How did California gain 7 electoral votes in the 1980's?

[jimrtex]

California gained 3.7 million people from 1970 to 1980 and Texas gained 4.3 million people from 2000 to 2010. The reason California gained 7 and Texas gained 4 is because the country was smaller in 1980 than it was in 2010.

I would argue it is slower now because its expensive to live there. That's a guess though. More people would probably rather move to Texas, where you get warm weather and an easier way of life.

California gained 7 U.S. House seats/EVs in the reapportionment following the 1990 census (population changes from 1980 to 1990, thus "the 1980s" (I can see how the title could have misled you)).  California only gained 2 seats/EVs in the reapportionment following the 1980 census.  How many million people did California gain (net) from 1980 to 1990?  I bet it was more than Texas did from 2000 to 2010.

6.1 million.

[jimrtex]

People who had moved to California after WWII had not started to die off in significant numbers.  Someone born in 1920, who moved to California after service in the military would have been 60 in 1980, so California would just be seeing the leading cusp of increased deaths.  But their baby boomer children would have been producing X-Geners during that period.

If someone moves to southern California now, they would have to live in Apple Valley or Moreno Valley if they wanted to buy a house, or have a good job.