Charlotte is among the fastest-growing US metros, report says. See the full list
Charlotte is among the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the nation, attracting an influx of “do-it-yourself” movers seeking a fresh start, according to a new U-Haul study.
The Queen City, home to more than 943,000 residents, saw the fourth-highest net gain of one-way U-Haul customers in 2025, the moving company said in its latest growth index.
Published Tuesday, Jan. 6, the migration report ranked the top U.S. metros and city propers by their net growth. U-Haul looked at “well over 2.5 million” one-way equipment rentals to get a sense of where people were moving (or leaving) in 2025.
Here’s what it found:
What are the top growth metros in the U.S.?
Charlotte was a popular destination for movers and earned a spot among the Top 10 growth metros, including Raleigh, Charleston and Atlanta, data show.
The city landed at No. 4 on the 2025 U-Haul Growth Index, falling two spots from the year before. Here’s how it stacked up against other major metros:
- Dallas, Texas (No. 1)
- Houston, Texas (No. 2)
- Austin, Texas (No. 3)
- Charlotte, North Carolina (No. 4)
- Phoenix, Arizona (No. 5)
- Nashville, Tennessee (No. 6)
- Charleston, South Carolina (No. 7)
- Raleigh, North Carolina (No. 8)
- Atlanta, Georgia (No. 9)
- Brownsville & McAllen, Texas (No. 10)
What are the top growth cities in the U.S.?
While Charlotte did not place among the top 10 growth cities, several others across the South (mostly in Florida) earned a spot on the list:
- Ocala, Florida (No. 1)
- North Port, Florida (No. 2)
- Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (No. 3)
- Kissimmee, Florida (No. 4)
- Clermont, Florida (No. 5)
- McKinney, Texas (No. 6)
- Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (No. 7)
- St. Augustine, Florida (No. 8)
- Daytona Beach, Florida (No. 9)
- Panama City, Florida (No. 10)
How U-Haul came up with the rankings
The U-Haul Growth Index is made up of more than 2.5 million annual one-way moves in the U.S. and Canada, according to the analysis.
For the report, the moving company ranked U.S. cities and metro areas “by their net gain (or loss) of customers” who rented a one-way truck, trailer or moving container in one city or metro and dropped off the equipment in another. Interstate and intrastate moves were also included.
“While rankings may not correlate directly to population or economic growth, the U-Haul Growth Index is an effective gauge of how well states, metros and cities are attracting and maintaining residents,” U-Haul said.
Who’s moving to North Carolina?
A similar report by RetirementLiving.com found the Tar Heel state remains popular place to put down roots for everyone from Gen Z’ers to older adults.
North Carolina was among states with the most arrivals — a whopping 299,782 newcomers in 2025, according to the retirement planning website. It saw an exit of 241,195 people, resulting in a net migration of 58,587.
“The Silent Generation has the lowest moving numbers of any generation, though those 75 and over still follow the trend of moving to Southern states like Florida, Texas and the Carolinas,” Retirement Living said in its report.
The analysis used demographic segments defined by the U.S. Census, which don’t always align with commonly accepted generational age ranges. Here’s the breakdown:
- Gen Z (ages 18-24) net migration: 15,333
- Millennials (ages 25-44) net migration: N/A
- Gen X (ages 25-59) net migration: 11,260
- Baby Boomers (ages 60-74) net migration: 7,654
- Silent Generation (ages 75+) net migration: 2,992
This story was originally published January 7, 2026 at 3:06 PM.