CA. Ventura County lost 35,000 residents between 2013-2017

Ventura County lost 35,000 residents between 2013-2017. Here's a look at where they went

Erin Rode, Ventura County Star
Published 7:00 a.m. PT Sept. 13, 2019 | Updated 8:39 a.m. PT Sept. 13, 2019

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More than 35,000 people left Ventura County between 2013 and 2017, moving to places as close as Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties and as far-flung as Texas, Florida and Colorado.

Newly released data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows net negative migration for the county, meaning more people left than moved in.

According to Matthew Fienup, executive director of the Center for Economic Research and Forecasting at California Lutheran University, this indicates negative economic growth for Ventura County.

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“Net migration is a very important economic indicator. When it is negative, that means individuals and households view economic opportunity as greater somewhere else,” he said.

A total of 35,492 people left Ventura County over the four-year period, while 31,720 people moved in. Of those who moved out of Ventura County, 20,137 moved to another county in California, while 15,355 people moved to a different state.

So where did former Ventura County residents go?

Neighboring Los Angeles County tops the list, but is followed by other states — Texas and Arizona rank second and third on the list.

Here are the top 15 places Ventura County residents are moving:

1. Los Angeles County
2. Texas
3. Arizona
4. Orange County
5. Washington
6. Santa Barbara County
7. San Diego County
8. Kern County
9. Nevada
10. Riverside County
11. Colorado
12. Oregon
13. Florida
14. San Bernardino County
15. Yolo County

https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2...unds&auto=webpTop destinations for former VC residents. (Photo: U.S. Census, 2013-2017 American Community Survey)


“We are a net loser to the state of California. More people are leaving Ventura County for other counties than are coming from other counties,” Fienup said. “People are moving where jobs are, and jobs tend to be where housing is more affordable. ... More people move out of regions where housing is less affordable.”

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Los Angeles County also tops the list of where newcomers to Ventura County move from, but is followed by Central America, Santa Barbara County and Asia.


Here’s where newcomers to Ventura County are moving from:

1. Los Angeles County
2. Central America
3. Santa Barbara County
4. Asia
5. San Diego County
6. Orange County
7. Kern County
8. Washington
9. New York
10. Texas
11. Riverside County
12. Florida
13. Europe
14. Hawaii
15. Arizona

https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2...unds&auto=webp

These are the most common places people move to Ventura County from. (Photo: U.S. Census, 2013-2017 American Community Survey)


According to Jorge DeLeón, president of the Ventura County Coastal Association of Realtors, some of the influx from Los Angeles County can be attributed to “luxury neighborhoods,” which are relatively less expensive in Ventura County than in Los Angeles County.

Some homes in luxury neighborhoods that run $1.5 million in Ventura County can go for $2 million to $2.5 million in Los Angeles, “so those looking for more stability are making the 60-mile commute from Ventura because someone interested in Beverly Hills could consider Ventura or Oxnard and have twice as much home,” DeLeón said.

DeLeón added that while agents in the Ventura County Coastal Association of Realtors are seeing more sellers move out of state, they also are seeing more buyers from other regions.


“Our agents are seeing people go to Arizona, Texas and Oregon, but we are also seeing people from different parts of the country coming here. We have had some influx of individuals from the East Coast, and seen new residents move from Nevada, Colorado, Venice Beach and Arcadia, so the sources of our new residents are from nearby and farther away,” DeLeón said.

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According to Fienup, the “jobs-housing nexus” plays an important role in driving people out of Ventura County. Declining housing affordability and job growth cause a weak economic outlook, which could cause people to move somewhere with more economic opportunity. Comparing Ventura County to the Inland Empire provides one example.

“In the Southern California Association of Governments region, the Inland Empire is the most robust and strongest growing economy in the whole area. We are not just the weakest county in the SCAG region; we are the weakest in the state of California,” Fienup said.

The Southern California Association of Governments represents the region that includes Ventura County, Orange County, Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County and Imperial County.

Fienup says high-paying sectors such as financial activities, manufacturing and information technology are increasingly moving out of the county.

“People are following jobs,” he said, “and generally speaking jobs are growing elsewhere.”

Have you moved or are you considering moving away from Ventura County? Reach reporter Erin Rode at erin.rode@vcstar.com or 805-437-0312.

https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/lo...ng/2169024001/