

Every five years, the US Census Bureau releases its migration report and we've just gotten the exciting data for 2007 through 2011 (via Atlantic Cities), which shows that the largest migration in the country—nearly 42,000 people—was from Los Angeles County to San Bernardino County. Why would anyone leave the wonders of LA county? The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin wanted to know the same thing, and the answer they got from economists and developers was that it's cheaper to buy a house. (One economist estimated the median price in LA County was more than $200,000 more than the median price in San Bernardino.) "People go on the freeway and drive until they can find a house they can afford," said an Inland Empire developer. Other possible explanations? New jobs and more space in San Berdoo. Those explanations might shed some light on the motivations for the 40,794 people who moved to Orange County because there is no way anyone is moving to Orange County for cheaper housing.

· 2007-2011 County-to-County Migration Flows [US Census Bureau]

· Why 42,000 people moved from Los Angeles County to San Bernardino County from 2007-2011[IVDB]