by Los Angeles, California — California recorded the largest loss of residents moving to other states in 2025, according to new moving data that highlights ongoing migration trends across the United States.
The findings come from U-Haul’s 2025 Growth Index, which analyzes where people move their rental trucks and trailers each year. The latest rankings show California finishing last among all U.S. states for the sixth consecutive year, indicating more customers used one-way rentals to leave the state than move into it.
The report, released on January 5, 2026, examined more than 2.5 million one-way rental transactions across the United States and Canada during 2025.
How the U-Haul Growth Index tracks moving trends
The U-Haul Growth Index measures migration trends by analyzing one-way rentals, which occur when customers pick up a moving truck or trailer in one state and drop it off in another.
States that receive more incoming rentals rank higher on the list, while states experiencing more departures rank lower.
The index tracks net gains or losses of one-way customers, offering insight into where people appear to be moving.
However, U-Haul notes that the rankings do not necessarily reflect permanent population shifts or economic growth, because some rentals may be tied to temporary relocations or other moves.
Even so, the large number of transactions included in the report provides a broad snapshot of migration patterns across North America.
Texas takes the top spot again
While California ranked last, Texas claimed the No. 1 spot for 2025, marking the seventh time in the past decade that the state has topped the list.
According to the data, arrivals accounted for about 50.7% of all one-way rental traffic into and out of Texas.
That figure represented a 3% increase from 2024, while departures rose by just 1% during the same period.
Florida followed closely behind in second place, with arrivals making up about 50.6% of its total one-way traffic.
The top five states in the index were:
- Texas
- Florida
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- South Carolina
Although the order has shifted slightly each year, these same five states have remained in the top positions since 2023.
Warm-weather states dominate the rankings
The broader top 10 list further highlights a migration trend toward southern and warmer states.
The top 10 states for inbound moves included:
- Texas
- Florida
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- South Carolina
- Washington
- Arizona
- Idaho
- Alabama
- Georgia
According to U-Haul, eight of the top 10 states are located in the South, suggesting that factors such as climate, lifestyle, and affordability may be influencing relocation decisions.
Meanwhile, eight of the bottom 10 states are located in northern regions, including several in the Northeast and Midwest.
California shows a slight improvement despite ranking last
Although California still ranked last overall, the data showed a slightly smaller net loss of movers in 2025 compared to 2024.
Arrivals accounted for about 49.4% of one-way traffic, while 50.6% represented departures.
Both arrivals and departures declined compared with the previous year, but the number of people leaving the state dropped more sharply.
Some California cities also showed positive movement in separate metro rankings.
San Diego and San Francisco were the only California cities among the top 25 U.S. metros to record a net gain of one-way customers.
California’s population still increased slightly
Despite the out-migration trends, California’s overall population still grew slightly during the 2024–2025 fiscal year.
According to the California Department of Finance, the state’s population increased by approximately 19,200 residents, bringing the total population to around 39.5 million people.
This represents a growth rate of about 0.05%.
However, that growth did not come from domestic migration.
Officials reported that about 216,000 more people moved out of California to other states than moved in from them.
Population growth instead came from international immigration and natural population increases.
Housing costs remain a major factor
Experts say housing affordability continues to be a major reason many residents consider leaving California.
The Public Policy Institute of California has reported that high home prices and rent costs remain among the biggest challenges facing residents.
A statewide survey found that 37% of Californians have seriously considered leaving the state because of housing costs.
Lower-income residents have been particularly affected.
Over the past decade, California experienced a net loss of about 532,000 lower-income adults, representing more than 10% of that population group.
Middle-income families and retirees have also moved to other states seeking more affordable living conditions.
Migration patterns could shift in the future
California has experienced negative net domestic migration for more than two decades, though international immigration has helped offset some of those losses.
However, immigration levels dropped in 2025 after the federal government ended several humanitarian migration programs.
State officials say California could experience slower population growth in the coming years, depending on factors such as housing policy and immigration trends.
Future economic conditions, housing availability, and federal immigration decisions could play key roles in shaping migration patterns.
What are your thoughts on why people are moving out of certain states and into others? Share your perspective respectfully in the comments below.
