The Beehive State has beef with California, and Gov. Spencer Cox has even told Californians to stay on the West Coast.
But who’s actually moving to Utah from the Golden State?
A recent report from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute found many Californians moving to Utah were born in the Beehive State and that, overall, they aren’t that different from others who choose to make the Beehive State home — with two exceptions.
Here’s who moved from California in 2022, how that compares to other states and where they moved in Utah, based on the report that analyzed U.S. Census Bureau data collected through the American Community Survey.
Long history of migration between California and Utah
There’s a long history of migration between California and Utah that has its roots in geographic and religious ties. That includes what one academic termed ”frayed ties” between members of The Church of Latter-day Saints who moved west during the gold rush of the mid-19th century and the church’s president at the time, Brigham Young.
Except for 1990, more California residents have moved to Utah, according to U.S. Census Bureau data going back 30 years.
That was still true in 2022, but the number of Californians moving to Utah dwindled that year while the number of Utahns moving to the West Coast spiked.
Who’s moving from California to Utah?
Nearly a quarter of Californians who did move to Utah in 2022 were originally born in the Beehive State, according to the Gardner Institute report.
And California in-migrants were similar to people who moved from other states in many ways:
More than half are between 15 and 39 years old, and the largest age group is between 20 and 24.
The majority are white, and 12% identify as Hispanic or Latino.
They differ in two key ways that may be part of the friction between Utahns and their new neighbors from California: They’re more likely to make at least $100,000, and to own a home within their first year of living in Utah.
Forty percent of California families that moved to Utah made $100,000 or more, compared to 28% of other in-migrants to Utah.
That’s largely driven by 15% of California households that moved to Utah in 2022 making at least $200,000. Just 8% of all other families that moved to Utah in 2022 had household incomes of $200,000 or more.
California transplants also were much more likely to own a home in Utah.
Within the first year of moving, half of Californians owned a home, and 17% owned it outright. The remaining half were renters.
Other migrants were much more likely to rent for at least the first year – just a third owned their own home within the first year, and only 10% owned it outright.
Higher household incomes likely are a factor in those higher rates of homeownership, the report says.
How did California-to-Utah migration compare to other states, overall domestic migration to Utah?
Utah gained about 18,700 Californians during 2022 – about 20% of the 91,341 people who moved to Utah from other states, and the most movers from any state seeking to be closer to the Greatest Snow on Earth, the Mighty Five or any of Utah’s other offerings.
The next closest state was Washington with 8,845 people, or 9.7% of Utah’s domestic in-migration.
California has been the largest source of domestic in-migration for at least the last decade, something that’s caused friction as Utah struggles to grapple with growth and provide enough housing.
Gov. Spencer Cox said during a press conference in February 2023 that Utah’s biggest problems are growth-related and that the state isn’t working to attract more people.
“We would love for people to stay in California instead of coming as refugees to Utah,” Cox said after governors spoke with President Joe Biden.
Cox’s animosity toward California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, resurfaced earlier this month, after an ad from Cox’s Democratic opponent, State Rep. Brian King, was released. The ad featured King and Cox’s Republican primary opponent, State Rep. Phil Lyman, who is mounting a write-in campaign for November.
“Losing is hard, but encouraging others to elect someone who believes in a Gavin Newsom-style of government is the wrong solution for Utah,” Matt Lusty, a spokesperson for the Cox campaign, said.
But Utah isn’t alone in attracting Californians – and it was far from the top destination for people leaving the Golden State in 2022.
Texas topped that list, with more than 100,000 Californians moving there – 12.5% of California’s domestic out-migration.
In comparison, Utah took on 2.3% of California residents who moved to other states.
Several other Western states – including neighboring Arizona, Colorado, Idaho and Nevada – took in more Californians.
Where did Californians move in Utah?
More than 20% of Californians who moved to Utah in 2022 settled in Saratoga Springs, Payson, southwest Lehi and surrounding areas.
About the same amount settled in Salt Lake County, but they’re spread out across the county, and Utah County is home to more Californians who moved to Utah in 2022.
Another 10% moved to a microdata area that includes Cache, Summit, Morgan and Rich counties, and 9% moved to or near St. George.
There’s a map detailing where Californias moved in the report.
Megan Banta is The Salt Lake Tribune’s data enterprise reporter, a philanthropically supported position. The Tribune retains control over all editorial decisions.
