Study: One in Five New Tennesseans from California

As Tennessee experiences a massive influx of new residents from across the country, a study found that one state in particular is a popular feeder for the Volunteer State.

“Our 2022 data shows that California is the largest contributor to Tennessee’s population increase,” according to a MoveBuddha study. “Nearly a quarter (22.14%) of all search queries for moves into Tennessee are from the Golden State.”

California makes up the highest percentage of searches for potential movers-in.

“The next largest contributors are Florida (8.12%), Texas (5.40%), Illinois (5.34%), and Colorado (4.03%),” according to the report.

Home prices in Tennessee are about half that of California, and Tennessee’s property taxes are about half the cost of the property taxes in California. Tennessee also does not have an individual income tax.

Overall, Tennessee is a popular destination for movers from all across the country.

U.S. Census data shows that Tennessee’s population has grown by nine percent over the past decade, with more than a half a million new residents moving in.

Yes, Every Kid

“And that upward trend is continuing, with the latest Census population estimates showing that the state added another 55,099 residents from 2020 to 2021,” according to MoveBuddha.

Data for moves into Tennessee during that period is not yet available.

“We also found in our State-to-State Migration Report that Tennessee had the eighth-highest percentage change of inbound to outbound moves (+14.2%) from 2020 to 2021,” the study found.

Chattanooga, Johnson City and Knoxville had the most inbound moves compared to outbound moves, meaning their populations are growing the fastest out of Tennessee’s cities.

In 2022, 306 people are moving into Chattanooga for every 100 people who move out.

In Johnson City, 273 newcomers arrive for every 100 residents who leave. Those figures in Knoxville are 181 new residents for every 100 who move out.

The only major city in Tennessee that is shrinking in population is Memphis, where 83 people move in for every 100 people who move out.

MoveBuddha explained its methodology.

“This report primarily uses a combination of U.S. Census Bureau data and MoveBuddha proprietary data,” it said. “For understanding the cost of area homes we use Zillow’s Home Value Index and for rent data, we referred to FY 2022 Fair Market Rent.”

“Data [was] collected from January 1, 2022 through May 4, 2022  capturing searches by individuals who were either planning to move or hire a moving company. We only included cities with a minimum of 25 inbound queries and 25 outbound queries for city-level analysis. More information about our move data can be found in our Migration Report.”

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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected]

 

 

 

 

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8 Thoughts to “Study: One in Five New Tennesseans from California”

  1. Mary

    Every ex-Californian I’ve encountered has had like-minded politics; which means many aren’t the libs we think they are.

  2. JRin

    I moved from New York to Tennessee almost 20 years ago. I was a Constitutional Conservative then, and I’m a Constitutional Conservative now. I came to Tennessee to be in a free State, and I intend to do what I can to keep it that way. If another civil war breaks out, I’ll be fighting for the South.

  3. 83ragtop50

    God help us!

  4. John Bumpus

    People have been asking for several years but the Tennessee General Assembly keeps saying NO! But you folks in the GA need to listen and act before ex-California Democrats start voting in Tennessee Republican Primaries and helping to choose Republican nominees. THAT likely will mean the beginning of the end for our State as the unstoppable ever-leftward drift begins. (i.e., The lefties in the Democrat Party choosing leftist candidates, and then those same lefties–or people just like them–also helping to choose the Republican candidates. Is THAT what you want? If it is, I don’t want YOU!)

    Think about it this way. I am a Southern Baptist. Would you want the Baptists in your town choosing the pastor of your local church if you are not a Baptist? Or, if you are a member of your local Lions Club, would you want the Rotary Club in your town choosing your Lions Club’s officers? It’s the same principle. You need to act pre-emptively (while you still can–before it becomes too late). Again, just sayin’.

    1. Stuart I. Anderson

      John you are talking to the crowd who sees themselves as benefiting from the current situation. These centrist/tepid conservatives see the growing strength of conservatives in the Republican Party as their immediate enemy, not the Democrats who may vote in Republican primaries. If fact, insofar as the leftists who vote in Republican primaries will continue to vote for the least conservative candidates they are an asset to the centrist/tepid conservative Republican leadership.

      If the day comes when the electorate in this state becomes more centrist then you will see the leftists barreling into the Republican primaries to vote for the most conservative Republican candidate thinking that candidate will be the easiest for the Democrat candidate to beat. When that terrible day arrives PRESTO the primaries will be closed,

  5. Stuart Anderson

    And a big beautiful “DON’T CALIFORNIA MY TENNESSEE” shirt and bumper sticker to each and every one of them.

  6. Mark Knofler

    Given what Nashville looks like now, that would be a hard yes.

  7. Steve Allen

    So the BIG question is; did they bring their extreme leftist politics with them, or did they move here for our Conservative, Christian lifestyle? Given the level of stupidity possessed by the average liberal……

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