U-Haul Migration Report: Why younger generations are moving to Texas

By
FOX 4
Published August 4, 2026 3:52 PM CDT

(Photo via Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images).

The Brief

    • Texas is the top net-gain destination in the U.S. for Gen Z movers and ranks second for both Millennials and Gen X, according to a new U-Haul report.
    • Dallas-Fort Worth led the nation for Millennial arrivals, with Houston, Austin, and Brownsville-McAllen also ranking among the top metro spots.
    • Younger movers are drawn to Texas by job opportunities, colleges, and available housing, while Baby Boomers continue moving primarily to the Southeast.

Texas remains one of the nation's top destinations for movers, particularly younger Americans, according to U-Haul's 2026 Midyear Migration Report, which ranked Texas among the top net-gain states for Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z.

Florida is the only state with a top-10 net gain among all four generations, as Texas ranks high for everyone except for Boomers.

Generational trends shape relocation

What we know:

The report was released at the end of July and analyzed 52 weeks of one-way U-Haul customer moves from July 2025 through June 2026. The results found that moving patterns differ significantly by generation. 

Texas remains a leading destination for working-age adults and younger movers, but for Baby Boomers, they continue to move toward the Southeast. Texas still ranked second among net-gain states for both Generation X (those born between 1965 and 1980) and Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996). 

Why Gen Z Is choosing Texas

Generation Z was ranked No. 1 for Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012).

The report suggests Gen Z is drawn to densely populated areas offering colleges, entry-level jobs and apartment housing, with Texas leading the country as the top destination for that age group. U-Haul also noted that California and New York, two states that have experienced significant outmigration in recent years, have seen an increase in Gen Z arrivals.

Texas metros for Millennial and Gen Z movers

Dig deeper:

Several Texas metropolitan areas also ranked highly among movers.

  • Dallas-Fort Worth was the nation's top net-gain metro area for Millennials and ranked second for Generation Z.
  • Houston ranked second for Millennials and 10th for Generation Z.
  • Austin placed sixth among Generation Z destinations.
  • Brownsville-McAllen ranked ninth among Millennial metro destinations.

U-Haul said Millennials account for the largest share of one-way rentals, followed closely by Generation X. Together, the two generations make up more than 60% of the company's one-way moving transactions.

What's next:

The report is based on millions of one-way U-Haul truck, trailer and U-Box container rentals completed over the past year and measures the net gain or loss of moving equipment in each state and metropolitan area.

The Source: Information in this article was provided by the U-Haul's 2026 Midyear Migration Report.

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