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Texas and Florida have once again topped the U-Haul "Growth Index" as the most popular destinations for people moving within the United States. According to U-Haul's analysis of over 2.5 million one-way transactions across the U.S. and Canada, Texas ranks first in in-migration, followed by Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, and South Carolina.
The report highlights a continued trend of migration from "blue" states to "red" states, a pattern that has gained attention since the 2020 pandemic. Seven of the top 10 growth states have Republican governors, and nine went red in the last presidential election. Conversely, nine of the bottom 10 states have Democrat governors, with seven going blue in the last election.
U-Haul's data also suggests that sunshine and warm weather are key factors for movers, as eight of the top 10 states are located in the southern U.S. Texas, in particular, has reclaimed the title of the No. 1 U-Haul growth state for the seventh time in 10 years, climbing one spot from its previous ranking.
On the other hand, the states experiencing the highest out-migration include California, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts. While U-Haul notes that its rankings do not directly correlate to population or economic growth, the "Growth Index" is considered an effective measure of how well states, metros, and cities are attracting and retaining residents.