Texas and Florida have topped U-Haul's "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, Texas ranks first in in-migration, followed by Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, and South Carolina. This trend of migration from "blue" states to "red" states has gained attention since the 2020 pandemic.
The report highlights that 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 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 has reclaimed the title of the No. 1 U-Haul growth state for the seventh time in 10 years.
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.