Texas is no longer the most popular state among Americans moving, according to a survey by U-Haul. In the three years leading up to 2024, the state held the top position in the annual ranking made by the company that rents vehicles for moving.
Which state replaced Texas?
South Carolina is now the most popular among Americans
South Carolina was the state that received the most new residents in 2024 for the first time in the history of the U-Haul ranking.
According to the U-Haul study, Texas, North Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee joined South Carolina as the top five states to which U-Haul customers moved last year. U-Haul’s international president, John “J.T.” Taylor, reflected on patterns in the annual analyses.
“Migration to the Southeast and Southwest continues as families evaluate their cost of living, job opportunities, quality of life, and other factors influencing the move to a new state. Emigration remains prevalent for various markets in the Northeast, Midwest, and West Coast — particularly in California,” he noted.
California sees the largest net loss for the 5th consecutive year
For the fifth consecutive year, data showed that more people moved out of California than any other state in the U.S. Massachusetts also maintained its previous ranking at 49th. New York, with the fourth largest net loss, had its lowest growth ranking in a decade.
Largest movements of 2024
According to U-Haul, Oklahoma (+30), Indiana (+19), and Maine (+18) had the largest jumps from 2023 to 2024. Colorado (-31), Nevada (-24), Wyoming (-22), and New Mexico (-21) had the largest declines.
The city that is drawing attention
Charlotte, in South Carolina, was the second city that received the most U-Haul vehicles last year in the U.S. The city is welcoming an average of 117 new people every day, according to a recent survey by the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance.
Many newcomers are coming from Virginia, New York, and California.
Charlotte is behind Dallas in the top position. Phoenix, Lakeland, and Austin, all in Texas, make up the rest of the top five growing metropolitan areas.
Source: Yahoo News and Axios