Where Are People Moving in San Diego, CA?
IRS county-to-county migration, 2023 tax year (released about two years after the tax year it covers).
People moving in
61,648
People moving out
66,155
Net migration
-18,725
San Diego, CA is a net loser of residents. In the latest IRS data (2023 tax year), 61,648 people moved in and 66,155 moved out, for a net loss of -18,725. Net outflows can soften local rent and price growth over time, though the cause matters as much as the number.
Migration is most useful read alongside the rest of the market. People move for jobs, affordability, climate, and lifestyle, and where they come from and go to says a lot about what a county is competing on. Below are the specific counties driving San Diego, CA’s flows in each direction.
Top counties people moved to San Diego, CA from
| Origin county | Returns | People |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CACalifornia | 6,449 | 9,296 |
| Riverside, CACalifornia | 5,038 | 8,425 |
| Orange, CACalifornia | 4,006 | 5,810 |
| San Bernardino, CACalifornia | 1,719 | 2,928 |
| Maricopa, AZArizona | 1,706 | 2,636 |
| Santa Clara, CACalifornia | 1,584 | 2,368 |
| Clark, NVNevada | 1,125 | 1,829 |
| King, WAWashington | 1,112 | 1,592 |
| Alameda, CACalifornia | 1,019 | 1,498 |
| San Francisco, CACalifornia | 927 | 1,189 |
Top counties people left San Diego, CA for
| Destination county | Returns | People |
|---|---|---|
| Riverside, CACalifornia | 6,563 | 12,708 |
| Los Angeles, CACalifornia | 4,999 | 6,906 |
| Orange, CACalifornia | 3,258 | 4,787 |
| Maricopa, AZArizona | 2,410 | 3,877 |
| Clark, NVNevada | 1,808 | 3,142 |
| San Bernardino, CACalifornia | 1,333 | 2,303 |
| Santa Clara, CACalifornia | 1,191 | 1,655 |
| King, WAWashington | 1,128 | 1,591 |
| San Francisco, CACalifornia | 836 | 973 |
| Alameda, CACalifornia | 789 | 1,043 |
“Returns” counts tax returns (a household proxy) that moved along each flow; “People” counts the individuals on those returns, when reported. IRS aggregate and foreign pseudo-rows are excluded. Informational only, not financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
Are people moving to San Diego, CA or leaving?
San Diego, CA had a net loss of -18,725 residents in the latest IRS data (2023 tax year), with 61,648 people moving in and 66,155 moving out. Net migration is inflow minus outflow.
Where are people moving to San Diego, CA from?
The largest sources of new San Diego, CA residents are Los Angeles, CA, Riverside, CA, Orange, CA. The full top-ten list of origin counties is in the table above.
Where do people leaving San Diego, CA go?
People leaving San Diego, CA most often move to Riverside, CA, Los Angeles, CA, Orange, CA. The full top-ten list of destination counties is in the table above.
What does San Diego, CA migration mean for housing?
Migration is a leading demand signal. Sustained net inflows tend to support rents and home prices when supply cannot keep up, while net outflows can soften them. Read this alongside San Diego, CA's price forecast, building permits, and affordability on the full county dashboard before drawing a conclusion.
How current is this San Diego, CA migration data?
It comes from IRS Statistics of Income county-to-county migration data, which is released about two years after the tax year it covers; the figures above reflect the 2023 tax year. That lag is normal for this dataset, which counts actual tax returns rather than survey estimates.