U-Haul's 2026 Growth Index Confirms Sun Belt Migration Continues
2026-01-06
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U-Haul's annual Growth Index, based on an analysis of more than 2.5 million one-way truck and trailer transactions across the U.S. and Canada, again ranked Texas first in net in-migration for 2025-2026, followed by Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, and South Carolina.
Eight of the top 10 growth states sit in the southern U.S., reinforcing a multi-year pattern of movement toward warmer, lower-cost states. U-Haul International president J.T. Taylor noted that personal circumstances such as marriage, new jobs, and family changes remain the primary driver of most moves, with state-level appeal acting as a secondary factor for those with location flexibility.
A separate 2026 migration analysis combining Census Bureau domestic migration data with U-Haul and United Van Lines figures found that Texas and Florida, the two largest migration magnets of the past decade, are now classified as "balanced" by United Van Lines, meaning inbound and outbound moves are roughly equal for the first time in recent memory. California, meanwhile, has ranked 50th out of 50 states on the U-Haul index for six consecutive years.
Anyone planning an interstate move to a high-demand growth state should expect tighter truck availability during peak season; our moving truck size guide can help you book the right size early.