Two largest NC cities ranked among nation’s favorite places to move in 2024. Here’s why
People flocked to North Carolina in 2024, and now the state’s two largest cities rank on a national list.
The Charlotte and Raleigh metropolitan areas are among the nation’s top places that attracted new residents, according to rankings from moving companies United Van Lines and U-Haul. Here’s how each place fared:
- Charlotte at No. 1 and Raleigh at No. 8 for larger metros (United Van Lines)
- Charlotte at No. 2 and Raleigh at No. 7 for all metros (U-Haul)
The North Carolina-based metros weren’t the only places in the state to receive acclaim. Wilmington ranked No. 1 and Hickory was No. 9 in the country when United Van Lines considered people resettling in metros of all sizes, according to data shared with McClatchy News on Jan. 2.
How were the lists created?
To create its list, United Van Lines said it studied thousands of moves in metro areas across 48 states and Washington, D.C. It analyzed the percentage of people moving into and out of each place to determine where they started living.
U-Haul shared similar lists in early January. The moving company in a news release said it studied “net gains of U-Haul customers taking one-way equipment into and out of metro areas” in 2024.
“While U-Haul 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,” the company wrote.
What makes Charlotte and Raleigh attractive?
When United Van Lines studied the nation’s 50 most populous metros, Charlotte topped the list. More than 1,500 people used the company to move in and out of the metro area, which includes part of South Carolina. Of those moves, roughly 62% were inbound and 38% were outbound, results show.
The Charlotte metro also ranked high on the U-Haul list, landing at No. 2 just after Dallas, Texas. The moving company highlighted the Queen City as offering new housing opportunities as well as jobs in banking and other industries.
“You experience every season here, which you don’t find everywhere else,” Ty Ramseur, U-Haul Company of East Charlotte president, wrote in a news release. “Charlotte has a large job market, and the cost of living here is significantly cheaper in comparison to other places along the East Coast.”
Raleigh also earned top 10 spots on lists from both of the moving companies. It ranked among the nation’s hottest places for people to start calling home after United Van Lines said it had about 56% of inbound moves compared to 44% outbound.
Meanwhile, U-Haul gave the Raleigh area a nod for its access to large healthcare systems and an “energetic college vibe” due to its universities.
“The Research Triangle was once a very up-and-coming destination for the technology and health industries, but now it is well established as the place to be,” said Matthew Bourgeois, U-Haul Company of Raleigh president, wrote in a news release. “This area continues to grow due to the career opportunities and quality of life people find here.”
The results come as North Carolina ranked among the top 10 states gaining new people on both of the movers’ lists. Jobs, retirement and being closer to family were among the top factors drawing newcomers to the state, according to a United Van Lines survey of all customers.
This story was originally published January 6, 2025 at 1:48 PM with the headline "Two largest NC cities ranked among nation’s favorite places to move in 2024. Here’s why."
