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Inter-county migration in the San Francisco Bay Area

By
Real Estate Agent with Compass CA DRE# 01215160

The analysts at Compass continue to compile interesting statistics regarding housing in the San Francisco Bay Area. The more I know and the better I understand trends, the better able I am to be a resource and help to my clients.

The figures below show recent inter-county migration trends based in the U.S. census "Flows Mapper" covering the period 2012-2016. I've included the 3 areas in which I work, San Francisco, San Mateo County and Santa Clara County. 

Based on my experience and knowledge of where my own clients go and come from, I am not surprised. Much of the outflow to Alameda and Contra Costa counties I attribute to lower housing prices, while inflow to SF, SMC and SCC is due, in large part, to the robust jobs market in San Francisco and the Silicon Valley.

Migration trends, San Francisco

Migration trends, San Mateo County

Migration trends, Santa Clara County

Lastly is a chart showing migration to the Bay Area from other areas of California, the United States and internationally. As the chart shows, while more people are moving out of the Bay Area than moving in domestically, foreign immigration results in a positive net inflow. The need for housing is not diminishing.

Migration trends, 5 Bay Area counties

(Cover photo courtesy of Daiwei Lu on Unsplash)

 

 

 

Dorte Engel
RE/MAX Leading Edge - Bowie, MD
ABC - Annapolis, Bowie, Crofton & rest of Maryland

Dear Lottie,

When I saw your title, I thought you were talking about animals, which you were: the human kind.

Feb 27, 2019 09:21 PM
Endre Barath, Jr.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties - Beverly Hills, CA
Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002

Lottie yes the better the statistics the more knowledgeable you are to your clients but don't forget you are still fighting the Z'stamate no matter what you present it is still an uphill battle, Endre

Feb 27, 2019 10:15 PM
Phillipa Criswell
Golden Gate Sotheby's International Realty - Belvedere Tiburon, CA

Hi Lottie,

Thanks for posting.

The headline of your article reads inter county migration in the San Francisco Bay Area Market. Many of the counties mentioned are not part of the greater bay area counties.....interesting all the same. Phillipa

 

Feb 27, 2019 10:21 PM
Grant Schneider
Performance Development Strategies - Armonk, NY
Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes

Good morning Lottie - understanding and use of this data can certainly help your clients make decisions.  But, of course, your interpretation and analysis will be the most valuable.

Feb 28, 2019 05:15 AM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

Interesting, Lottie. I see more people are migrating to Sacramento County from San Mateo and Santa Clara. Everybody talks about Bay Area as though they are people from San Francisco who are moving to Sacramento but it doesn't look like we even made the top 10 list for San Franciscans.

Feb 28, 2019 09:37 AM
Sally Crane
WMS - Unity, WI
Woodland appraisal support.

Thanks for the update, all the best to you as you get many of these properties listed and sold.

Feb 28, 2019 01:30 PM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Lottie that is interesting data, I would love to see the sames charts for CT cities and towns.

Feb 28, 2019 04:28 PM
Lottie Kendall
Compass - San Francisco, CA
Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

Hi Dörte Engel - Ha! I hadn't thought about how migration could be interpreted differently. San Francisco has had coyotes migrating from Marin County, across the Golden Gate bridge, and more recently a mountain lion migrated here from San Mateo County. Coyotes have stayed and multiplied. Mountain lion was tranquilized and returned to the water shed in San Mateo County!

 

Mar 06, 2019 02:10 PM
Dorte Engel

Even I have seen coyotes in Sausalito near the Golden Gate bridge. You just have to be out late or early enough to see them. I am always surprised at all of your urban wildlife. 

Mar 06, 2019 02:21 PM
Lottie Kendall
Compass - San Francisco, CA
Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

I hadn't thought about the migration trends as a battle, Endre Barath, Jr. - I see it as knowing who might be coming here, and then marketing can be tailored to them.

Mar 06, 2019 02:11 PM
Lottie Kendall
Compass - San Francisco, CA
Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

Hi Phillipa Criswell - nice to see you here! I picked charts of the 3 bay area counties where I work; they show migration in and out trends. Helpful to know who is coming here so I can market listings to those people.

Mar 06, 2019 02:13 PM
Lottie Kendall
Compass - San Francisco, CA
Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

Thanks Grant Schneider -sometimes simply knowing the trends can help us with proper marketing.

Mar 06, 2019 02:14 PM
Lottie Kendall
Compass - San Francisco, CA
Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

Not surprising that Sacramento County is seeing people coming from the Silicon Valley; don't know why more people from SF head your way, Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Real Estate Agent, Top 1% of Lyon Agents 

Mar 06, 2019 02:15 PM
Lottie Kendall
Compass - San Francisco, CA
Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

Thanks for your good wishes, Sally Crane 

Mar 06, 2019 02:15 PM
Lottie Kendall
Compass - San Francisco, CA
Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

Hi George Souto - I hope you can find the migration data for your area; it's interesting to know.

Mar 06, 2019 02:16 PM
Endre Barath, Jr.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties - Beverly Hills, CA
Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002

From a Realtor Perspective it is great information to have, my point was if you are using this to explain to buyers or sellers how it will affect the transaction down the road you still have to deal with the elephant in the room the Z's value and  have to over come it if it is off like it usually is. Endre

Mar 06, 2019 10:28 PM
Thomas J. Nelson, REALTOR ® e-Pro CRS RCS-D Vets
Big Block Realty 858.232.8722 - La Jolla, CA
CEO of Vision Drive Realty - Coastal San Diego

An interesting trend is Gen X and some Boomers are selling their Peninsula and East Bay homes and returning to San Francisco to live the urban live for a spell. Some love it, some regret it.

May 03, 2021 12:44 AM