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Wildfire Risk Is Reshaping Housing Migration in Rural California

Wildfire Risk Is Reshaping Housing Migration in Rural California

Wildfire exposure is altering housing migration across rural California as buyers, sellers and lenders weigh insurance access, hazard maps and ownership costs. State and industry data show an uneven pattern, with some fire-prone counties losing residents while others continue attracting households seeking lower prices and more space. Key Takeaways California’s high-fire-risk counties recorded a net domestic outflow of 6,937 people in 2023, reversing a small inflow in 2022. Census estimates for July 2024 through July 2025 show domestic migration gains in some exposed rural counties and losses in others. The California FAIR Plan’s share of new and renewed residential policies rose from 1.6% in 2018 to 3.7% in 2023. Among California homeowners without a mortgage, 16% were uninsured in 2023, with relatively high uninsured shares in several rural areas.   California’s high-fire-risk counties lost 6,937 more domestic movers than they gained in 2023, according to a Redfin analysis of Census