Florida tops list for U-Haul’s ‘fastest-growing’ states

The constant influx of people is a cornerstone of the Sunshine State’s economy. And for the first time in four years, it earned Florida the top spot on U-Haul’s ranking of “fastest growing” states.

The list ranks states based on how many U-Haul trucks go into a state versus out. For one-way U-Haul trips into or out of the state, just more 50 percent were arrivals from elsewhere. Despite the threat of hurricanes, one-way arrivals were up 1 percent and departures down by a percent.

“Florida has been showing signs of growth for a decade,” said Miguel Caminos, U-Haul Company of Orlando president. “Central Florida is really booming. I can’t think of any major suburb where there aren’t home developments or new shopping centers being built.

“There’s an expectation of comfort for people moving here,” Caminos said. "They know there are jobs. Plus, there are tons of attractions, and our state is family-friendly. The weather is perfect, and no matter where you live, you’re less than an hour from the beach.”

The cities with the most arrivals were Bradenton, Sarasota, Kissimmee, Ocala, West Palm Beach and Port Saint Lucie.

Texas ranked No. 2 on the list after a three-year stint as No. 1, North Carolina ranked No. 3 and South Carolina ranked No. 4.