Why are so many Californians moving to Utah?
Photo by Avi Richards on Unsplash
Recently, several families have reached out to our team wanting help in moving to the Beehive state of Utah from California… But why are many California residents leaving sunny California and heading to Utah? There are many reasons people are relocating to Utah and today we will dive into a few of them.
First, let’s begin with some of the reasons why people are leaving California. This state is experiencing issues like high crime, increasing rates of homelessness, the cost of living, exorbitant taxes, natural disasters, and the housing shortage. High taxes, homelessness, and crime are some of the top three reasons people are leaving the state. There are people leaving major cities like Los Angeles, San Diego, and the Bay Area looking for a better quality of life.
While this migration was happening before COVID, the pandemic definitely prompted even more moves to occur. After many companies that went remote during the pandemic, employees realized they were no longer geographically bound. Some employees were willing to take a pay cut to live in a less expensive area while others were able to stay in their jobs with their current income all while working remotely. This is where Utah saw a large influx of out of staters moving to the Beehive state. People could move and relocate to wherever they wanted.
So, what does Utah have to offer that California doesn’t? A lot of things, apparently!
It’s not surprising that Utah is a hot spot for it’s outdoor and recreation. A lot of people are drawn to Utah because there is such great proximity to the mountains and recreation. There are not very many states where you can have four climates within a four hour drive. A lot of people from places back East and California, want to get out of the big cities and get somewhere where they can live a more healthy lifestyle.
Along with an active outdoor lifestyle, another draw to Utah is the healthy economy. Utah is experiencing a thriving economy and there are an abundance of great job opportunities throughout many industries. The state ranks second nationally for job creation. Salt Lake City is appealing to employers because of its strong labor force. The 2.9% unemployment is well below the 3.7% national average, which makes it an ideal city for job-seekers. Some of the largest employers in the state of Utah include Adobe, Delta Airlines, doTerra, Ebay Inc, Goldman Sachs, JetBlue Airways Corporation, Intermountain Healthcare Medical Center, Overstock.com Inc, and the University of Utah.
In addition to the jobs, taxes in Utah are also a great deal lower than in places like California, which is attractive to those looking to move. Utah has a flat state income tax of 4.95%. If you’re interested in flat taxes you’ll feel right at home. However, if you’re thinking of moving or relocating to Utah from a state with no income tax, you’re in for a change. Property taxes in Utah are on the low side, compared to states like California. Sales taxes are around the U.S. average and Utah has no estate tax.
Recently, Salt Lake City has been nicknamed ‘Was-Angeles’ (a combination of Wasatch and Los Angeles) due to the influx of Californians. But even as our demographic continues to change, we can hope that some of the things we love about Utah – which also happen to be some of the reasons newcomers are here to stay – won’t change with the Californian tide.
As you can see, Utah has a lot to offer and is attracting many new residents every year from California. If you are thinking about making a move or relocating to Utah, feel free to give us a call, shoot us a text, or send us an email and we would love to connect with you.
