High taxes, rising costs, and privacy concerns are driving celebrities away from California. Discover the 17 famous faces who have left the Golden State for more favorable destinations.
Mass Exodus: Over 817,000 Californians Leave the State
Celebrities Leaving California to settle in other states like Texas and Florida. According to the latest census data, over 817,000 individuals relocated from California between 2021 and 2022. This trend is not limited to regular citizens, as celebrities have chosen to leave Los Angeles, California. Below are 17 famous personalities who have departed from LA, along with their chosen destinations and reasons for moving.
According to the latest census data, California has experienced the most significant number of people leaving the state, with approximately 817,000 individuals departing between 2021 and 2022.
As individuals leave the state of California every day, several famous personalities who usually have the means to reside anywhere have also decided to depart from the Golden State.
Photo credit: Kathy Reesey, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Singer Kelly Clarkson heads to the viewing platform where she will perform My Country, ‘Tis of Thee during the 57th Presidential Inauguration held at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, on January 21, 2013. Barack H. Obama was elected to a second term as President of the United States on November 6, 2012. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photograph by Kathy Reesey)
Kelly Clarkson Leaves California and Finds a New Start in New York City
After her divorce in 2022, Kelly Clarkson, now a talk show host, decided to move from Los Angeles to New York City. Similarly, Sylvester Stallone announced earlier this year that his family will leave California permanently for South Florida.
Top choices for relocation among Californians are Arizona, Florida, and Texas.
Why Are Celebrities Leaving Los Angeles?
According to recent reports from Business Insider, individuals are leaving Los Angeles and California due to high taxes, costly housing prices, and difficult social and political environments. While some famous figures choose to keep their reasons for relocating private, others openly admit that Hollywood’s busy and tense atmosphere was a contributing factor.
Taxes and Financial Concerns Driving the Exodus
Specifically, Los Angeles is currently witnessing a migration of affluent individuals seeking locations where their finances can stretch further.
Gus Lira, a managing partner at a company that charters private jets, owned a Malibu condominium with a stunning ocean view. However, the high taxes in California, including the controversial mansion tax, were becoming burdensome, prompting him to relocate to Nevada.
Gus Lira: Leaving California Over Tax Burdens
According to Lira, taxes are the primary factor for both herself and others she knows. In an interview with Business Insider in January, she stated that it is difficult to make progress when you only receive $100 and $60 is deducted for taxes.
Public Figures Departing for Better Opportunities
In alphabetical order, Business Insider has curated a list of 17 public figures, including those in celebrity relationships, who left California for better opportunities and quality of life. The list mentions their destination and why they left Los Angeles.
Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake: Seeking Privacy
Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake left Los Angeles to protect their children’s privacy from the paparazzi’s constant attention.
The influential celebrity couple has faced the constant presence of the media throughout their time in the spotlight. However, they have reached a breaking point when it comes to their children also being subjected to it.
Actress Jessica Biel poses for photographers on the red carpet prior to entering the Loews Uptown Theater for the Washington, D.C. premier of the major motion picture, “Stealth”. Starring Jamie F (July 19, 2005)
Photo Credit: U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Daniel J. McLain – http://www.navy.mil/view_image.asp?id=26339, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=625598
John Goodman’s Longstanding Love for New Orleans
From 2018 onwards, Biel, Timberlake, and their two children have primarily resided in their homes located in Tennessee and Montana. So where does Justin Timberlake live now in 2023? Not in Los Angeles anymore. Justin Timberlake’s house is now in more private locations like Big Sky, Montana, to give his family more balance.
Justin Timberlake at the Pilgrimage Festival, 24 September 2017
Photo credit: MarkBriello, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Kelly Clarkson’s Move to the East Coast
Jessica Biel, on a May 22 installment of SiriusXM’s “Let’s Talk Off Camera With Kelly Ripa,” shared that they used to drink a lot on the East Coast and the West Coast, which is why they don’t reside there anymore. She mentioned that they are attempting to establish a sense of normalcy for their children and protect their privacy from the intense media attention and social media exposure that comes with living in Los Angeles.
As of 2024, Jessica Biel and her husband, Justin Timberlake, are still happily married and focused on providing a stable family life for their kids, even if it means leaving behind their Hollywood Hills home. Striking the right work-life balance and dealing with parenting challenges in the public spotlight has led the celebrity couple to make tough choices about where they live and how to manage their children’s exposure. Authentic engagement with fans is still important to Justin and Jessica, but putting family first means more privacy and less time in Los Angeles.
Dean Cain Moves to Las Vegas to Escape High Taxes
Dean Cain moved from Los Angeles to Las Vegas due to California’s high taxes and strict business regulations.
The person in question is Dean Cain, who is represented in a photograph by Jamie McCarthy from Getty Images.
Dean Cain: Trading Malibu for Las Vegas
Dean Cain, famous for his role as Clark Kent/Superman in “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,” had grown tired of how things were being managed in California.
Last year, the performer departed for Las Vegas.
During an interview with Fox News Digital in 2023, he expressed his opinion on excessive government, exorbitant taxes, and burdensome regulations for businesses. He also mentioned that California is unfriendly to businesses.
The Appeal of Las Vegas Over California
According to Cain, the personal income tax in California was perceived to be excessively high.
He mentioned that he relocated to Las Vegas and now resides in Nevada. Cain also noted that his current house is ten times better than the one he had in Malibu. He was not exaggerating when he said that his new home is stunning and beautifully built, with everything being brand new.
Kelly Clarkson’s Fresh Start in New York
Kelly Clarkson relocated from Los Angeles to New York and brought her daytime talk show.
The person in question is Kelly Clarkson, pictured in an image from Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal.
When Kelly Clarkson relocated to New York City last year, she felt like she had been given a fresh start in life.
In 2022, once her divorce from former spouse Brandon Blackstock was settled, she not only relocated her children to the East but also moved her show, “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” which began taping in New York in its fifth season.
John Goodman: A Hollywood Star in New Orleans
According to an exclusive interview with People, the Grammy winner revealed that she had been experiencing depression for the past three years and possibly even before that. She believes that the change of moving to New York City was necessary for her well-being and her family’s as well. She also mentioned that her children are doing well in their new environment and that the move has significantly improved their lives. In essence, they needed a new beginning.
In the late 1980s, John Goodman departed from Los Angeles
As reported by Business Insider, John Goodman realized early on that Los Angeles was not the place for him and has lived in New Orleans since the late 1980s.
Like others, the Emmy award winner initially came to Crescent City to enjoy and have a good time. In the late 1970s, he arrived with his fraternity friends. After a few years, as an actor, he was filming the movie Everybody’s All-American with Dennis Quaid, Jessica Lange, and Timothy Hutton when he crossed paths with his future spouse, Anna Beth. Since then, he has developed a strong connection to the city.
Josh Hartnett: A Quiet Life in Rural England
During his interview with “Today” in 2023, he expressed that whenever he had some extra money, he would always make it a point to visit this place. It felt incomplete to him if he wasn’t able to come here. He considers himself fortunate to be able to be in this place.
The performer has recently received renewed recognition due to his roles in “Oppenheimer” and “Trap,” but I do not anticipate seeing him spend time on the Sunset Strip. In light of the pandemic, he has left Los Angeles and relocated to the rural areas of England.
Since the onset of COVID, Harnett and his spouse, British performer Tamsin Egerton, have been residing in Hampshire and raising their four children. Due to his marriage visa, Harnett is currently based in the UK and can only travel for work for a maximum of 180 days per year.
According to an interview with The Guardian, Hartnett stated that after spending his early career in Hollywood’s spotlight, he enjoys peaceful country life in a village where one’s identity is not a concern.
According to him, this is an entirely new experience. He never could have anticipated it. Time goes by swiftly. With four kids, there is a lot to accomplish. There may be less going on, but the more crucial things are occurring.
Living outside of Hollywood has also provided a sense of safety for Hartnett. In an interview with The Guardian, he shared that during his time in LA, he encountered stalkers.
According to him, individuals following him appeared at his residence. He also mentioned an incident where a man with a gun showed up at his premiere, falsely claiming to be his father. This man was later sent to jail. The speaker recalls this time as strange and states that he did not want to become subject to gossip.
Matthew McConaughey: Back to His Texas Roots
Nicole Kidman and country music artist Keith Urban left Los Angeles one year after they got married. They relocated to Tennessee to be closer to the country music industry.
According to Nicole Kidman, the country music community is a welcoming and close-knit group. In an interview with People in 2016, she described it as a supportive and nurturing environment. Keith, who has been a part of this community for many years, considers it his home, and now it has become their home as well.
The Australian Oscar winner relocated to Nashville in 2007 and fully immersed themselves in Urban’s environment.
Nicole Kidman at the Cannes Film Festival 2013.
Photo credit: Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Matthew McConaughey traveled to his home state of Texas to assist his relatives
Before the McConaissance, which resulted in Matthew McConaughey winning the Best Actor Oscar, he and his wife Camila Alves left Hollywood and returned to his native state of Texas.
2012 the couple purchased a 10,800-square-foot mansion and made Austin their home. According to an article in Southern Living, this decision was initially made due to a “family crisis” and the need to assist his mother and two brothers. As a result, the couple ultimately chose to stay in Austin to raise their three children.
According to McConaughey, returning to Texas brought back familiar routines such as attending Sunday church, playing sports, having family dinners every night, and staying up late in the kitchen to share stories while sipping drinks and snacking, each time with a unique twist on the retelling.
Uvalde, TX native actor Matthew McConaughey speaks at the podium of the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room in the White House in the aftermath of the Robb Elementary School in his hometown
Photo credit: White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Amanda Seyfried went to upstate New York to experience the simplicity of rural living.
Despite having starred in popular films such as “Mean Girls” and “Mamma Mia!”, Amanda Seyfried may seem like someone who would prefer to rest her head in a more luxurious setting. However, she prefers living on a farm.
Source:
Jason Guerrasio and Jordan Pandy (July 29, 2024). 17 celebrities who have left Los Angeles on where they moved and why they did it. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/celebrities-left-los-angeles-california-why-where-they-moved-2024-6. Accessed August 1, 2024
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