California’s Affordable Housing Crisis:Brutal Commutes Threaten Residents’ Quality of Life

One of the most popular topics among our readers is the exodus of people from a state that has experienced nothing but growth in its history. In the past year, I have closely examined the various factors contributing to the so-called California exodus and have spoken to many former Californians who have chosen to relocate.
They all shared a consistent story, describing a phenomenon opposite to the Gold Rush that brought many to California. As the state becomes less affordable, some people are drawn to other regions in search of opportunities. However, not everyone who struggles with the cost of living leaves, and those who stay face a housing crisis. They are forced to endure long commutes as job centers in Southern California become less affordable, while population growth occurs in the suburbs and exurbs.
Job centers like Orange County and Los Angeles’ Westside are far from the exurbs of Riverside or San Bernardino counties, where housing growth is higher and prices are lower. This has led to what I call the cross-county commute phenomenon. According to my research on the state of commutes in Southern California, around 750,000 people commuted across county lines in 2020. This number has been steadily increasing over the years, primarily driven by individuals living in counties such as San Bernardino and Riverside who commute to Orange and Los Angeles.
Between 2016 and 2020, census data shows that there were 60,000 more commuters driving from Riverside County to Orange County each day compared to the opposite direction. The full breakdown by county is detailed in my article. The distance between home and work acts as a burden on working-class individuals. Low-wage jobs are often easily transferable by location, while high-wage jobs are more likely to offer remote work opportunities. This leaves those in the middle with longer commutes.
Data from the 2022 census reveals that Californians who primarily worked from home had a median annual earning of nearly $80,000, whereas those who drove alone to work earned just under $50,000. Similar class dynamics are at play within Los Angeles when it comes to commute times. My analysis shows that residents of the San Fernando Valley and South L.A. have the longest average commute times. Experts explain that both areas have limited public transit options compared to other parts of the city, and they are far from local job centers.
After reviewing the data and speaking to experts, some surprising trends have emerged. For example, the pandemic did thin out traffic, but not in the way I expected. Despite concerns about California losing population, traffic congestion has persisted. Some individuals I spoke to even expressed the hope that more people would leave, taking their cars with them.
Ultimately, most experts I have consulted believe that public transit is the only solution to the region’s notorious congestion problems. However, implementing these solutions will take years, if not decades. In the meantime, working-class Californians continue to bear the burden of long commutes caused by urban sprawl.