SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- New figures showed Thursday that California's sluggish economy prompted the largest exodus of residents in more than two decades.
The Department of Finance report concluded that upwards of 600,000 residents left California during the fiscal year that ended in June, marking the highest such outflow since the agency started keeping the statistics in 1970.
Finance Chief Economist Pauline Sweezey said the major reason for the exodus has been the state economy, which has been struggling to beat a lingering recession.
Including the influx of new residents, California suffered a net loss of 150,000 people last year.
The report found that young people between 18-24 marked the only age group with more residents coming to California than leaving.
