While many retirees may dream of retiring on the West Coast, the reality is that California is losing seniors at an alarming rate. According to a report by CNBC, the state lost 56,858 residents aged 60 and over in a single year, meaning retirees are spending their golden years outside of the Golden State.
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In particular, retirees are fleeing four of the most populated cities in the area, likely due to the exorbitant cost of living, high taxes, and unaffordable housing. Here are the four California cities retirees are fleeing, according to a 2025 study by SmartAsset.
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Los Angeles
Falling only behind New York City, Los Angeles was the second most common place that retirees were moving out of based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau. As analyzed by SmartAsset, a total of 7,383 retirees moved out of the state while only 4,196 people aged 60 and over moved in for a net migration of -3,187.
As reported by BestPlaces, the cost of living in Los Angeles is 62% higher than the average in the U.S. This high cost of living is fueled by housing that is around 70% more than what the average American pays. A home in the City of Angeles costs approximately $912,500, meaning a family would need $14,580 a month to reside in the well-known West Coast location.
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San Diego
Ranking third on the list of U.S. cities where retirees are moving out of is sunny San Diego. Near perfect weather year round is not enough to keep seniors in the coastal city during their golden years.
SmartAsset’s study showed that 4,145 retirees moved out of the area, compared to 1,541 who moved in. A net migration of -2,604 left the seaside location for cities in more affordable states like Florida and North Carolina. The city recently made the list of “impossibly unaffordable,” according to NBC San Diego.
Oakland
In 2023, only 379 retirees moved into Oakland, California, while 2,379 moved out. The net migration of -2,016 retirees ranked the city sixth on the top 10 places where seniors are leaving.
While mostly attributable to the high cost of living, it likely doesn’t help that two major sports teams also fled the area. In a decision that frustrated some fans, the Oakland Raiders relocated to Las Vegas. Now, the A’s have announced that they will be joining the franchise in Sin City in 2028, as reported by ABC News.
San Jose
Rounding out the California cities that retirees are moving out of is San Jose. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, San Jose was once a mecca for tech companies. A minuscule 656 retirees moved into the area in 2023, compared to 2,324 who moved out during the same period.
The high cost of living in the city is undoubtedly driving the relocation of seniors. Zillow estimates that the average home value in the area is $1,462,209, substantially higher than the national average. For a retiree on a fixed income, jaw-dropping housing prices coupled with pricey groceries and high taxes make living in San Jose unrealistic.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Retirees Are Fleeing These 4 California Cities
