Why the west coast has become so hard to live in

It's a wonderful place but it's not easy making a life here.

Photo by Oliver Frsh on Unsplash

Full disclosure: I live in Portland, Oregon. I have lived here for the last 15 years, I love living here, and I love Oregon. I really can’t see myself moving or living anywhere else in the United States. And prior to this, I was born and raised in California. So while I’m going to be leading this article (and the video embedded here) with data, just know that I’m also bringing lived experience. This is a coplex topic but one that’s very near to my heart and home.

The west coast of the United States has long been a symbol of success. Between 1940 and 2020, California, Oregon, and Washington collectively grew by over 42 million people, driven by their robust economies, relatively pleasant climates, and newly bustling cities. But since 2020, this narrative has taken a dramatic turn. More than half a million residents have left these states, raising an important question: why are so many people leaving one of the most economically prosperous and geographically stunning regions in the world?

But first, let’s go back and talk about how the west coast grew.

A region built on migration and opportunity

Migration has always been central to the story of the West Coast. Long before European settlers arrived, Indigenous peoples thrived along its shores, drawn by the region’s abundant resources. Tens of thousands of years later, European settlers followed, though the formidable Rocky Mountains initially slowed their advance. In fact, it wasn’t until fairly recently in human history that the west coast has seen any meaningful population at all. Even during the period when Mexico had control of California, it had little success in getting people to move and settle the region.

But the acquisition of the region by the United States in the 1800s ignited waves of migration. First, the infamous Oregon Trail brought thousands of settlers to the fertile Willamette Valley where modern day Portland, Oregon sits. Then the California Gold Rush of 1848–1855 drew hundreds of thousands more to the west coast in search of fortune, mostly in the Sierra Nevada foothills. By 1850, California’s population had surged to over 92,000. And this surge in population, both in the Willamette Valley and northern California brought the initial population and infrastructure that the region needed in order to grow.

By the late 1800s, agriculture and industry spurred further population growth. The Central Valley became one of the world’s most productive agricultural regions, while the timber and mining industries flourished in Oregon and Washington state. Urban centers like Los Angeles grew rapidly during this time, powered by the rise of the entertainment industry and then from migration during the Dust Bowl era of the 1930s. By 1940, nearly 10 million people called the west coast home, about 8% of the entire U.S. population. But it wasn’t the end of the meteoric rise in population for the west coast.

World War II transformed the region from a land of primarily natural resource extraction and agriculture into a hub of military production and technological innovation. Boeing’s factories in Seattle and shipyards in Portland and San Francisco made each city manufacturing powerhouses and hubs of employment during a difficult time for the country as a whole. And then, in part due to the military manufacturing and technology research oriented nature of the west coast, the region would spawn what would later become known as Silicon Valley. This would then spin off similar technology-centered industries in San Diego, Los Angeles, Portland and Seattle.

By 2020, California’s population had grown to 39 million, while Washington and Oregon reached 7.7 million and 4.2 million, respectively. But then the growth stopped…

People stopped moving west

While the West Coast’s growth was meteoric for much of its history, signs of stagnation emerged in the 2010s. California’s population growth slowed considerably during this time, and by 2020, its populatio began to reverse. Similarly, Oregon and Washington’s growth also slowed and even reversed for a time. And while all three states are showing signs of growth once again (Washington leads here) it’s still fairly anemic compared to the 1990s, 2000s, or even 2010s period.

In many ways, it’s easy to point a finger at the COVID-19 pandemic which marked a pretty dramatic turning point for the region. Major metro regions like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Portland all saw population declines as remote work enabled people to leave these expensive cities for more affordable areas. States like Texas, Arizona, and Florida became popular the popular recipients of thousands of people. But even as the pandemic subsided, the west coast hasn’t been able to really regain its previous momentum. So…

Are people still leaving? Kind of…

Let’s get this out of the way right now. As of the most recent estimates, all three states on the west coast have regained population since their initial large exodus in 2020. In fact, Oregon and Washington have more people now than they did in 2020. And California, the state that lost the most population of these three, is only about 150,000 people from being back to where it was in 2020. So any story about how these three states are still losing people is flat out false. But it is true that Americans aren’t really the reason why these states are growing once again: it’s international migration.

According to a press release by the U.S. Census in June of 2024:

The population in the West (a region defined by the U.S. Census as consisting of California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana) grew by almost 688,000 people. This growth was consistent with the national trend and continued despite a net domestic migration loss of almost 170,000, offset by a gain of 667,794 from net international migration.

Bold and italics by me.

So all this is to say, if the U.S. didn’t have any international migration during this time all three states would have lost considerable population. Those already living in the region, whether they’re citizens or green card holders, have consistently left all three states in recent years. And that’s a worrisome trend, particularly as the country brings in a president who is well known for wanting to close off nearly all immigration.

So then this begs the question:

Why are domestic residents still leaving the west coast?

The reasons for the west coast’s continued domestic population decline are multifaceted. As with all things in life, we want simple answers for complex issues, but the reality is that the answer themselves are usually just as complex and difficult to track. But we can it boil down at least one overarching theme: the west coast has become increasingly difficult (and nearly impossible for many) to live in. Here’s why:

The cost of housing

Of course, this is the ten ton elephant in the room whenever anyone talks about the west coast and California in particular. California, Oregon, and Washington are some of the most expensive states in the country. Housing, in particular, is the biggest culprit here. As of 2024, median home prices in San Francisco continue to hover around $1.5 million, while Seattle exceeds $800,000, and Portland approaches $550,000. Los Angeles, San Diego, and Sacramento all have median home prices exceeding that of Portland. And for those who want to escape to a smaller, more rural town? Well those places have also become much more expensive in recent years. If you’re looking to buy a home in any of these cities and you’re not making at least $100,000 per year, you’re going to have a difficult time, or an impossible one if you’re trying to buy in the San Francisco Bay Area.

And if you’re not trying to buy? Well rents are similarly exorbitant, with monthly rates often surpassing $3,000 in major cities. And that’s if you can even find an apartment or house to rent that suits your specific needs. In the past 10-15 years, all three states and their respective cities have undergone an apartment building spree. But the vast majority of those apartments are either studios or 1-bedroom units. Which means that if you have a family, or even just need a little extra space, you’re kind of out luck!

Because of these costs, many people and families have been pushed out to the suburbs or entirely out of state. And if they did get pushed out the suburbs, well, that brings us to:

The cost of transportation

Recall the time period that I covered above when the west coast really grew and developed. It was essentially the early, mid, and then the late 1900s. More than anything else, during that period of time, the transportation method that defined the country (and even the world) was the personal automobile. Which means, unlike the Northeast which developed well before the idea of the car even existed, the west coast’s cities were designed for cars. Not trains, not subways, not bikes, and really not even walking! And don’t get me wrong: cars can be good! But they’re expensive and they take up a lot of space and they require fuel!

All along the west coast, gas prices routinely exceed the national average, compounding the regions’ collective financial burden. In fact, as of January 2025, gas cost $4.35 per gallon in California, compared to $2.66 in Texas. That’s nearly double! And with limited public transit options, residents have few alternatives to driving. Which means, a single person’s monthly gasoline purchase can exceed $500/month, easily. That’s a lot of money just for getting yourself to probably your job.

This isn’t a criticism of the west coast’s high gas prices necessarily, but when you’ve negated basically every other serious method of transportation and pushed your most financially burdened residents to the edge of your city? It’s a problem!

Speaking of people getting pushed out!

Essential workers have been priced out

Think about the people who truly enable a city to run and function on a daily basis. It’s not your local CEO, or even the professionals who work in the skyscrapers in downtown (though let’s be honest, most of them are working from home), it’s the public servants like teachers, nurses, and firefighters. And it’s these same people who often can’t afford to live in the cities where they work. Which means many of them have to commute long distances which straings their finances and puts a burden on their overall quality of life. So perhaps it’s not surprising that hearing of staffing shortages in critical sectors amongst all these major cities is common place. And when these very necessary people can’t take it anymore? Well, let’s just say there will always be a need for these professions in cities where they can, perhaps, actually afford to buy a home.

And when these people leave, the most vulnerable end up becoming even more vulnerable

Homelessness is getting worse

Homelessness is not a west coast issue. In fact, it’s a nation-wide issues. Cities and states around the country are dealing with an increase in homelessness. But it is true that the west coast has kind of been the epicenter of the current homelessness crisis. As the cost of living skyrocketed in the 2010s and then the pandemic shut everything down in 2020, the amount and visibility of homelessness in every major city on the west coast became a national talking point (and jeer for conservatives).

Right now, California alone has over 170,000 homeless residents according to the most recent federal count and large encampments have become commonplace. But with essential workers getting priced out, it means that svery ocial services are stretched thin which then exacerbates the issue of homelessness (and all the negative impact of it) which then creates visible inequality that drives people out even more.

That may sound a bit insensitive to those who experience homelessness. To be clear: I don’t blame people who are homeless for being homeless. But it’s absolutely true that the amount of homelessness and the negative externalities of having large homeless populations have become a quality of life issue for every major city on the west coast.

Natural disasters

And finally, and unfortunately very topically, natural disasters on the west coast are becoming a really big issue. Particularly wildfires. As of the time that I’m writing this (January 14th) wildfires are still going on in Los Angeles where thousands of homes have been destroyed and tens of thousands of people have been displaced. The reality is that southern California, already a naturally dry region of the country, has had a very dry winter which means that it’s become a bit of a tinderbox. So, when the inevitable accidental or malicious fire is lit, it spreads like, well, wildfire does: fast!

This month it’s Los Angeles. Which let’s make a point here that it is NOT wildfire season. But tomorrow it could be San Francisco, San Diego, Portland, Seattle or any of the smaller cities that dot the landscape of the three states. In fact, it wasn’t all that long ago that Portland and Seattle was dealing some of the worst air quality in the world.

At a certain point, it just becomes too much and people, notably those who lose everything in a fire, move to someplace they percieve to be safer.

For all these reasons, and many more, people have left the west coast. Unfortunately, there are no easy answers to solving any of them. This isn’t to say that the west coast won’t ever fully rebound and grow at a healthy rate again, but it does have some very serious issues that make living here, as of early 2025, almost impossible. And that should be worrisome for anyone that is still living here.