A woman who once swore by the California dream says wildfires, sky-high costs — and a crackdown on her Airbnb lifeline — pushed her to pack up and flee Los Angeles for good.

Natasha Thomlinson-Clark is one of thousands of Angelinos who have left the state in recent months, driven out by a variety of factors, according to newly released Census data.

The urge to relocate crept in slowly, starting when local ordinances and a risk of fines, forced her to stop relying on a short-term rental to supplement her income.

“I had an Airbnb in West Hollywood that was basically how I survived before,” said Thomlinson-Clark. “They shut down my Airbnb…[it was] very hard for me financially.”

Then came the final straw when the Palisades Fire forced her and her husband Luke to reconsider their living situation.

Natasha Thomlinson-Clark and her husband Luke decided to leave LA County after the Palisdes Fire. Natasha Thomlinson-Clark

Thomlinson-Clark ditched LA for Charlotte, North Carolina. Natasha Thomlinson-Clark

“Then the fires really — that kinda freaked us out a lot,” she said. “We were paying all this money … couldn’t get house insurance. We were basically sitting ducks with no housing insurance.”

“I thought, ‘what are we doing?’”

Within months, Thomlinson-Clark ditched LA for Charlotte, North Carolina — a move she admits was “a bit of a knee-jerk reaction,” but one that quickly paid off.

“We came straight to Charlotte … it was cheaper, it made financial sense to me.”

The couple snapped up a sprawling 2,800-square-foot home for $660,000 in May 2025 — a price that would barely land a modest property in Southern California.

“What you can buy here is ridiculous compared to California,” she said.

The couple bought a 2,800-square-foot home for $660,000 in May 2025. Natasha Thomlinson-Clark

Los Angeles County lost roughly 54,000 residents, the largest population drop in the nation. Getty Images

The numbers back her up.

Los Angeles County lost roughly 54,000 residents between July 2024 and July 2025, the largest population drop in the nation, according to newly released US Census Bureau data. Once topping 10 million residents, the county has now slipped to under 9.7 million — a steady decline with no clear end in sight.

Experts say affordability is the driving force.

Realtor.com senior economist Joel Berner noted that LA’s housing affordability score sits at just 0.41, far below the national average of 0.77. Median rent in the county has surged to $2,709 — compared to $1,667 nationwide — leaving many residents priced out.

“Incomes in LA have simply not kept pace with housing costs,” Berner said, adding that many are “squeezed to the point where they have to choose to leave.”

That’s exactly what Thomlinson-Clark did — even if it wasn’t easy.

“I had never thought about leaving LA. If I’m honest, the fires were a big driving force,” she said. “I worked really hard to get to California — specifically, I picked California.”

She insists the move wasn’t political, still, the financial upside has been hard to ignore. After buying her first home ten months ago, she told The Post, she bought a second one last Friday.

“Money goes much farther here,” she said.

It’s a trend LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger is watching closely.

“Los Angeles County’s population decline is a clear signal that we must stay focused on the fundamentals — public safety and affordability,” Barger said in a statement to The Post. “When people feel safe and can afford to live here, they stay and invest in their communities. If we lose sight of that balance, we risk losing the very workforce and families that make our region strong.”

Even so, Thomlinson-Clark hasn’t completely shut the door on the Golden State.

“Financially it’s better, but you do give up a lot,” she admitted. “California — it’s the sunshine tax you pay. There’s a lot to do in California.”

“Really tough to leave,” she added. “I can’t say I’ll be here forever.”