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Which counties in California are people leaving?

40 of the 58 counties in California had more residents move away to other U.S. counties than move in during 2025. Alpine County had the largest net outflow for its size: 31.6 per 1,000 residents (−33 people). In people, Los Angeles County had the largest net outflow (−105,471).

Net out-migration does not always mean fewer residents: 12 of these 40 counties still had more residents in 2025 than in 2020.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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All 40 California counties with net out-migration

Counties with the most out-migration in California
RankCountyPer 1,000 residents, 2025Net movers 2025ResidentsPopulation change 2020–25
1Alpine County−31.6−331,043−11.6%
2Mono County−18.9−23612,505−5.4%
3Lassen County−17.9−50228,117−13.1%
4Tuolumne County−14.6−77553,160−4.0%
5Del Norte County−14.0−37026,410−4.4%
6Imperial County−12.3−2,228181,411+1.0%
7Marin County−10.9−2,764253,694−2.9%
8Los Angeles County−10.9−105,4719,694,934−3.0%
9Santa Cruz County−10.4−2,701258,852−4.7%
10Santa Clara County−10.3−19,7751,914,391−0.9%
11Alameda County−9.8−15,9601,636,630−2.6%
12Santa Barbara County−8.7−3,844442,065−1.4%
13Colusa County−8.6−18721,836−0.1%
14Mendocino County−8.4−74188,122−3.5%
15Orange County−8.1−25,3573,149,507−1.2%
16Sutter County−7.6−75498,787−0.7%
17Glenn County−7.5−21228,141−2.6%
18San Diego County−7.3−23,8763,282,248−0.6%
19Kings County−7.0−1,082154,327+1.0%
20Monterey County−6.2−2,697433,729−1.5%
21Ventura County−6.0−4,991830,851−1.5%
22Modoc County−5.8−498,426−2.9%
23Contra Costa County−5.7−6,7211,170,070+0.3%
24San Mateo County−5.5−4,110743,568−2.5%
25Siskiyou County−5.2−21742,013−4.5%
26Merced County−4.4−1,310297,260+5.1%
27Fresno County−4.4−4,5481,035,456+2.6%
28Stanislaus County−4.3−2,425557,719+0.7%
29Plumas County−4.2−7818,583−5.9%
30Tulare County−3.6−1,748485,146+2.4%
31Inyo County−3.0−5418,158−4.4%
32Yolo County−2.9−657224,410+3.1%
33Kern County−2.8−2,628927,068+2.3%
34Solano County−2.8−1,264455,376+0.5%
35Humboldt County−2.2−296131,647−3.4%
36San Bernardino County−2.2−4,9612,224,091+1.9%
37Sacramento County−2.2−3,4971,618,460+2.0%
38Napa County−1.6−213132,949−3.3%
39Tehama County−0.8−5464,665−1.7%
40San Francisco County−0.2−137826,079−5.6%

How this is ranked

Counties where more residents moved away to other U.S. counties than moved in (negative net domestic migration in the Census Bureau's population estimates for 2025), per 1,000 residents, largest net outflow first. Moves from and to other countries, births and deaths are not counted. Counties with fewer than 1,000 residents, or without a figure for the same period as the others, are left out, as on every ranking.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025). Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how ranks and figures are built. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

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Questions

Which county in California are the most people leaving?

For its size, Alpine County: net domestic migration of −31.6 per 1,000 residents in 2025 (−33 people; Census Bureau population estimates). Next: Mono County (−18.9) and Lassen County (−17.9).

How many counties in California have more people moving out than in?

40 of the 58 counties in California had more residents move away to other U.S. counties than move in during 2025.

Does net out-migration mean a county is losing population?

Not always. Net domestic migration counts moves between U.S. counties only; births, deaths and international migration also change the total. 12 of these 40 counties still had more residents in 2025 than in 2020.

More county rankings for California

Counties with the most out-migration in other states

Across the U.S.