Are Californians really all fleeing to Oregon? Here's what the data shows

Alia Beard Rau, Salem Statesman Journal
·1 min read
Map of the United States.
Map of the United States.

Oregonians love to complain about all the Californians moving into the state. But it turns out, a few other states may have more reason to gripe.

According to moving information tech company moveBuddha, 4.36% of California's moves so far this year have been to Oregon. But several other states are getting a higher portion of Californians:

  • Florida: 7.49%

  • Washington: 6.77%

  • New York: 6.77%

  • Arizona: 4.91%

So who else is moving to Oregon? According to moveBudha's analysis based on searches made by people planning a move or looking to hire a moving company, there's also high interest in Oregon from residents of Nevada, Denver and Austin.

U.S. Census data from 2016 to 2020 shows Marion, Lane and Polk counties' new residents are most often from other Oregon counties, California, Arizona and Hawaii.

And where are Oregonians moving? Hawaii, Arizona, Montana, California, Colorado and Idaho are popular.

Generally, data indicates people are looking for more affordable cities and areas with more open space — continuing to reflect changes seen during the pandemic and the continuation of remote work. The southeastern United States is popular, and there's been a spike in interest in Hawaii.

Oregon last year held steady, with about 100 moves into the state for every 100 moves out of it. In 2021, there were 106 moves into the state for every 100 moves out of it, and in 2000 there were 150 moves into the state for every 100 moves out of it.

California, Louisiana, Illinois and New York were among the states that lost more people than they gained. Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maine and Vermont were among the biggest gainers of people.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Are Californians all moving to Oregon? What the data shows