the University of Texas at Austin and an expert on the housing crisis, told Terry that some blame Californians for driving up housing prices, pushing some longtime residents out of cities such as Austin and into now-booming suburbs. That trend is also contributing to homelessness, she noted.
“We used to laugh at those people in L.A.” because of their long commutes, Dickerson said, “and now that’s what we’re seeing” as people move farther from city centers in search of affordability.
Politics also play a key role for many with more conservative stances on issues including abortion, gun control, immigration and LGBTQ+ rights.
Terry spoke with Marie Bailey, who moved with her husband from El Segundo to the Dallas-Fort Worth area back in 2017.
At her husband’s former workplace in L.A., she said he “wouldn’t even talk about his politics because he was afraid of losing his job.”
“Nowhere is perfect,” Bailey told Terry, “but we fit in a lot better here.”
You can read more from Terry on the “Texodus” in his subscriber exclusive story.
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Today’s great reads
They catch squid for the world’s table. But deckhands on Chinese ships pay a deadly price. As the world’s fish stocks decline and fleets stay at sea longer, workers aboard some deepwater Chinese squid ships face difficult living conditions that can lead to a fatal disease.
Other great reads
- How UCLA is trying to break the myth of the Latino monolith.
- How a Chinese restaurant in Detroit taught a queer L.A. writer everything he knows.
- ‘Radical’ opens at No. 5 at the U.S. box office, boosted by major Latino cities. The fact-based drama stars Eugenio Derbez as an innovative teacher helping poor kids reach their potential.
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And finally … a great photo
Show us your favorite place in California! Send us photos you have taken of spots in California that are special — natural or human-made — and tell us why they’re important to you.
Today’s great photo is from Lee Friedersdorf of Costa Mesa: Mount Whitney summit. Lee writes: “Mount Whitney! Highest peak in the Continental U.S. A must do hike for any avid California hiker. Thousands hike it annually.”
Have a great day, from the Essential California team
Ryan Fonseca, reporter
Elvia Limón, multiplatform editor
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Laura Blasey, assistant editor
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