After 2022 came to an end, U-Haul was ready with its annual U-Haul Growth Index that tracks demand for its orange-and-white rental trucks and their destinations. Texas remained the top destination in 2022, for the second year in a row, and Florida finished in second place.
In the rock-bottom destination spots, California finished in 50th as the least-wanted destination followed by Illinois in 49th and Michigan in 48th. The other least-desired moving spots in 2022 were Massachusetts (48), New York (46), and New Jersey (45).
At the same time few people are moving to those states, they are also losing population. California, the nation’s most populous state, famously lost a U.S. House seat for the first time ever after the 2020 census.
New York, Illinois, and Michigan, which appear at or near the bottom, also lost a congressional seat due to a fleeing population.
Among all the U.S. states, U-Haul reported Virginia and Alabama were the “biggest risers” from 2021. Virginia jumped into fifth place, from the No. 31 spot, and Alabama ranked No. 20 after being in the No. 46 spot in 2021.
Jonathan Williams, an economist with the American Legislative Exchange Council, tells AFN his group has been witnessing the same patterns in its own annual report called Rich States, Poor States. That analysis, now in its 15th year, confirms Americans often “vote with their feet” to flee high taxes and onerous regulations, he says.
“It's not surprising whatsoever when you see surveys like these that reiterate that fact,” he observes. "And reinforce that fact once again that Texas and Florida, and states without income taxes especially, are some of the fastest-growing states in America.”
