Every Company Leaving California: 2020-2023
Arguably since the first agricultural revolution 10,000+ years ago, work has been tied a fixed location. That location-based work – first a farm, then a manufacturing plant, then an office – created opportunity. Opportunity attracted workers (or new citizens).
Therefore, we always formed cities, countries, and societies primarily through location-based opportunity. Go where the work is, as they say. For the first time in thousands of years, that trend is reversing. With the internet (and remote work layered on top), you now have the ability to bring your work (your livelihood, really) with you to any location. Now, cities and states offer remote work incentive programs.
This remote work revolution is starting to drive astounding second- and third-order consequences.
- If you can bring your work wherever you want, where should you live?
- If you no longer need to live near the office, what happens to our cities?
- If a company no longer has a physical headquarters, could it reside in a state or country with a more favorable environment?
First, the employees start to work from home. Then, the companies go fully remote. Then, the company itself moves to a better jurisdiction.
In this article, we’re talking about the third-order effect of the remote work revolution: companies leaving states. In the United States, the biggest trend has been with companies leaving California.
Below, you’ll find all of the companies leaving California since 2020. Whenever a company announces its plans to leave the state, we’ll update the list.
View the full list | See how many have moved | See where they’re moving
👉 Companies Leaving California Since 2020 👈
Here is the list of companies with over 100 employees organized by year:
Companies Leaving California In 2023
Thermomix
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: August 25, 2023
Story: “We greatly admire the state’s deep history with building connection and culture through food, and for the way Texas supports entrepreneurs and innovative businesses such as Thermomix,” he said in his prepared remarks. (source: wfaa)
Hero Digital
New Location: Illinois
Date Announced: August 23, 2023
Story: Hero Digital, a tech consulting company with private equity ownership, will no longer call San Francisco home. The firm is shifting its headquarters to Chicago as part of an Aug. 14 merger with consulting firm Avionos, which is based in the Illinois city. (source: sfgate)
Fireside
New Location: Florida
Date Announced: August 15, 2023
Story: What I kept experiencing was a pull to Miami. Some of the smartest people I knew in San Francisco, in Silicon Valley, moved to Miami. The people that moved — it’s like they are more well-balanced people than they ever were. (source: wlrn)
Unical Aviation
New Location: Arizona
Date Announced: July 19, 2023
Story: Unical Aviation Inc., a leading aircraft parts and components provider, has relocated its corporate global headquarters out of the greater Los Angeles area to the Phoenix metro with plans to hire 80 new employees. (source: abc15)
Search for Unical Aviation jobs.
Skillz
New Location: Nevada
Date Announced: June 8, 2023
Story: Mobile gaming company Skillz is leaving Downtown San Francisco and to open new headquarters in Las Vegas, according to the Las Vegas Sun. (source: sfstandard)
Ruiz Foods
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: May 24, 2023
Story: Ruiz Foods, which was founded in Tulare County nearly 60 years ago, announced this week that it will establish its sole corporate headquarters in the city of Frisco, located about 30 miles north of Dallas. (source: fresnobee)
Cacique Foods
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: May 14, 2023
Story: In another notable name-brand corporate relocation win for Dallas-Fort Worth, Cacique Foods revealed plans to shift its corporate headquarters from California to Texas. (source: wfaa)
Search for Cacique Foods jobs.
Kelly-Moore Paints
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: April 25, 2023
Story: North Texas chalked up another corporate headquarters move from California yesterday when Kelly-Moore Paints—a leading manufacturer and retailer of premium paints and coatings in the U.S.—announced that it will move its HQ from Northern California to Irving this year. (source: therealdeal)
Search for Kelly-Moore Paints jobs.
Redaptive
New Location: Colorado
Date Announced: April 13, 2023
Story: “A company that specializes in making the facilities of some of the country’s largest corporations more energy efficient has moved its headquarters to Denver. Redaptive, which calls itself an energy-as-a-service provider, was formerly based in San Francisco.” (source: denverpost)
Inbenta
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: March 9, 2023
Story: After closing a $40 million investment in January, the AI company Inbenta announced it’s moving its headquarters from San Francisco to Allen, Texas and named North Texan Melissa Solis as the company’s new CEO. (source: localprofile)
Landsea Homes
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: March 7, 2023
Story: Moving the corporate headquarters from Newport Beach to Dallas won’t cost any Orange County jobs, the company says. It’ll be primarily senior executives, including CEO John Ho, on the move. (source: ocregister)
Search for Landsea Homes jobs.
Garcia Hand Picked
New Location: (Multiple locations)
Date Announced: January 29, 2023
Story: The Garcia Hand Picked brand, launched by the deceased musician’s family in 2020, has pulled out of the state, a spokesperson confirmed to SFGATE. Garcia’s exit comes as cannabis insiders predict a “mass extinction event” for California’s pot industry, with thousands of companies expected to go out of business this year. (source: sfgate)
McAfee
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: January 20, 2023
Story: The San Jose-based cybersecurity company McAfee announced it’ll be Frisco’s newest addition by moving its headquarters to The Star in 2023. (source: localprofile)
Bluevine
New Location: New Jersey
Date Announced: January 9, 2023
Story: Bluevine, the leading provider of small business banking solutions, today announced its official new company headquarters in Jersey City. As a fintech leader, Bluevine continues to expand to meet growing demand. (source: bluevine)
Companies That Left California In 2022
Boingo Wireless
Boingo WirelessNew Location: Texas
Date Announced: December 20, 2022
Story: Boingo Wireless, a total connectivity provider of distributed antenna systems (DAS), Wi-Fi and private networks, is building a new office in Frisco, with plans to relocate its corporate headquarters from Los Angeles to the rapidly expanding north Texas city, Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Monday. (source: newspress)
Lucas Oil Products
New Location: Indiana
Date Announced: November 1, 2022
Story: “After 33 years in business in Southern California, Lucas Oil Products is closing its corporate headquarters and West Coast production facility located in Corona and consolidating operations at its facilities in Indiana, according to an October 17 article in the Press Enterprise newspaper. Lucas Oil Products is also relocating its wholly owned MAVTV cable network from Corona, California to Indiana.” (source: roadracingworld)
Home Franchise Concepts
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: October 29, 2022
Story: It’s the first step in HFC’s plans to relocate its corporate headquarters from Irvine, California to Flower Mound over a multi-year period, according to the town news release. Initially, HFC’s move is expected to create 50 new jobs in Flower Mound, with more expected over time, according to the town. (source: crosstimbersgazette)
Search for Home Franchise Concepts jobs.
Allspring Global Investments
New Location: North Carolina
Date Announced: October 20, 2022
Story: We are thrilled to announce the official opening of our corporate headquarters in Charlotte, which we believe is an important step in Allspring’s journey to elevate investing to be worth more, said Joe Sullivan, CEO of Allspring, in a statement issued on Thursday. (source: wraltechwire)
Trimble
New Location: Colorado
Date Announced: October 6, 2022
Story: “Trimble (NASDAQ: TRMB) announced today that the company has changed its headquarters from Sunnyvale, California to Westminster, Colorado. ‘Sunnyvale will continue to be the center for technology development across a range of areas critical to Trimble’s success going forward,’ said Rob Painter, president and CEO.” (source: businessinsider)
Virta Health Corp
New Location: Colorado
Date Announced: October 3, 2022
Story: “The technology and healthcare talent we have already assembled in Colorado provides a clear picture of the exciting growth potential we have in the region,” Sami Inkinen, Virta Health co-founder and CEO, said in a written statement. “Colorado is a great place to live, with a spirit of innovation and people who are willing to tackle big challenges to change the world for the better. It’s an ideal setup for a mission-oriented company like Virta Health.” (source: bizwest)
Search for Virta Health Corp jobs.
Obagi Cosmeceuticals
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: September 21, 2022
Story: Some of the primary drivers are the favorable tax rate for businesses and residents and cost of living implications. Housing is simply unaffordable for many in Southern California, and our folks see the possibility of home ownership in their near future in Texas. We are very excited about the upcoming move and the opportunities it affords our relocating employees, said Jaime Castle, President & CEO of Obagi Cosmeceuticals. (source: hellowoodlands)
Search for “Obagi Cosmeceuticals” jobs.
*American Airlines
(Flight attendant base, only)
New Location: (Multiple locations)
Date Announced: September 15, 2022
Story: American Airlines announced that they are relocating more than 400 flight attendants who were based out of San Francisco International Airport, to other parts of the country. (source: abc7news)
Search for “American Airlines (*Flight Attendant Base, only)” jobs.
Belong
New Location: Florida
Date Announced: September 6, 2022
Story: Belong CEO, Ale Resnik, emphasized the cultural fit between Miami and Belong: ‘Miami represents a glimpse at a possible future of the USA. One that’s multicultural, more pragmatic, and less ideological. This is an ecosystem where consumer tech can blossom.'” (source: prnewswire)
Anything Liquid Manufacturing Inc.
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: July 25, 2022
Story: “California liquid supplement company to relocate headquarters to Richland Hills. Anything Liquid Manufacturing Inc. bought an 18,242 sf office and warehouse building.” (source: dallasinnovates)
Chevron
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: June 29, 2022
Story: “Chevron says it’s willing to pay its employees who are willing to relocate to Houston. The U.S. oil company is planning to sell its headquarters located at Chevron Park in San Ramon, California, so it can move to a more modern space.” (source: khou)
Aviatrix
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: May 5, 2022
Story: “A technology unicorn has shifted its headquarters from Silicon Valley to Dallas. The company is now operating out of a co-working space in Dallas – but will lease about 25,000 feet for a more permanent locale.” (source: bizjournals)
HBCU Hub
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: April 27, 2022
Story: HBCU HUB, the company that produced the world’s first mobile app that connect students to admission recruiters at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s) all over the country, has relocated from Carson, California to McKinney, Texas. (source: uniquemckinney)
Boring Co.
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: April 18, 2022
Story: Without a formal announcement, Elon Musk’s Boring Co., which develops tunnel systems, recently moved its corporate headquarters from Hawthorne to the Austin, Texas suburb of Pflugerville, according to public documents cited in Texas media reports. (source: labusinessjournal)
Sendoso
New Location: Arizona
Date Announced: April 12, 2022
Story: Business software developer Sendoso is relocating its headquarters from San Francisco to Phoenix later this year, bringing nearly 1,000 jobs to the Valley, the company announced Tuesday. (source: ktar)
Ovation Fertility
New Location: Tennessee
Date Announced: February 15, 2022
Story: As Ovation has grown to become a diversified, coast-to-coast fertility care services company, it just makes sense to reduce travel distance and time zone challenges by placing our home office in the middle of the country,” says Paul Kappelman, Ovation’s chief executive officer. “Nashville is also a talent-rich environment and home to many industry-leading healthcare companies, so it’s an ideal place for Ovation to establish a home base.” (source: ovationfertility)
Search for Ovation Fertility jobs.
Hyperion
New Location: Ohio
Date Announced: February 2, 2022
Story: “Orange-based hydrogen fuel cell and transportation company Hyperion Companies said Tuesday it will move its global headquarters to Columbus, Ohio. Hyperion said in a news release that it will create 680 new jobs over six years and invest about $300 million in a headquarters, research and development center and manufacturing operations in the city.” (source: worldnationnews)
Marrone Bio Innovations
New Location: North Carolina
Date Announced: January 6, 2022
Story: “The company noted in its statement that the decision to relocate its corporate headquarters location was made “to support the company’s growing presence in markets outside the United States.” The company’s research and development operations, and some support functions, will remain based in Davis, Ca., the company noted.” (source: wraltechwire)
Search for Marrone Bio Innovations jobs.
Review Wave
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: January 5, 2022
Story: Four days into the new year and DFW has its first transplant tech company of 2022. On Tuesday, marketing automation software company Review Wave announced it would be relocating to McKinney. (source: builtin)
Companies That Left California In 2021
Science 37
New Location: North Carolina
Date Announced: December 22, 2021
Story: “Establishing our headquarters in the Research Triangle, a magnet for biopharmaceutical innovation, will enable Science 37 to continue to grow, attracting and retaining top talent dedicated to accelerating research and enabling access for patients and providers, anywhere.” (source: wraltechwire)
FICO
New Location: Montana
Date Announced: November 1, 2021
Story: According to Wayback Machine, FICO changed its corporate headquarters from San Jose, CA to Bozeman, MT some time between Oct 29, and Nov 24, 2021. There was no press release. (source: archive)
Nexen Tire
New Location: Ohio
Date Announced: October 28, 2021
Story: Nexen Tire’s road to growth is running straight through the middle of the country into Richfield, Ohio, and we’re ecstatic to be reuniting with an already incredible and established team at our North American technical center,” said Brian YoonSeok Han, CEO of Nexen Tire America. (source: cleveland.com)
Hall Technologies
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: October 18, 2021
Story: “Hall set an aggressive plan to rebrand and evolve the company,” CEO Jason Schwartz said in a statement. “Part of that plan was moving our operations to Texas. Why Texas? Texas checked off all the boxes for us.” (source: dallasinnovates)
Tesla
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: October 7, 2021
Story: ““To be clear we will be continuing to expand our activities in California,” Musk said. “Our intention is to increase output from Fremont and Giga Nevada by 50%. If you go to our Fremont factory it’s jammed.” But, he added, “It’s tough for people to afford houses, and people have to come in from far away….There’s a limit to how big you can scale in the Bay Area.”” (source: cnbc)
First Foundation Bank
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: September 26, 2021
Story: The Dallas-Fort Worth area today reminds me of what Southern California was like 30 years ago, where First Foundation started, and for me personally, it is nice to return to Texas as my roots are in the South,” Scott F. Kavanaugh, CEO of First Foundation Inc. said recently. “Texas has such a business-friendly environment which gives us confidence in being able to serve the communities of Dallas with our high standard of exceptional client care. (source: realtynewsreport)
Search for First Foundation Bank jobs.
Flexible Funding
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: August 27, 2021
Story: “We are thrilled to announce our relocation of our corporate headquarters to Fort Worth to support our growth and the dynamic needs of our entire business,” (source: magazinefactoring.org)
GlobalFoundries
New Location: New York
Date Announced: August 26, 2021
Story: “The original vision for this site was a billion dollar investment from New York State, Global Foundries would put $3.2 billion in and create 1,200 jobs. We stand here today, the state put their dollars in, global foundries put $15 billion in, and there are now 3,000 jobs here and growing.” CEO Caulfield said. (source: cbs6albany)
Search for GlobalFoundries jobs.
HomeLight
New Location: Arizona
Date Announced: August 24, 2021
Story: HomeLight CEO Drew Uher said that it made sense for his fast-growing real estate company to move its HQ from San Francisco to the city that is its largest employment center. HomeLight has hiring and more in store as it continues to expand. (source: bizjournals)
NinjaOne
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: August 17, 2021
Story: One of the things that I saw is that a lot of my friends and family and employees that are moving here from the Bay Area can actually be homeowners, which in the Bay Area is virtually impossible, he said. “So I think it’s actually the hidden retention tool, and a great recruiting tool.” (source: statesman)
AECOM
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: August 17, 2021
Story: AECOM, the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, today announced it will relocate its global headquarters from Los Angeles, CA, to Dallas, TX, effective Oct. 1, 2021. (source: aecom)
MD7
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: August 11, 2021
Story: We believe the friendly business climate and exceptional work environment for our team members will be a competitive advantage as we continue to grow to serve our customers.” (source: dallasinnovates)
Kaiser Aluminum
New Location: Tennessee
Date Announced: July 29, 2021
Story: Williamson County provides the benefit of a corporate friendly business environment and access to a highly talented workforce that fits well with Kaiser Aluminum’s corporate value of being a preferred employer and a great place to work. (source: tn.gov)
Search for Kaiser Aluminum jobs.
Smart Wires, Inc.
New Location: North Carolina
Date Announced: July 27, 2021
Story: “Not only is North Carolina a strong hub for smart grid businesses, it also provides significant access to talent, R&D partnerships, manufacturing know-how, and exceptional infrastructure that is continuously growing and improving,” CEO Peter Wells said. (source: smartwires)
Search for Smart Wires, Inc. jobs.
Wiley X
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: June 29, 2021
Story: “Wiley X is committed to piloting smart and sustained growth for many years to come, and a central location like Texas is a prime place to call home for our brand,” Dan Freeman, co-owner of Wiley X, was quoted saying. (source: invisionmag)
F45
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: June 21, 2021
Story: In a June 21 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), F45 Training revealed its headquarters is now in Austin and indicated it plans to become a public company. F45 had been based in Los Angeles. (source: culturemap)
Edelbrock Group
New Location: Mississippi
Date Announced: June 15, 2021
Story: “Mississippi is a strong manufacturing state with a prominent presence in the automotive industry, and Edelbrock’s decision to relocate its corporate headquarters from southern California and create new jobs in northwest Mississippi highlights our great state as a top destination for companies in the automotive sector,” said Mississippi Development Authority Executive Director John Rounsaville. (source: desotocountynews)
Search for Edelbrock Group jobs.
Landing
New Location: Alabama
Date Announced: June 10, 2021
Story: “As a Birmingham native, relocating our headquarters and expanding our Alabama team was a natural transition,” said Bill Smith, founder and CEO of Landing. “I’m excited by the opportunity to continue to scale Landing and bring new jobs and economic opportunities to my community. As we continue to expand across the country, we’re committed to the vibrant cities we operate in and will strive to have a positive impact on all of Landing’s communities.” (source: wbrc)
Snowflake
New Location: Montana/ Remote
Date Announced: May 26, 2021
Story: “We are a Delaware corporation with a globally distributed workforce and no corporate headquarters. Under the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules, we are required to designate a ‘principal executive office.’ For purposes of this report, we have designated our office in Bozeman, Montana as our principal executive office, as that is where our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer are based.” (source: cnbc)
Wedgewood LLC
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: May 18, 2021
Story: “We think that Dallas has a regulatory environment that’s beneficial to our business. It allows us to get things done. It was mainly driven by regulations to multifamily ownership in California, a state that’s very focused on tenant’s rights and not focused at all on ownership.” (source: bizjournals)
Search for Wedgewood LLC jobs.
GemCap
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: May 17, 2021
Story: “Operating from a Central Time Zone allows us to service our customers better from both an operations viewpoint, as well as for travel,” comments David Ellis, Co-President. “Additionally, we appreciate the business-friendly environment of Texas and the warm welcome back from our home community,” adds Richard Ellis, Co-President.” (source: abladvisor)
Green Dot Corporation
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: May 7, 2021
Story: “I want the best and brightest people we can find to join our team to help us be successful, and you can live anywhere you want,” Henry said. “I’m not Jamie Dimon, I’m not going to force you to take the train three hours a day.” The CEO called Texas a very ‘business friendly state’ relative to California, where local rules could dictate how the company chooses board members, for instance.” (source: cnbc)
Search for Green Dot Corporation jobs.
Education Media Foundation (EMF)
New Location: Tennessee
Date Announced: March 24, 2021
Story: CEO Bill Reeves said, “This move will enable us to better serve our audiences and deepen our relationships with faith-focused artists, content creators and the recording, film and publishing industries as we continue to broaden our media offerings through radio, film, streaming, live events, books and more.” (source: cmbonline.org)
Search for Education Media Foundation (EMF) jobs.
Viavi Solutions
New Location: Arizona
Date Announced: February 10, 2021
Story: In seeking to locate a new facility, the company found that Arizona provided the ideal conditions of being business-friendly, offering a high quality of life at reasonable cost, and providing a strong base of talent. (source: viavisolutions)
Search for Viavi Solutions jobs.
Align Technology
New Location: Arizona
Date Announced: January 22, 2021
Story: This change will afford many new opportunities for Align to expand its industry-leading digital capabilities through innovation in San Jose while achieving greater, long-term operating efficiencies in Arizona,” said Joe Hogan, Align’s chief executive officer. (source: mercurynews)
Search for Align Technology jobs.
Digital Realty
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: January 14, 2021
Story: Said Digital Realty CEO William Stein, “The central location, affordable cost of living, highly educated workforce and supportive business climate have helped make Texas an epicenter for business activity and technology growth.” (source: zdnet)
Search for Digital Realty jobs.
Lion Real Estate Group
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: January 7, 2021
Story: The decision to relocate our corporate headquarters to Dallas aligns with our strategy of acquiring desirable multifamily assets outside of the urban core, both here in Texas and in other high-growth cities across the Sunbelt and Southeast, (source: businessinsider)
Search for Lion Real Estate Group jobs.
OPSWAT
New Location: Florida
Date Announced: January 4, 2021
Story: “While San Francisco will continue to be a strategic office location given its proximity to Silicon Valley and our West Coast partners and customers, we are excited to strengthen our East Coast presence and join Tampa’s emerging technology and cybersecurity ecosystem.” (source: opswat)
Charles Schwab
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: January 1, 2021
Story: “The financial services firm announced a $26 billion merger with TD Ameritrade in October 2020. As part of the merger, the combined company’s headquarters would relocate from San Francisco to North Texas (Westlake).” (source: nbcdfw)
TaskUs Inc.
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: January 1, 2021
Story: In 2021, TaskUs moved the headquarters to New Braunfels and listed the company on the NASDAQ stock market. (source: businessinnewbraunfels)
Companies That Left In 2020
Maddox Defense
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: December 31, 2020
Story: Since March 2020, Maddox Defense has been expanding its operations in the Houston area and officially moved its headquarters in December. (source: prnewswire)
Search for Maddox Defense jobs.
Oracle
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: December 11, 2020
Story: “Oracle is implementing a more flexible employee work location policy and has changed its Corporate Headquarters from Redwood City, California to Austin, Texas. We believe these moves best position Oracle for growth and provide our personnel with more flexibility about where and how they work,” a spokesperson confirmed to CNBC.” (source: cnbc)
Regroup Mass Notification
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: December 8, 2020
Story: “Our decision to move Regroup’s headquarters marks an important milestone in our company,” said Chris Utah, COO of Regroup. “Texas provides a fertile business environment to grow and be supported by a world-class, talented workforce.” (source: regroup)
Search for Regroup Mass Notification jobs.
Tanium
New Location: Washington
Date Announced: December 2, 2020
Story: “The CEO and co-founder of a billion-dollar cybersecurity company has moved its headquarters out of San Francisco because it’s not the city it was. He added that there were “”some asymmetries in the way that the Bay Area works that just didn’t really work well for us.”” (source: infosecurity magazine)
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: December 1, 2020
Story: As we look to the future, our business needs, opportunities for cost savings, and team members’ preferences about the future of work, we have made the decision to relocate HPE’s headquarters to the new campus under construction in Spring, Texas, just outside of Houston. (source: hpe)
Search for Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) jobs.
SmartDraw Software
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: November 16, 2020
Story: We decided to relocate to Texas—and specifically to The Woodlands—for many reasons, including the opportunity for our employees to become homeowners – something that was out of reach for many of them in San Diego. (source: communityimpact)
CBRE Group
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: October 29, 2020
Story: CBRE Group, the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, is moving its headquarters from Los Angeles to Dallas. (source: latimes)
Arctic Wolf
New Location: Minnesota
Date Announced: October 22, 2020
Story: “Last summer, the company significantly expanded its office footprint in Minnesota. But the “most critical reason” for the relocation is access to the wide pool of tech talent in the Twin Cities area, Schneider said.” (source: tcbmag)
Pabst Brewing
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: October 7, 2020
Story: San Antonio is filled with opportunity and creativity, it has a great talent pool, high quality of life, and is experiencing a cultural boom that we’d really like to be a part of,” he said. “The affordability of the city does make it attractive to business(es) and employees.” (source: mysanantonio)
O. W. Lee
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: September 23, 2020
Story: An outdoor furniture maker is planning to move its headquarters and manufacturing operations from California to Texas Hill County. (source: expressnews)
Incora
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: September 15, 2020
Story: “Texas has cultivated a strong economic climate with low taxes, reasonable regulations and a high-caliber workforce, which allows companies like Wesco to innovate and prosper,” said a statement from Abbott. “As a thriving aviation and aerospace hub, Fort Worth is the ideal location for Wesco to continue to grow its operations and serve its customers.” (source: dallasnews)
Palantir
New Location: Colorado
Date Announced: August 19, 2020
Story: Chief Executive Officer Alex Karp has been open in the past about a potential move. In an interview with Axios on HBO in May, Karp said he was against the “increasing intolerance and monoculture of Silicon Valley” and was nearing a decision on whether or not to move. Karp said at the time Colorado was under consideration. (source: cnbc)
DZS (Dasan Zhone Solutions)
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: August 3, 2020
Story: In addition to the strong pool of communications and software engineering talent in the Dallas area, officials said the move would lower the company’s fixed costs and provide good access to customers throughout the Americas. (source: bizjournals)
Varo Bank
New Location: Utah
Date Announced: July 25, 2020
Story: “Salt Lake City is a more sustainable place to do business,” Colin Walsh, co-founder and CEO of Varo Money, told the San Francisco Business Times.” (source: bizjournals)
Sonim Technologies
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: June 3, 2020
Story: It has moved its HQ to Austin from California and cut jobs as part of cost-saving measures designed to put the company ‘on a path to growth and profitability.’ (source: bizjournals)
XO (XO Jets)
New Location: Florida
Date Announced: January 27, 2020
Story: “There will be a significant number of the existing employees relocating to South Florida in the coming weeks,” said Michelle Bauman, chief human resources officer. “We’ll be hiring an additional 150 positions. We are very excited to become a Florida-based employer, which will afford us access to a deep pool of aviation talent from aviation universities and training centers located both locally in Florida and along the eastern seaboard.” (source: bizjournals)
ASGN Incorporated
New Location: Virginia
Date Announced: January 26, 2020
Story: Governor Ralph Northam today announced that ASGN Incorporated (NYSE:ASGN) will invest a total of $12.4 million to move its corporate headquarters from Calabasas, California to Henrico County and grow operations across the Commonwealth, creating a total of 700 new jobs and advancing Virginia’s economic recovery strategy. (source: henricocitizen)
QuestionPro
New Location: Texas
Date Announced: January 21, 2020
Story: “Bhaskaran said Austin’s cost of living makes it easier to scale up and hire talent. Austin’s talent pool, and the ability to attract people who live outside of Texas were also factors, he said. (The Bay Area) was not sustainable for us,” Bhaskaran said. ““For the same price we can find really amazing people in other areas.”” (source: statesman)
NortonLifeLock (Symantec)
New Location: Arizona
Date Announced: January 14, 2020
Story: “The tech company wants to find a buyer for 10 buildings in Mountain View that together total 707,000 square feet. By early November 2019, the company’s headquarters were listed as being in Tempe, Ariz., an SEC filing disclosed. Also in early November, NortonLifeLock became the official name of the company.” (source: pe.com)
See Also: Every Company Moving To Texas | Every Business Leaving San Francisco (2020-2023) | Notable Companies Leaving Chicago
Here is the list of companies with under 100 employees:
- SignEasy: Texas, 2020
- Finical: Texas, 2020
- Optimal Elite Management LLC: Texas, 2020
- Arcturus Aerospace: Arkansas, 2020
- KVP International: Texas, 2020
- FileTrail: Texas, 2020
- AgencyKPI: Texas, 2020
- Airbrake: Texas, 2020
- The Joe Rogan Experience: Texas, 2020
- ShiftPixy: Florida, 2020
- The Daily Wire: Tennessee, 2020
- Titans of CNC, Inc.:Texas, 2020
- Saleen Performance Parts: Texas, 2020
- Blue Box Air: Texas, 2020
- OriginClear: Texas, 2020
- Slync.io: Texas, 2020
- Amazing Magnets: Texas, 2021
- Alpha Paw: Texas, 2021
- Moov Technologies: Arizona, 2021
- Huckleberry Insurance: New York, 2021
- ProfitPay Technologies: Nevada, 2021
- Nissei America, Inc.: Texas, 2021
- Markaaz: Texas, 2021
- Flannery Trim: Texas, 2021
- SmartAction: Texas, 2021
- Darvis: Tennesse, 2021
- AHV Communities: Texas, 2021
- Andamiro USA Corp.: Texas, 2021
- AFC Finishing Systems, Inc.: Idaho, 2021
- Precision Swiss Products: North Carolina, 2021
- Ocean Aero Inc.: Mississippi, 2021
- Cangshan Cutlery Company: Texas, 2021
- OrangeGrid: Texas, 2021
- Old Gringo Boots: Texas, 2021
- The 360 Electrician, Inc.: Montana, 2021
- Dear Media: Texas, 2021
- Gordon Ramsay North America: Texas, 2021
- The Rubin Report: Florida, 2021
- Harmonate: Texas, 2021
- iFly.vc: Texas, 2021
- DIQ SEO: Texas, 2021
- Sunhaven: Texas, 2021
- Space Channel, Inc.: Texas, 2021
- Tailift Material Handling USA: Texas, 2021
- American Technologies Network, Corp. (ATN): Florida, 2022
- Noodoe: Texas, 2022
- Shelter Distilling: Colorado, 2022 (source)
- Sovereign Flavors: Texas, March 21, 2022 (source)
- HackEDU: Pennsylvania, April 18, 2022 (source)
- 828 Productions: New Mexico, August 19, 2022 (source)
- Cellipont Bioservices: Texas, August 30, 2022 (source)
- Runa Capital: Luxembourg, September 13, 2022 (source)
- Confer Inc: Texas, September 15, 2022 (source)
- Integrated Defense Products: September 19, 2022 (source)
- Pasta Piccinini: December 8, 2022 (source)
- Informative (formerly Credit Bureau Connection): January 19, 2023 (source)
- Autoslide: January 24, 2023 (source)
- Goodguys Rod & Custom Association: Texas, February 1, 2023 (source)
- M2M Certified Inc.: Texas, February 7, 2023 (source)
- Linder Health: April 3, 2023 (source)
- Public Square: April 19, 2023 (source)
- Demand, Inc.: July 21, 2023 (source)
- KWK Management, LLC: August 7, 2023 (source)
Sources:
- News stories linked to from within the table
- The California Book of Exoduses compiled by California Policy Center
- Hoover Institution at Stanford
Why are companies leaving California?
I’ve pulled out notable phrases that company leaders mentioned when explaining their decision to leave California. Here are some samples to give you an idea:
-
Finding a place that is “easier to hire talent“
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In search of a “great talent pool” (in the new city and state)
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Seeking a “more sustainable place to do business“
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There is an “increasing intolerance and monoculture of Silicon Valley“
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Seeking “a strong economic climate with low taxes, reasonable regulations and a high-caliber workforce”
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Moving for “our business needs, opportunities for cost savings, and team members”
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There were “some symmetries in the way that the Bay Area works that just didn’t really work well for us”
- “Arizona provided the ideal conditions of being business-friendly, offering a high quality of life at reasonable cost”
- Employees can be homeowners in Texas, “which in the Bay Area is virtually impossible”
- “In California, local rules could dictate how the company chooses board members, for instance”
See Also: Every Major Company CEO Stepping Down | California’s 4-Day Work Week Bill
How many businesses are leaving California?
The Hoover Institution at Stanford published an analysis in 2022. According to the analysis…
352 companies moved their headquarters to other states just in the period from January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2021. In 2021, California business headquarters left the state at twice their rate in both 2020 and 2019, and at three times their rate in 2018.
Here are the company departures by year:
- 2021: 153
- 2020: 75
- 2019: 78
- 2018: 46
Where are they going? Primarily, Texas.
In my list current list, there are 82 companies leaving California between 2020 – April 2023 with more than 100 employees. They’ve moved to 19 different states. Of those states, here are the biggest beneficiaries:
- Texas: 44 (54%)
- Arizona: 6 (7%)
- Colorado: 4 (5%)
- North Carolina: 4 (5%)
- Florida: 4 (5%)
- Tennessee: 3 (4%)
- Ohio: 2 (2%)
- Multiple locations: 2
- 13 states: 1
See our report on all companies moving to Texas.
Why I Track This ResearchI moved to California for a job and have been here ever since. But that first job I took at Active Network in California is now in Texas. Texas provided $9 million in incentives and 600 jobs moved out of California as a result. It opened my eyes to the arbitrage happening between states. Jurisdictions where it was easier to operate were taking jobs from areas that made it hard to operate. Then Covid hit and remote work went through the roof. Once people started working from anywhere, companies decided to domicile in better-run states. I saw a headline nearly every day about a company moving out of California, and decided to track the movement. Remote work was the pin in the balloon to open up a whole new level of headquarter movement between cities, states, and countries. |
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Chevron is not moving its headquarters out of CA
The Chevron is just stupid
They should! As long as Californians keep voting for greasy Newsom, California will be a state of homeless, drug addicted, and mentally ill people. Anyone with half a brain can see what Newsom has done to this beautiful state woke is a joke!
I think Newsom is merely a symptom. The responsibility for California’s decline economically and socially lies squarely on the shoulders of the voters.
Texas voters could have chosen candidates like California Democrats. They chose not to.
California voters could have chosen candidates like Florida and Texas Republicans. They, too, chose not to.
‘Intolerant monoculture’ really does sum up California’s electorate, and that has consequences.
True, at least not yet. But by late 2023 they will have moved the bulk of the hq operation from Frisco to Houston, having sold the CA hq building, and are now leasing a space 1/3 the size of the former Frisco hq. source: sfchronicle “Chevron sells San Ramon HQ property as it shifts more workers to Texas” and californiaglobe
“..Chevron Corp. is planning to sell its current headquarters in California and is offering to cover costs for some employees to relocate to Texas1. The company has sold its San Ramon corporate headquarters to Sunset Development Co. and plans to move into a nearby leased space about one-third of the size23. Chevron has been helping to pay relocation costs for Bay Area employees voluntarily moving to Houst..”
Thay already did.
What is the total $ impact in income and taxes?
Say, wasn’t “Chevron” originally “Standard Oil Company of California”?
Good thing they changed the name – makes the move easier.
Franchise Tax board is the real enemy of the state …
My wife and I attended Oracle OpenWorld Annual Conference at Moscone Center for almost 20 years. My wife would do her Christmas shopping (Ross & other stores) and I presented and attended conferences for the week. We had a wonderful week and spend a ton of money. We stopped attending (as have many of my colegues) about 7 or 8 years ago. I retired just before Oracle relocated to Texas and changed the venue for OpenWorld. I feel sorry for San Francisco businesses but my wife wouldn’t leave the hotel without me and we were constantly accosted as we ventured out of our hotel. We just don’t need San Francisco that much. I’m sure you’ll find thousands of people just like me that have left San Francisco for good and for good reasons. Sorry..
I moved out of CA some years back with a transfer. Looking at the situation created by Gov. “Nuisance” makes me think I had tremendous foresight those years back. I miss San Diego the most but it is not the same “town” that I once knew. “Adios” CA.
We left in October of 2020; not looking and no regrets; what was once the Golden State is now sh*t brown…..