The Raleigh-Durham corridor registers as the top Growth City in America last year, according to U-Haul® data analyzing U.S. migration trends for 2019.
The scenic North Carolina market, part of the prominent “Research Triangle” and an emerging tech hub, leads an impressive list of 25 cities that saw a lot more do-it-yourself movers coming rather than going during the past year.
Kissimmee, Ocala, the Round Rock-Pflugerville market, and West Palm Beach round out the top five growth cities for 2019. Florida, the leading growth state for 2019, boasts five of the top seven growth cities and seven of the top 25. Texas claims four cities on the list, while California has three.
U-Haul Growth Cities are calculated by the net gain of one-way U-Haul trucks entering a state versus leaving that state during a calendar year. Migration trends data is compiled from more than 2 million one-way U-Haul truck-sharing transactions that occur annually.
Neighboring cities in certain markets are packaged together, and NYC boroughs are listed as independent cities for U-Haul migration trends purposes.
Raleigh-Durham in Growth Mode
“Raleigh-Durham is growing, thanks in large part to the Research Triangle,” stated Kris Smith, U-Haul Company of Raleigh president. “North Carolina State University, Duke University, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill serve as a major anchor in this region and attract an educated workforce.”
Arrivals of one-way U-Haul trucks in the Raleigh-Durham market were up more than 3% while departures dropped more than 2% compared to the market’s 2018 numbers. Durham locations alone saw a 7% spike in arrivals. Arrivals accounted for nearly 51.4% of all one-way U-Haul traffic in the Raleigh-Durham area.
“We have tons of businesses coming here, bringing new residents in U-Haul trucks,” Smith added. “Raleigh-Durham is rivaling Austin (Texas) for attracting tech businesses and young professionals. We’re seeing Silicon Valley talent and companies flock to the area. With a competitive cost of living, good wages and job growth, Raleigh-Durham is experiencing a boom in population.”
Migration Trends Data
While U-Haul migration trends do not correlate directly to population or economic growth, the Company’s growth data is an effective gauge of how well cities and states are attracting and maintaining residents.
Visit myuhaulstory.com to view the top 50 U.S. Growth States (released Jan. 6) and top 25 Canadian Growth Cities (Jan. 8).
U-Haul is the authority on migration trends thanks to its expansive network that blankets all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. The geographical coverage from more than 22,000 U-Haul truck- and trailer-sharing locations provides a comprehensive overview of where people are moving like no one else in the industry.
Find local U-Haul stores and neighborhood dealers at uhaul.com/locations.
2019 U-HAUL GROWTH CITIES
| 1. | Raleigh-Durham, N.C. |
| 2. | Kissimmee, Fla. (10) |
| 3. | Ocala, Fla. |
| 4. | Round Rock-Pflugerville, Texas |
| 5. | West Palm Beach, Fla. |
| 6. | Port Saint Lucie, Fla. (21) |
| 7. | Bradenton-Sarasota, Fla. (17) |
| 8. | Coeur D’Alene, Idaho |
| 9. | Manhattan, N.Y. (3) |
| 10. | Harrisburg, Pa. (4) |
| 11. | New Braunfels, Texas |
| 12. | Auburn-Opelika, Ala. |
| 13. | Huntsville, Ala. |
| 14. | Spring-The Woodlands, Texas (2) |
| 15. | Boca Raton, Fla. |
| 16. | Henderson, Nev. |
| 17. | McKinney, Texas (11) |
| 18. | Temecula, Calif. (19) |
| 19. | Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (8) |
| 20. | St. George, Utah (15) |
| 21. | Murfreesboro, Tenn. |
| 22. | National City, Calif. |
| 23. | Chandler, Ariz. |
| 24. | Wilmington, N.C. |
| 25. | Santa Barbara, Calif. |
* Ranking from Top 25 U-Haul Growth Cities of 2018 in parentheses, if applicable.
