The situation is statewide. More people have moved out of California than have moved in. In 2022 for example, California experienced a net loss of 341,866 residents, with 475,803 individuals moving into the state but 817,669 moving out, according to the U.S. Census. This significant discrepancy highlights a concerning trend of outmigration that poses challenges for the state’s population growth and demographic balance not to mention its budget.
In San Diego the U.S. Census bureau estimated that 31,000 more people moved out of San Diego County between July 2022 and July 2023 than moved it. According to a March 17 article by Lori Weisberg in the Union Tribune, the last time San Diego "saw a comparable exodus of residents was in the early 1990s, when the region was mired in a deep recession and the jobless rate had surged to nearly 8 percent."
According to various surveys, people are moving out for a variety of reasons but the top of the list is California is an expensive place to live with its high housing prices and taxes. Other reasons sited include, "to be close to family" and "to work remotely in a less expensive place."
No opinion given here on why this is happening but I think this is an issue we need to pay attention to. As our population is aging we will need to make up for this decrease with natural growth (birth rate higher than death rate) or with more migrants moving into the state or we will see our government budgets being more challenging to balance. That will impact everyone who remains in the state as our roads, schools, parks and public safety may see decreases in funding.