Texas once again was the top destination for interstate moves in the country last year, according to the latest ranking from U-Haul International Inc.
That was the third year in a row for Texas to be named the top state for move-ins, according to data released Jan. 2.
And Dallas ranked as the No. 9 "growth city" in U-Haul's national rankings, which was the third-highest in Texas, after Bryan/College Station and Austin. The moving company collects migration data from more than 2.5 million one-way U-Haul truck, trailer and moving container rentals each year. It ranks the top "growth states" and "growth cities" by net gain, which contrasts the number of one-way U-Haul trucks entering a city or market versus those leaving.
U-Haul migration trends don't directly correlate to an area's population or economic growth, though the company said its ranking is "an effective gauge of how well states and cities are attracting and maintaining residents." This data can inform the real estate crowd on potential housing needs and can tell businesses where corporate players, and their workers, are headed.
Elsewhere in Texas, the Houston-area city of Conroe ranked No. 16. The top four cities on the list were all in the Southeast: Palm Bay-Melbourne, Florida; Ocala, Florida; Charleston, South Carolina and Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida.
The Lone Star State held the top spot among states for the sixth time in eight years, U-Haul reported. Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee rounded out the top five on the recent list.
And, for the fourth year in a row, California reflected the largest net loss of one-way movers, according to the data.
Story provided by Kathryn Hardison and Olivia Pulsinelli – Dallas Business Journal Jan 5, 2024
