The California Exodus, By the Numbers

California isn’t just losing a few residents here and there, the data shows it: 

• According to Redfin’s migration report, people are leaving California more than any other state. The Golden State’s net outflow is twice as big as that of New York, the No. 2 state on the list. 
• Research from UC Berkeley reveals the same. California’s cost of living, and housing in particular, has grown so far out of reach that it’s actively suppressing the state’s population growth. People who leave typically land somewhere with far lower housing costs, and researchers found they become dramatically more likely to own a home within a few years of relocating.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia has been named one of the metro areas that flipped from a net-loss market to a net-gain market in the past year, joining a short list of cities where more people are choosing to move in than move out. Michala agrees that suggests South Jersey’s top suburbs are riding that same wave.

Why Michala’s California Clients Say They’re Moving

Ask Michala what her California buyers have in common, and a handful of reasons come up again and again.

1. The math simply works better here. The gap isn’t subtle. The median home price across California sits above $775,000, compared to Philadelphia where the median sales price was $300,000 in the Quarter 2 2026 Market Report by Compass. In sought-after South Jersey suburbs like Haddonfield and Moorestown, buyers routinely get more house, more land, and better school districts for the money than they would in a comparable California suburb. 

Philadelphia remains notably undervalued compared to other major East Coast cities like New York and Washington, D.C. California’s overall cost of living also outpaces Philadelphia’s once you factor in groceries, utilities, and everyday expenses—and research from Berkeley found that former Californians save hundreds of dollars a month on housing alone after relocating.

2. Taxes are a real factor, not just a talking point. California’s top state income tax rate is 13.3% (and climbs to an effective 14.4% once its payroll tax is included), the highest in the nation. New Jersey’s top rate, at 10.75%, is still high by national standards — but for clients who ultimately settle in Philadelphia itself, Pennsylvania’s flat 3.07% income tax is a meaningful difference that shows up in every paycheck. 

3. Remote and hybrid work broke the old rules. With roughly a quarter of all U.S. paid workdays now performed remotely, many of Michala’s clients simply aren’t tied to a California zip code for work anymore. Once the job no longer dictates the address, people are free to choose a home base based on family, lifestyle, and value. 

4. Family and lifestyle pull people east. A large share of relocation nationally is driven by the desire to be closer to family, and Michala sees this constantly: adult children moving back near aging parents, grandparents chasing grandkids, or East Coast natives who spent a decade or two in California finally coming home. South Jersey’s walkable downtowns, strong school systems, and easy access to Philadelphia, New York, D.C., and the Jersey Shore make it an easy place to put down roots without giving up access to a major city.

5. Space, community, and a slower pace. Many California transplants describe wanting a true neighborhood feel, a downtown they can walk to, a Friday night high school football game, a farmers market where people know their names. Towns like Haddonfield and Moorestown offer exactly that historic, walkable, community-oriented lifestyle, just twenty minutes from Center City Philadelphia.

Why South Jersey and Philadelphia Specifically

Plenty of states are cheaper than California, so why here? Clients tell Michala it comes down to a combination you don’t find everywhere: legitimate affordability, top-ranked public schools, historic and architecturally distinct housing stock, and proximity to a number of major cities (New York, DC, Boston, etc.) Many of Michala’s clients move to Philadelphia and take advantage of Amtrak to work out of their Manhattan offices a couple days a week. 

How Curated Living Helps Californians Relocate With Confidence

Buying a home 2,500 miles away can be intimidating, but with our assistance out of state buyers are in good hands. 

• Cross-country logistics, handled. As a member of the Compass Coast to Coast referral network, Michala regularly connects with agents in California to coordinate both sides of a client’s move.
• Real local expertise, not a generic tour. Michala is licensed in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey and has spent years building deep knowledge of the school districts, commute times, and neighborhood personalities across Haddonfield, Moorestown, and the surrounding Philadelphia suburbs — the details that matter most to someone moving in blind.
• A concierge-level process for clients moving from afar. From detailed video walkthroughs and virtual tours to coordinating inspections, closings, and moving logistics remotely, Curated Living is built to make a cross-country purchase feel manageable instead of overwhelming.
• Specialized experience with high-profile and executive relocations. Through her work with Compass’s Sports & Entertainment Division and REALM Global, Michala regularly supports executives, athletes, and other clients who need discretion, speed, and a team that already understands what a complex relocation requires.

If you’re weighing a move from California to the Philadelphia area, you don’t have to figure it out alone. We’ve worked with many buyers like you! Reach out to Michala Costello and the Curated Living team through curatedlivingre.com to start the conversation about your relocation — we’ll walk you through the market, the towns, and the process from wherever you’re starting.