Based on data from U-Haul involving 2.5 million moves, Texas topped the list of states people relocated to across state lines in 2023. It marked the third straight year Texas topped U-Haul's list.
Texas was followed by Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Virginia, which was ranked No. 5 in 2022, dropped to No. 10. Idaho, which ranked No. 10 in 2022, jumped to No. 6.
“While one-way transactions in 2023 remained below the record-breaking levels we witnessed immediately following the pandemic, we continued to see many of the same geographical trends from U-Haul customers moving between states,” said John “J.T.” Taylor, U-Haul International president. “Migration to states in the Southeast and Southwest is still very pronounced. Demand for one-way equipment out of certain markets in the Northeast, Midwest and West Coast mirrors what we have seen during recent moving cycles."
California topped the list of states with the most net departures, followed by Massachusetts, Illinois, New Jersey and Michigan. It was the fourth year in a row California had the most net departures in the U.S.
The South dominated the list of top cities with net arrivals. The Palm Bay and Melbourne, Florida, area ranked No. 1, followed by Ocala, Florida; Charleston, South Carolina; Sarasota, Florida; and Austin, Texas. All 13 of the top towns for net arrivals in 2023 were in the South.
Boise, Idaho, was the top-ranked city for net arrivals not in the South. Nearby Nampa, Idaho, also cracked the Top 25.
"We have a low cost of living compared to many of the northern cities people have left. Add to that our fantastic year-round climate, and you can see why Palm Bay-Melbourne is such a desirable area to live," Cal Conner, U-Haul Company of Eastern Florida president, said.
US population starts 2024 at 335.9 million with help from migrants
The U.S. had its largest population gain since 2018 as the nation gained 1.7 million residents in 2023.
The U.S. Census Bureaureleases detailed estimates of state-to-state migration every year, but data for 2023 is not expected to come out until the fall.
The bureau's 2022 data showed that Texas gained 668,338 residents from out of state in 2022. That is compared to 494,077 who left the state. Meanwhile, California lost 817,669 people to other states, while gaining 475,803.
Over 100,000 people moved from California to Texas in 2022, compared to nearly 42,000 who moved from Texas to California.
