38% decrease in people moving to California 12% increase in residents moving out of state last year.

In San Francisco Bay Area, it's even more stark. There was a 45% decrease in entrances from other states to the Bay Area and a 21% increase in residents leaving for other states.

People halting moves into a dense population center because the city shut down for covid is not the same thing as people "fleeing in droves for taxes". There are absolutely some people doing this, but you are making up connections and this is a lazy talking point.

It's a combination of a lot of things. But the data is clear people don't want to move to California and the people who do live there are leaving.

"last year"

I'd hope most of us know better than to try and make arguments like this about once-in-a-hundred-year historical anomalies.

That explains why real estate prices are falling and properties languish for sale for months if not years.