West Coast Migration Trends in 2026: California, Oregon, and Washington

California drove the regional outflow while Oregon and Washington gained

Between July 2024 and June 2025, California recorded net domestic migration of about -229,100, while Oregon gained about 2,200 and Washington gained about 9,200. Combined, the three states were about -217,600.

California’s population size dominates the regional total. Read the state rows and rates before deciding that one West Coast headline describes all three markets.

Total population and domestic moving tell different parts of the story

California’s total population was close to flat even with domestic outflow because births, deaths, and international migration also affect population. Washington grew about 0.9%, while Oregon grew about 0.2%.

To see where residents came from or went, use the Census state-to-state migration flows. A state total cannot show the many arrivals, departures, and moves within the same state.

Housing and everyday prices help explain the pressure

All three states were above the national price level in BEA?s 2024 comparison: California 110.7, Washington 107.0, and Oregon 103.4. The Redfin Data Center reported statewide median sale prices across all residential property types of about $887,400 in California, $651,800 in Washington, and $525,500 in Oregon for the month ending May 31, 2026. These are completed-sale medians for that month, not current listing prices or property valuations.

State medians hide major differences between coastal metros, inland cities, suburbs, and property types. Compare the intended neighborhood, commute, insurance, utilities, taxes, and income before judging the move’s value.

Why people moved into and out of each state

The Census estimates show the size and direction of migration, but they do not assign a motive to each move. The percentages below come from the United Van Lines 2025 National Movers Study and its state-by-state reason survey, checked August 2, 2026. They describe interstate household moves handled by the UniGroup network, not every move in each state. Respondents could skip a question or select more than one reason, so the percentages do not necessarily total 100%.

California: jobs and family pull people in; family, work and retirement lead departures

Moving in: A new job or company transfer was the leading reported reason at 33.2%, followed by family at 22.8%. Lifestyle and retirement each accounted for 10.2% of responses.

Moving out: Family led at 30.6%, followed by a job or transfer at 21.1%, retirement at 13.1%, lifestyle at 9.4%, and cost of living at 8.5%. The result is more complicated than a cost-only explanation: family and work often trigger the move, while affordability can influence where the household is able to land.

A separate California Policy Lab study followed movers from 2016 through 2025 and found that Californians who left moved to neighborhoods where monthly housing costs were about $672 lower on average. That supports housing affordability as an important destination factor without claiming it was every mover’s stated reason.

Oregon: employment is the strongest pull, while jobs and family also drive departures

Moving in: Jobs or company transfers led at 36.1%, family accounted for 25.1%, and lifestyle accounted for 15.7%. United connected the employment share with opportunities in technology and health care.

Moving out: Jobs or transfers accounted for 31.6%, family for 27.4%, retirement for 11.6%, and cost of living for 5.3%. The same life changes appear on both sides of the state line; Oregon’s positive net result does not mean all arrivals share one attraction or all departures share one complaint.

Washington: family and jobs lead in both directions

Moving in: Family was reported by 25.4% of respondents and a job or company transfer by 25.0%. Retirement accounted for 14.0% and lifestyle for 12.5%.

Moving out: Family led at 28.7%, followed by jobs or transfers at 23.4%, retirement at 13.2%, lifestyle at 9.6%, and cost of living at 6.9%. The close mix of inbound and outbound reasons shows why Washington’s small net gain should be read as the balance of many two-way moves, not one dominant push or pull.

How the three-state comparison was built

This comparison uses the Census population and domestic-migration estimates, BEA 2024 regional price parities, and Redfin statewide all-residential median sale prices for the month ending May 31, 2026. The reason percentages come from United Van Lines customer responses for 2025, with the separate California affordability finding drawn from California Policy Lab research covering 2016 through 2025. Each source keeps its own period, population, and definition.

Refresh the figures when their cited sources publish new releases.