The Real State of the State
Economy: California today has the nation’s second highest unemployment rate , just barely losing out on the top spot by .1%. At the same time, California ranks dead last in the nation for job growth. A recent PPIC survey found jobs, economy and inflation is the most important issue to Californians. Since Gavin Newsom took office, more than 200 businesses have left California – with a majority moving to red-state rival Texas.
(The Center Square) – The exodus of California businesses continued in 2023, with the greatest number relocating operations to Texas.
According to a tally kept by the California Policy Center in its California Book of Exoduses, at least 237 companies have left California since 2005, citing the state’s ever-expanding regulatory and taxation climate. More than half of them, over 120, relocated to Texas.
Three California businesses relocated their headquarters to Frisco: Informativ, a credit compliance company, Wiley X, a military eyewear company, and Ruiz Foods.
Kelley-Moore Paints relocated its headquarters to Irving after moving its manufacturing operations to Hurst in 2017. Cacique Foods relocated its headquarters to Irving and opened its dairy processing plant in Amarillo this year.
Quickfee Solutions moved its national headquarters to Plano. AI company, Inbenta, relocated to Allen. Norwalk Frontier’s Communications moved its headquarters to Dallas. Kitchen appliance maker Thermonix relocated its headquarters to Dallas, with expansion plans in the works. Landsee Homes moved its corporate headquarters to Dallas.
The outlier was a wealth management company, KWK Management, which moved its headquarters to Houston instead of to north Texas.
1959. (23-0017A1) ALLOWS FELONY CHARGES AND INCREASES SENTENCES FOR CERTAIN DRUG AND THEFT CRIMES. INITIATIVE STATUTE.
| Unemployment Rates for States, Seasonally Adjusted | ||
|---|---|---|
| State | February 2024(P) rate | Rank |
| North Dakota | 2.0 | 1 |
| South Dakota | 2.1 | 2 |
| Vermont | 2.3 | 3 |
| Maryland | 2.4 | 4 |
| Nebraska | 2.5 | 5 |
| New Hampshire | 2.6 | 6 |
| Kansas | 2.7 | 7 |
| Minnesota | 2.7 | 7 |
| Utah | 2.8 | 9 |
| Wyoming | 2.8 | 9 |
| Iowa | 2.9 | 11 |
| Massachusetts | 2.9 | 11 |
| Alabama | 3.0 | 13 |
| Virginia | 3.0 | 13 |
| Wisconsin | 3.0 | 13 |
| Florida | 3.1 | 16 |
| Georgia | 3.1 | 16 |
| Hawaii | 3.1 | 16 |
| Mississippi | 3.1 | 16 |
| South Carolina | 3.1 | 16 |
| Idaho | 3.3 | 21 |
| Missouri | 3.3 | 21 |
| Tennessee | 3.3 | 21 |
| Maine | 3.4 | 24 |
| Montana | 3.4 | 24 |
| Pennsylvania | 3.4 | 24 |
| Colorado | 3.5 | 27 |
| Indiana | 3.5 | 27 |
| North Carolina | 3.5 | 27 |
| Arkansas | 3.6 | 30 |
| Oklahoma | 3.6 | 30 |
| Ohio | 3.7 | 32 |
| Michigan | 3.9 | 33 |
| New Mexico | 3.9 | 33 |
| Rhode Island | 3.9 | 33 |
| Texas | 3.9 | 33 |
| Delaware | 4.0 | 37 |
| Arizona | 4.1 | 38 |
| Louisiana | 4.2 | 39 |
| Oregon | 4.2 | 39 |
| West Virginia | 4.3 | 41 |
| Kentucky | 4.4 | 42 |
| New York | 4.4 | 42 |
| Connecticut | 4.5 | 44 |
| Alaska | 4.7 | 45 |
| Washington | 4.7 | 45 |
| Illinois | 4.8 | 47 |
| New Jersey | 4.8 | 47 |
| District of Columbia | 5.1 | 49 |
| Nevada | 5.2 | 50 |
| California | 5.3 | 51 |
| Footnotes (P) Preliminary U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS | ||
| Note: Rates shown are a percentage of the labor force. Data refer to place of residence. Estimates for the current month are subject to revision the following month. | ||
Affordability: California continues to have among the highest costs of living in the nation and the nation’s highest median monthly housing costs. Housing costs rank as one of the most important issues in California. Only 15% of California households can afford to buy a home. California is home to the four most expensive housing markets in the nation. High housing costs and an outrageous cost of living was a driving force for many Californians deciding to leave the state.
Crime: Defying national trends, California’s violent crime rate is 31% higher than the national rate and is up 13% since 2019. This includes an increase in aggravated assaults, robberies and rapes. Property crime also increased in California in 2022. Smash and grabs still seem to make daily headlines in California. Business owners across California continue to sound the alarm on how crime is hurting them, while in San Francisco’s once-bustling downtown shopping area, storefront after storefront continues to close their doors for good.
Most Dangerous Cities in California
1. Emeryville
Emeryville is the number one most dangerous city in California. Emeryville has a population of 12,104 people and has a total crime rate of 18,192 crimes per 100,000 people. Emeryville is not a safe place to live, according to the crime rates reported by the police officials. Emeryville has the highest violent crime rate in California.
2. Oakland
Oakland, California, ranks as the second most dangerous city. It is located southwest of the Bay Area in Northern California. Residents in Oakland have a 1 in 16 chance of becoming a victim of either violent crime or property crime. The violent crime rate in Oakland is 1,274 violent crimes per 100,000 people, which is 235 percent higher than the national average.
3.Commerce
Commerce is the third most dangerous city in California. Commerce has a city population of 12,808. It is located just south of Los Angeles in Southern California. Those living in Commerce have a 1 in 11 chance of becoming a victim of any crime.
4. Red Bluff
Red Bluff is a Northern California town located between Redding and Chico. The town has a population of 14,283 people, yet it has an overall crime rate of 6,427 crimes per 100,000 people. Residents have a 1 in 15 chance of becoming a victim of either violent crime or property crime. The violent crime rate in Red Bluff is 1,155 violent crimes per 100,000 people. There is a 1 in 87 chance of experiencing violent crime while living in Red Bluff.
5. Barstow
Barstow is a town of 23,973 found North of San Bernardino. According to AreaVibes, the crime rate in Barstow is 123 percent higher than the national average. When asked in a poll, “How do you rate the amount of crime in Barstow?” over 65 percent responded, “Awful. Crime is rampant in this area.” The second poll question asked by AreaVibes was, “Do you feel safe walking alone at night in Barstow?” Over 64 percent responded, “Not safe at all. I never walk alone at night.” The violent crime rate in Barstow is 211 percent higher than the national average. The violent crime rate in Barstow is 1,183 violent crimes per 100,000 people. There is a 1 in 84 chance that residents of Barstow will become a victim of violent crime.
Ten cities with the highest population decline
| Rank | City | 2022 Population | 2017 Population | Five-year change |
| 1 | Paradise, Nevada | 183,321 | 235,123 | −22.03% |
| 2 | Jackson, Mississippi | 146,019 | 167,250 | −12.69% |
| 3 | East Los Angeles, California | 112,965 | 125,542 | −10.02% |
| 4 | Aurora, Illinois | 182,336 | 202,548 | −9.98% |
| 5 | El Monte, California | 105,307 | 116,110 | −9.30% |
| 6 | San Francisco, California | 808,437 | 884,363 | −8.59% |
| 7 | Hialeah, Florida | 220,274 | 239,682 | −8.10% |
| 8 | Detroit, Michigan | 620,410 | 673,103 | −7.83% |
| 9 | Santa Ana, California | 308,203 | 334,135 | −7.76% |
| 10 | Birmingham, Alabama | 196,353 | 212,744 | −7.70% |
Homelessness: Despite spending $20 billion addressing homelessness, California continues to tower over other states when it comes to our homeless crisis. California holds more than 181,000 homeless people – more than any other state by far – and nearly 30% of the nation’s total. Those numbers were up nearly 6% from the previous year. Nearly half of the nation’s unsheltered population is in California. This population size is nearly eight times as large as the unsheltered population in the second-ranked state. 68% of California’s homeless population is unsheltered – the highest percentage in the nation.
Will Proposition 1 help? Proposition 1 authorizes $6.38 billion in bonds to build mental health treatment facilities and provide housing for homeless Californians.
Outlook: Today, 57% of Californians think the state is heading in the wrong direction while 62% expect bad economic times in the next year. This is hardly a surprise since a majority of Californians also disapprove of Gavin Newsom’s job performance.
“With California continuing to top all the wrong lists, it’s hard to blame Gavin Newsom for not wanting to update Californians on his disastrous State of the State. Newsom’s failing agenda is hardly helpful to any California Democrat on the ballot this November. They’d all be better served if he actually focused on fixing the many problems he’s created at home instead of on unrealistic White House ambitions and on advancing radical, far-left policies that are destined to harm Californians.” – CAGOP Chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson,
Mar 18, 2024
