U-Haul has released its midyear migration trends report for 2026, revealing distinct generational shifts in U.S. residential mobility based on one-way rental data from July 2025 through June 2026. While older generations continue to drive population growth in the Southeast, younger demographics are altering traditional out-migration patterns from high-cost states. Notably, Generation Z is contributing to a net gain in California and New York, suggesting a potential curb in the long-term exodus from these states. This shift is significant for real estate markets and urban planning in major metropolitan areas.

The analysis covers the peak summer moving season, which typically accounts for roughly half of all annual residential moves in the U.S. between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. U-Haul, which facilitates millions of one-way transactions annually, uses its fleet of trucks, trailers, and U-Box containers as a proxy for tracking these demographic movements. The company’s data highlights that the renter’s generation, or stage of life, is a primary determinant of destination choice.

Generational Migration Patterns

The report breaks down net-gain states by generation, showing clear divergence in preferences. Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) are predominantly moving to the Southeast, with six of their top seven net-gain states located in this region. Arizona remains the only non-Southeastern top destination for this group. In contrast, Generation X (born 1965-1980) and Millennials (born 1981-1996) both favor Florida and Texas but diverge thereafter. Gen X continues to prefer the Southeast and Mountain West, while Millennials are scattering to California and several Midwest states, likely driven by career opportunities.

Generation Z (born 1997-2012) is gravitating toward densely populated markets with numerous colleges, entry-level jobs, and apartment access. Texas and California top their list, followed by New York, Illinois, and Colorado. This trend reflects a diverse blend of geography and politics, contrasting with the retiree-focused destinations of Boomers.

Market Share and Volume

Millennials account for the most one-way U-Haul transactions, followed closely by Generation X. Together, these two generations total more than 60% of all rentals. This dominance underscores the economic impact of working-age adults on the moving industry. Meanwhile, metro areas such as College Station, Gainesville, Lubbock, Lexington, Tallahassee, Manhattan (Kan.), Champaign, Madison, and Baton Rouge show sizeable gains among Gen X contract holders. This pattern indicates that many parents in this generation are assisting university-bound children with their moves.

Florida stands out as the only state with a top-10 net gain among all four generations. Texas ranks very high for everyone except Boomers, while Idaho appears on three generational lists. These consistent destinations highlight broad appeal across different life stages, whether for retirement, career advancement, or education.

What the Numbers Show

The data reveals a bifurcation in migration drivers: lifestyle versus opportunity. For Baby Boomers, the primary driver appears to be climate and retirement amenities, concentrating them in the Carolinas, Florida, and Arizona. For younger generations, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, the drivers are employment density and educational access, pulling them back into high-cost states like California and New York. This reversal in Gen Z trends is particularly notable, as it suggests that the push factors driving previous generations away from coastal cities may be less influential for the youngest renters, who prioritize job markets and urban infrastructure over cost-of-living considerations alone.

U-Haul has extended its disaster relief program to provide 30 days of free self-storage and U-Box container use at 60 Company-owned facilities across the Chicagoland area. The offer is available to residents impacted by severe storms that struck on Monday, bringing tornado-strength winds and destructive hail that caused significant damage to homes and communities. This goodwill program aims to provide a dry, secure storage solution at no cost for one month, assisting homeowners with daunting clean-up projects.

The current initiative is an extension of a disaster relief program originally put in place on June 11 across Chicagoland after another set of storms caused significant damage. U-Haul, which operates as an official American Red Cross Disaster Responder, is leveraging its network to aid communities in times of need. The free offer applies to new self-storage and U-Box rentals and is based on availability at participating locations.

Program Details and Eligibility

The 30 days free offer covers both self-storage units and portable U-Box containers. For U-Box rentals, the offer applies to on-site storage at Company facilities; delivery services are available for a modest fee. Customers needing storage beyond the free period can utilize the U-Haul 1-Year Price Lock, which is now available at 2,100 Company-owned facilities across the U.S. and Canada. This fixed-rate option ensures at least 12 months with no price increase on rental units, with no admin fees or deposits charged.

Participating Locations

Residents can access the disaster relief program at any of the 60 U-Haul centers in Metro Chicago by visiting in person or calling the nearest regional office. The participating locations are distributed across five regional companies:

Corporate Context

Founded in 1945, U-Haul is the No. 1 choice for do-it-yourself movers with more than 25,000 rental locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. The company operates the third-largest self-storage network in North America, featuring 1,136,000 rentable storage units and 99 million square feet of space at owned and managed facilities. Its fleet includes approximately 204,800 trucks, 136,600 trailers, and 42,000 towing devices. U-Haul also remains the top retailer of propane in the U.S. and the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry.