Migration Trends: Columbus is No. 10 U-Haul Destination City

The capital of the Buckeye State is the No. 10 U.S. Destination City according to the latest U-Haul® migration trends report, rising one spot from its previous ranking.

Columbus saw a 5 percent year-over-year increase in one-way U-Haul truck arrivals in 2017 to become one of the top 10 busiest cities for incoming traffic among do-it-yourself movers.

“Columbus is becoming a destination city and a well-known gem in the Midwest,” stated Dean Haske, U-Haul Company of Ohio president. “Many people pass through on their cross-country drives, but more and more are choosing to stay and are making Columbus their home.

“Columbus is Ohio’s biggest city, so there is something for everyone. The food culture is awesome. The North Market has an enormous variety. There are tons of things to do. The zoo and aquarium are always ranked among the top in the country. The cost of living is fairly low. Housing is affordable. More young families are drawn to Columbus, and there are plenty of events and festivals catered to a younger crowd.”

U-Haul has 12 Company-owned stores and 50 independent neighborhood dealers currently operating in the Columbus city limits. Find U-Haul truck and trailer sharing locations in Columbus at uhaul.com/locations.

Moving Season in Columbus

U-Haul International, headquartered in Phoenix, is counting down its top 10 U.S. Destination Cities as a prelude to Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial beginning of the summer moving season. About 45 percent of all moves each year occur between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. The No. 1 Destination City will be announced on May 25 via Twitter @uhaul and on myuhaulstory.com.

Find Destination Cities 11-50 below. Columbus’s neighbor, Cincinnati, is No. 29 on the list – up four spots from the previous year.

Rankings are based on the total number of arriving one-way U-Haul trucks into a city in the past calendar year. Destination Cities reflect the volume and regularity of do-it-yourself movers coming into a community. They do not account for departing one-way U-Haul trucks, and thus do not necessarily signify growth like U-Haul Growth Cities and Growth States rankings.

U-Haul released its top 25 U.S. Growth Cities and its complete Growth States rankings for 2017 in January.

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 21,000 U-Haul locations provides a comprehensive overview of where people are moving like no one else in the industry. Migration trends data is compiled from more than 1.7 million one-way U-Haul truck rental transactions that occur annually.

U-Haul Destinations Cities

10. COLUMBUS, Ohio
11. TAMPA, Fla.
12. SAN DIEGO, Calif.
13. PHOENIX, Ariz.
14. JACKSONVILLE, Fla.
15. SACRAMENTO, Calif.
16. DALLAS, Texas
17. INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.
18. LOS ANGELES, Calif.
19. TUCSON, Ariz.
20. ATLANTA, Ga.
21. MIAMI, Fla.
22. SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.
23. BRONX, N.Y.
24. WASHINGTON, D.C.
25. FORT WORTH, Texas
26. PORTLAND, Ore.
27. NASHVILLE, Tenn.
28. COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.
29. CINCINNATI, Ohio
30. BALTIMORE, Md.
31. PLANO, Texas
32. RALEIGH, N.C.
33. DENVER, Colo.
34. KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
35. COLUMBIA, S.C.
36. OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.
37. PITTSBURGH, Pa.
38. LOUISVILLE, Ky.
39. RENO, Nevada
40. SEATTLE, Wash.
41. RICHMOND, Va.
42. SAN JOSE, Calif.
43. BAKERSFIELD, Calif.
44. DURHAM, N.C.
45. MADISON, Wis.
46. JERSEY CITY, N.J.
47. ALEXANDRIA, Va.
48. FRESNO, Calif.
49. MEMPHIS, Tenn.
50. TULSA, Okla.