Jobs:  Middle class flees CA because …. housing costs  are excessively high.  That’s a big reason.
“Not only are Californians leaving the state in large numbers, but the people heading for the exits are disproportionately middle class working families — the demographic backbone of American society,†the American Interest recently noted.
The Golden State has been haunted in recent times by sharply mixed economic indicators. “While California has added 2.1 million jobs since 2010, employment in six industries is still below 2007 levels, before the Great Recession, according to the centerâ€
Economic growth concentrated in Silicon Valley has also not done much to relieve the income or jobs picture for middle-classers.
“In a recent survey of states where ‘the middle class is dying,â€
Some good news:  CA has lots of great public schools per this survey.  Graduating from a good school helps prepare young  people for jobs.   http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/california
Another reason middle class flees CA: Â people are either very rich or very poor. Â The culture is changing dramatically. Â