Submitted by U-Haul.
Tacoma is the No. 17 U.S. Growth City of 2024, according to the U-Haul Growth Index analyzing one-way customer moves over the past year.
Of all the U-Haul traffic to come and go from Tacoma last year, 51% was incoming and 49% outgoing.
Looking at year-over-year variations, arrivals were down more than 5% in 2024 (compared to 2023), but departures were down 12% as overall moving traffic slowed in the market. With more people staying, Tacoma saw a larger net gain of U-Haul movers.
In addition to its annual top 25 growth cities list, U-Haul recognized its top 25 growth metropolitan areas for the first time. The top growth cities (city propers) are from markets outside the leading metros, allowing more communities to be recognized for their ability to attract and retain do-it-yourself movers.
2024 Growth Metros: https://myuhaulstory.com/2025/01/03/u-haul-growth-index-dallas-leading-metro-ocala-top-u-s-city-for-in-migration-in-2024/
2024 Growth States: https://myuhaulstory.com/2025/01/01/u-haul-growth-index-south-carolina-named-top-growth-state-of-2024/
2024 Top 25 U-Haul Growth Cities (city propers outside the leading metros)
- Ocala, FL
- Fredericksburg, VA
- Kissimmee, FL
- Lorton, VA
- Myrtle Beach, SC
- College Station, TX
- Knoxville, TN
- Tukwila, WA
- Johnson City, TN
- Foley, AL
- Spartanburg, SC
- Auburn, AL
- Cookeville, TN
- Huntsville, AL
- Clermont, FL
- Iowa City, IA
- Tacoma, WA
- Port St. Lucie, FL
- Vancouver, WA
- Missoula, MT
- Panama City, FL
- Madison, WI
- Corvallis, OR
- Concord, NH
- Kingman, AZ
“Tacoma feels like it is just constantly growing,” stated Tyler Johnson, U-Haul Company of South Puget Sound president. “One reason people decide to move to Tacoma is because we get to experience all four seasons, and we have a lot of outdoor activities here. You’re a little over an hour away from Mount Rainier, or you can go to the waterfront and take scuba diving lessons, paddleboard, or do any other water activity that you want. We also have a lot of cultural diversity here. Between the parks, museums and food, there is something for everyone.
“Amazon is growing here. They have multiple warehouses going up and they’re massive. Microsoft has a large presence. There are a handful of companies moving out of the Seattle area, but they want to stay local, so they’ve moved to the Tacoma area. This has led to more job opportunities. We also have a lot of small businesses here. A lot of new buildings are going up, and a lot of older buildings are being repurposed for new businesses. You see some larger, older homes being turned into businesses as well.”
The U-Haul Growth Index is compiled from well over 2.5 million one-way truck, trailer and U-Box portable moving container transactions that occur annually in the U.S. and Canada.
Florida boasts five of the leading 25 growth cities. Tennessee, Washington and Alabama each have three. Virginia has two of the top four cities, both located within 50 miles of Washington, D.C.
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