A new study showed less than a quarter of small businesses in California are satisfied with where they are located.
The Freedom Economy Index’s survey found that 13% of small businesses were happy with being located in California, 40% lower than the national average.
The study also found that of the unsatisfied businesses, 27% desire to relocate out of California but cannot afford to do so.
Job board and recruiting company RedBalloon CEO Andrew Crapuchettes told the Washington Examiner in a statement that many small business owners have traded “California dreaming” for nightmares.
“Nearly a third of small businesses feel they’re stuck in Hotel California, where they can check out anytime they like, but they can never leave,” Crapuchettes said. “California used to be the engine of small businesses in America, but those still California dreaming are finding it’s become a nightmare — 67% want to escape.”
The survey showed that high taxes, anti-business government, “woke” ideologies influencing California’s education system, heavy regulatory policies, and crime rates are the top five factors driving small businesses’ desire to relocate out of California.
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California and Massachusetts ranked the highest for outbound moves in 2023, according to U-Haul’s 2023 Growth Index report. Texas, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee were among the top states where people moved.
The Freedom Economy Index survey fielded results from 80,000 small businesses with 840 respondents from across the United States. The study’s margin of error was plus or minus 3% with a 95% confidence level.
