Where Americans are moving may depend on their age: Baby boomers and Gen X are gravitating toward Southern states such as Florida and the Carolinas, while Gen Z is increasingly choosing destinations including Texas, California and New York, according to a new U-Haul report.
The report is based on 52 weeks of customer moving data from July 2025 through June 2026. U-Haul said the data shows a person's generation can play a role in where their moving truck, trailer or U-Box is headed.
The data does not track why individual customers moved or measure overall population changes. Instead, it reflects U-Haul migration patterns among customers using the company's moving services.
Here's where each generation is moving, according to U-Haul's data.
Baby boomers are moving south and west
Baby boomers,
generally defined as people born from 1946 through 1964, are among those moving toward warmer-weather states. South Carolina, North Carolina and Florida ranked as the top three destinations for boomers in U-Haul's data.
Arizona, Alabama and Tennessee also ranked among the top destinations.
Top 10 states for baby boomers
- South Carolina
- North Carolina
- Florida
- Arizona
- Alabama
- Tennessee
- Arkansas
- Idaho
- Oklahoma
- Georgia
Gen X favors Florida, Texas and the Southeast
Gen X, generally defined as people born from 1965 through 1980, also showed a strong preference for Southern states.
Florida ranked No. 1 among Gen X destinations, followed by Texas and South Carolina. Tennessee, Alabama and North Carolina also made the top 10.
Utah, Idaho and Arizona were among the Mountain West and Southwest destinations appearing on the list.
Top 10 states for Gen X
- Florida
- Texas
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Alabama
- Utah
- Idaho
- North Carolina
- Arizona
- Arkansas
Millennials are moving to Florida, Texas and California
Millennials, generally defined as people born from 1981 through 1996, also favored several Southern states, with Florida and Texas ranking first and second.
California ranked third, while Ohio, Idaho, Indiana and Minnesota also made the top 10.
Top 10 states for millennials
- Florida
- Texas
- California
- Ohio
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Minnesota
- Wisconsin
- Washington
- Virginia
Gen Z is moving to states with major cities
Gen Z adults, generally defined by U-Haul as those born from 1997 through 2012, showed a different pattern in the company's data, with several states home to large metropolitan areas ranking among their top destinations.
Texas ranked No. 1, followed by California and New York. Illinois, Colorado and Washington also ranked among the top 10.
New Jersey, Florida, Pennsylvania and Nevada rounded out the list.
Top 10 states for Gen Z
- Texas
- California
- New York
- Illinois
- Colorado
- Washington
- New Jersey
- Florida
- Pennsylvania
- Nevada
While U-Haul's data shows generational differences in moving patterns, the rankings should not be interpreted as a measure of where each generation's overall population is growing or declining. The data represents U-Haul customers and their moving activity during the 12-month period.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: U-Haul migration report: Where Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z are moving
