Cities netting the most one-way U-Haul customers

Cookeville ranked 13th in the 2024 top 25 U-Haul growth Cities (city propers outside the top metros), according to a recent release by the company that announced its top 25 U.S. growth cities. These cities are netting the most one-way U-Haul customers.

“There are two main reasons people are moving to Ocala,” said Brady Rome, U-Haul Company of Gainesville president. “The primary reason is cost of living, simply being that it’s lower than almost anywhere in the state. It allows housing to be a more affordable option for families packing up their U-Haul and moving to central Florida. The second reason is the job market, which remains strong with the addition of so many manufacturing jobs. The health care industry has also seen massive growth in the past year and is a driving force of employment. And you can’t go without mentioning Ocala is the ‘Horse Capital of the World.’ The equestrian center is huge and continues to bring people here.”

2024 Top 25 U-Haul Growth Cities (city propers outside the top metros)

1.             Ocala, FL

2.             Fredericksburg, VA

3.             Kissimmee, FL

4.             Lorton, VA

5.             Myrtle Beach, SC

6.             College Station, TX

7.             Knoxville, TN

8.             Tukwila, WA

9.             Johnson City, TN

10.          Foley, AL

11.          Spartanburg, SC

12.          Auburn, AL

13.      Cookeville, TN

14.          Huntsville, AL

15.          Clermont, FL

16.          Iowa City, IA

17.          Tacoma, WA

18.          Port St. Lucie, FL

19.          Vancouver, WA

20.          Missoula, MT

21.          Panama City, FL

22.          Madison, WI

23.          Corvallis, OR

24.          Concord, NH

25.          Kingman, AZ

According to the report, this is the second time Ocala tops the list and the fifth time for a Florida destination. The first was 2022. In 2023, Ocala finished second. The Sunshine state has five of the top 5 while Tennessee, Washington and Alabama each have three.

The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area (DFW Metroplex), one of five Texas metros to make the list, is the leading U-Haul Growth Metro of 2024.

“We are seeing unprecedented growth in the Dallas metro area, both within the city and also suburbs like McKinney, Plano and Addison,” said Sean Fullerton, U-Haul Company of South Central Dallas president. “The cost of living is also extremely reasonable throughout the whole metro. Job growth has led to wages and earnings going up, and tax breaks have led to a lot of people moving to the area.”

Seven Florida cities dot the top 25 growth metros, including:

  • Lakeland
  • Palm Bay
  • Jacksonville
  • Tampa
  • Sarasota
  • Fort Myers
  • Daytona Beach

2024 Top 25 U-Haul Growth Metros

1.             Dallas, TX

2.             Charlotte, NC

3.             Phoenix, AZ

4.             Lakeland, FL

5.             Austin, TX

6.             Nashville, TN

7.             Raleigh, NC

8.             Palm Bay, FL

9.             Houston, TX

10.          Greenville, SC

11.          Jacksonville, FL

12.          Tampa, FL

13.          Charleston, SC

14.          Wilmington, NC

15.          Sarasota, FL

16.          Fort Myers, FL

17.          Boise, ID

18.          Richmond, VA

19.          Bend, OR

20.          Indianapolis, IN

21.          Brownsville & McAllen, TX

22.          Tyler, TX

23.          Daytona Beach, FL

24.          Spokane, WA

25.          Springdale, AR

Photo courtesy of U-Haul.

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