4 Gulf Coast metros among top in US for growth in 2024

Four metropolitan areas on the Gulf Coast were among the top for growth nationwide in 2024, according to U-Haul. In early January, the moving company released its list of the top 25 U.S. growth metros based on which areas saw the largest net gains from customers taking one-way equipment into and out of metros during the last calendar year. Florida had more cities listed than any other state, with seven. 

Dallas, topped the list of U.S. growth metros; it was followed by Charlotte and Phoenix coming in at No. 3.

Lakeland was No. 4 among U-Haul’s top growth metros, Tampa ranked No. 12, Sarasota was No. 15, and Fort Myers ranked No. 16.

Other Florida cities on the list included Palm Bay (No. 8), Jacksonville (No. 11) and Daytona Beach (No. 23).

In addition to metro areas, U-Haul evaluated which states experienced the most growth, based on the net gain or loss of customers using one-way U-Haul equipment in 2024.

Florida was ranked No. 4, after South Carolina, Texas and North Carolina, according to U-Haul, which reports this followed a trend.

“State-to-state transactions from the past year reaffirm customer tendencies that have been pronounced for some time: 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,” U-Haul International President John “J.T.” Taylor says in the statement. 

“Out-migration remains prevalent for a number of markets across the Northeast, Midwest and West Coast — and particularly California," Taylor says. In fact, the Golden State saw the greatest net loss of those moving U-Haul equipment and ranked No. 50 among states as far as growth for the fifth year in a row.

Annually, U-Haul reports that more than 2.5 million transactions occur involving its U-Haul trucks, trailers and U-Box moving containers. There are more than 23,000 U-Haul rental locations, including in all 50 states and Canada.