Californians who found themselvesfinancially struggling in the stateare leaving for much greener pastures, setting up their lives and their families in other states where they’re now thriving.

Theresidents fleeing CAare poorer inhabitants finding it hard to maintain their quality of life in the increasingly unaffordable state — but finding much improved circumstances after relocating, according to a new study.

Since the pandemic, the share ofresidents moving out of the state’s higher-income communitiesjumped dramatically to 19%, research from the University of California’s California Policy Labshows.

The households leaving aren’t broke, but they’re struggling to make ends meet compared to their wealthier neighbors.

“The affordability gap has really widened over the last decade,” Evan White, executive director of the lab,told the San Francisco Chronicle. “That’s making it really difficult for people even making good money to get by.”

Matt Ingles, 41, was not poor by any meanswhen he left Los Angelesfor Dripping Springs, Texas, with his wife and two children in 2021 after eight years on the west coast — but with the high costs, he said it was easy to feel he and others were falling behind.

“I do notice in California, there is that wealth gap. I mean, there are just so many ultra rich people living in LA and San Francisco, and you have daily exposure to those people,” Ingles told the Post. “So maybe the perception, even if you’re doing well financially, is that you don’t have as much because there’s so many people you know living in abundance.”

He said the cost of living in Texas is significantly less than in California, with everything from gas to groceries. His family saves nearly $60,000 to $80,000 alone on education because the quality of public schools in Texas are good, while in California, he sent his children to private school.

“You just get way more bang for your buck in Texas than you do In California,” he said. “My quality of life here is significantly better. But that’s more than just finances.”

People exiting the state tended to have worse credit scores, sometimes with their credit cards maxed out. They had more auto loans, significantly higher student debt and were 10% less likely to own a home.

Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos