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Texas Reclaims No. 1 in U-Haul’s 2025 Migration Index as California Posts Biggest Outflow Again

Drawn from more than 2.5 million one-way rentals, the index highlights concentrated Sun Belt in‑migration with narrower margins than the pandemic peak.

Overview

  • Texas leads inbound moves in 2025, followed by Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee and South Carolina, while California ranks last for the sixth straight year with the largest net loss.
  • Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington is the top U-Haul growth metro and Ocala, Florida is the top growth city, with Texas and Florida locales dominating the metro and city lists; Phoenix ranks fifth among metros.
  • United Van Lines reports Colorado shifted to a high‑outbound classification in 2025 for the first time since 1990, reflecting trends in a separate dataset that captures full‑service relocations.
  • Arizona remains a top‑10 destination at No. 7, yet U-Haul data show the gap between arrivals and departures has narrowed to near parity, with growth concentrated in Phoenix’s West and East Valley suburbs.
  • U-Haul notes a continued pattern of movers favoring lower‑tax, Republican‑led and southern states, while local reporting cites jobs, affordability and family ties as key drivers, including a space‑sector‑linked influx to Huntsville, Alabama.