U-Haul's recent migration trends report reveals notable generational differences in moving patterns across the United States for the period from July 2025 to June 2026. Baby Boomers are primarily relocating to the Southeastern states, with South Carolina and North Carolina being the most popular. Gen X is moving mostly to Florida and Texas, while Millennials favor spots like California and Ohio. In contrast, Gen Z is gravitating towards major cities, particularly New York City, Dallas, and San Francisco. Florida stands out as the only state appealing to all four generations. The data suggests that where individuals move is significantly influenced by their generational affiliation.

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See which states people are packing up and moving to

Portrait of Gabe Hauari Gabe Hauari

USA TODAY

Aug. 7, 2026, 9:05 a.m. ET

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Older generations are moving south while Gen Z is gravitating toward densely populated areas with access to colleges, entry-level jobs and apartments, according to U-Haul's latest migration trends report.

The report, released on July 29, analyzes 52 weeks of customer moves from July 2025 through June 2026, according to U-Haul. The company says the data it collected indicates the renter’s generation, or stage of life, plays a "vital role in where their moving truck, trailer, or U-Box moving container is going," so it has organized the data based on generation.

The report states that based on each state’s net gain or loss of one-way U-Haul equipment in the 52-week timeframe, Baby Boomers are flocking to the Southeast, which makes sense considering the region is a hotspot for retirees and winter homes.

The Carolinas, in particular, seem to be a popular choice among Baby Boomers, as South Carolina is No. 1 and North Carolina is No. 2 in the top five net-gain states with the generation. Florida, Arizona and Alabama round out the top five.

Gen X and Millennial movers are moving to Florida and Texas, but after those two states there is a generational split in destination preference – Gen X tends to migrate toward the Southeast and Mountain West, while Millennials are choosing California and several Midwest states, according to U-Haul's data.

Florida and Texas were the top two net-gain states for Gen X, followed by South Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama, while Millennials chose California, Ohio and Idaho as their preferred destinations.

Gen Z, on the other hand, has been flocking the major cities, with New York City, Dallas, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles being the top five net-gain cities for the generation. Other major cities, such as Austin, Charlotte, Denver and Seattle, also appear on the top 10.

According to U-Haul's report, Florida is the only state with a top-10 net gain among all four generations. Texas ranks highly among three of the four generations – the lone exception being Baby Boomers – and Idaho is represented on the top 10 for three generations as well, with Gen Z being the exception.

Top 10 states people are moving to based on generation

Here's a look at the top 10 states each generation is moving to, according to U-Haul's data:

Baby Boomers

South Carolina
North Carolina
Florida
Arizona
Alabama
Tennessee
Arkansas
Idaho
Oklahoma
Georgia

Gen X

Florida
Texas
South Carolina
Tennessee
Alabama
Utah
Idaho
North Carolina
Arizona
Arkansas

Millennials

Florida
Texas
California
Ohio
Idaho
Indiana
Minnesota
Wisconsin
Washington
Virginia

Gen Z

Texas
California
New York
Illinois
Colorado
Washington
New Jersey
Florida
Pennsylvania
Nevada

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@usatoday.com.

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