For the fifth year running, California ranks dead last in the U-Haul Growth Index, solidifying its title as the least attractive state for one-way movers.
While South Carolina, Texas, and Florida lead the pack as top destinations, California is stuck waving goodbye to its residents—many of whom seem to be trading blue-state policies for red-state realities.
From the press release:
“State-to-state transactions from the past year reaffirm customer tendencies that have been pronounced for some time,” stated John “J.T.” Taylor, U-Haul International president. “Migration to the Southeast and Southwest continues as families gauge their cost of living, job opportunities, quality of life and other factors that go into relocating to a new state. Out-migration remains prevalent for a number of markets across the Northeast, Midwest and West Coast — and particularly California.”
In states like Texas and Florida, newcomers are finding booming economies, lower taxes, and a government that (gasp!) values personal freedom. Meanwhile, California continues to chase residents away with skyrocketing costs, high taxes, and a regulatory environment that makes even setting up a lemonade stand feel like an uphill battle.
Red states are winning the battle for movers, proving that barbecue, freedom, and no state income tax are a tough combo to beat. Governor Newsom might want to borrow a page from their playbook—before he runs out of people to wave goodbye to.
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