Leaving California. Landing in Tennessee.

Why families are making the move

Freedom on paper: the laws that actually differ

Second Amendment

• Tennessee: permitless (constitutional) carry since 2021. Most adults can carry openly or concealed without a permit. No magazine limits, no "assault weapons" ban, and no red-flag law. Optional enhanced permits remain available for reciprocity when traveling.
• California: a 16-hour training requirement for carry permits, long lists of prohibited "sensitive places," a 10-round magazine limit, an assault-weapons ban, and as of January 1, 2026, a storage law that makes it a violation to keep a firearm on your own nightstand.

Homeschooling and school choice

• Tennessee: a flexible homeschool framework. Families register with the local district or enroll through a church-related umbrella school, a lighter touch than California. Tennessee also enacted universal school choice in 2025, the Education Freedom Scholarship, providing about $7,300 per student for 2025-26 (rising to $7,530 for 2026-27) toward private school and approved expenses. Demand was so high the state expanded the program from 20,000 to 35,000 scholarships for 2026-27, and it is open to all Tennessee families.
• California: homeschooling generally requires filing a private school affidavit and complying with private-school requirements.

Schools

What surprises Californians (so nothing surprises you)

• Sales tax is high, around 9.5 percent, and it applies to groceries at a reduced rate. It is the flip side of having no income tax, so budget for it at the register.
• Property taxes are low, among the lowest in the country, which softens the cost of a bigger house.
• No income tax also means no state return, and you leave California's residency rules and the nation's highest income-tax rate behind. California audits departing residents, so establish Tennessee residency properly.
• Real seasons and humidity. Summers are warm and humid coming from California, and Middle Tennessee sees occasional severe weather and the odd tornado in spring.
• Allergies are real. The Tennessee Valley has a serious pollen season.
• Growth is visible. The Nashville metro has boomed, and locals feel the traffic and new construction, which is part of why the suburbs keep expanding outward.

Frequently asked questions