Everyone knows people are moving to Florida at a high clip, but U-Haul has confirmed it for 2024, marking Florida in the top 5 of its U-Haul Growth Index.  

Florida ranked fourth this year and has remained in the top five over the last decade. 

U-Haul creates the index by comparing the number of customers who hire the company for one-way trips away from Florida to the number of customers who book one-way trips into Florida. The company’s database comes from the 2.5 million one-way trips that occur annually in the U.S. and Canada. 

South Carolina ranked first for 2024, followed by Texas, North Carolina, Florida and Tennessee. This list is the same as 2023 but in a different order, with Texas falling down a spot. 

U-Haul said overall travel numbers slowed in 2024. 

In a press release, Mario Martinez, U-Haul area district vice president, said job opportunities, no state income tax and the Florida lifestyle attract new residents.  

“Florida continues to see people arriving from states throughout the Northeast,” Martinez said. “Some of the many reasons are our great weather, beautiful beaches and the amusement parks.” 

On the other end of the U-Haul Growth Index is California—in last place for the past five years. Joining California were Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.  

The states with the most upward momentum were Oklahoma, Indiana and Maine. These states rose 31 spots, 19 spots and 18 spots respectively. 

Many studies come to different conclusions based on their data. A 2024 report by Atlas Van Lines showed an altered top 5. North Carolina remained but Texas, South Carolina, Florida and Tennessee were replaced by Arkansas, Rhode Island, Washington, D.C., and Idaho.