For 169 years, California’s population steadily expanded… until 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic sent Cali residents in search of more affordable, lower-tax cities like Austin, Phoenix, and Vegas. However, the Golden State is once again seeing brighter days. In 2023, California broke its streak of decline and celebrated a revival in population growth.

• The New York Times reports that last year, California added over 67K new residents, a 0.17% rise from the previous year — bringing the population to 39.13M.
• Among California’s 58 counties, 31 experienced population growth, particularly in the Bay Area, Central Valley, and Inland Empire regions.

Golden times: Despite still being ~400K people below pre-pandemic levels, California’s reversal of decline can be attributed to factors like enhanced legal immigration, lower mortality rates, and reduced emigration. The state has also made strides in addressing its housing challenges, adding ~116K new units last year, including thousands of accessory dwellings (a.k.a. small affordable homes). H.D. Palmer from the state’s Finance Department expressed confidence in California’s resilience, stating, “We’ve returned to positive and sustainable rates of growth for the foreseeable future…we’re back.”

Read: Immigration is the unsung hero of the post-pandemic economy