Golden Gate Bridge Credit: Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District
BUT MOVERS FACE TRADEOFFS LIKE LOWER SCHOOL QUALITY, LOWER INCOMES, AND HIGHER CLIMATE RISK
August 2, 2026 – Berkeley, CA. — The Bay Area has the highest cost of living of any metropolitan area in the country. Faced with these high costs, many residents are choosing to move to more affordable areas in and out of California, according to a new report from the nonpartisan California Policy Lab (CPL). The new research shows that residents who leave the region often relocate to communities with significantly lower housing costs and are much more likely to own a home — but frequently trade those gains for neighborhoods with lower-performing schools, greater climate vulnerability, and lower average incomes…