Florida Ranks No. 2 Among Growth States for 2025, According to U-Haul


January 12th, 2026

Florida growth states 2025

Florida’s population momentum is showing no signs of slowing. In fact, it is accelerating.

According to the latest U-Haul Growth Index, Florida ranks No. 2 among growth states for 2025, trailing only Texas. The ranking reflects net migration patterns based on one-way U-Haul equipment rentals, a widely watched indicator of where Americans are moving in real time.

And the story behind the ranking matters.

Florida growth states 2025 data shows rising national demand

Florida climbed from No. 4 in 2024 to No. 2 in 2025, signaling a meaningful shift rather than a temporary spike. According to U-Haul executives, the Growth Index is calculated by analyzing the balance of inbound versus outbound one-way moves during the calendar year. More trucks arriving than leaving equals growth. Florida had one of the strongest net gains in the country.

This rise suggests that Florida is not just holding its appeal. It is strengthening it.

According to reporting by Business Observer, Florida saw significant migration from the Northeast and Midwest in 2025. Additionally, U-Haul data shows continued inflows from Canada, North Carolina, and Georgia. These patterns reinforce a long-term demographic trend that has reshaped the state over the last decade.

Why U-Haul data matters for understanding migration

Unlike census data, which lags by months or years, U-Haul’s Growth Index captures real-time behavior. People rent trucks when they actually move. That makes the data especially valuable for understanding immediate population shifts.

According to U-Haul, the index is based on millions of customer transactions, tracking where equipment is picked up and dropped off. Florida’s No. 2 ranking means that far more people moved into the state than left it in 2025.

This method does not rely on projections or surveys. It reflects action.

And that action is increasingly directional.

Migration patterns driving Florida’s growth

The strongest inflows to Florida in 2025 came from regions facing higher costs of living, colder climates, or slower job growth. According to reporting by the Business Observer, U-Haul executives said movers arrived from:

  • Northeastern states
  • Midwestern states
  • Canada
  • North Carolina
  • Georgia

While each group has different motivations, the underlying drivers are familiar. Climate. Taxes. Lifestyle. Employment flexibility. Housing options. Florida continues to perform well across all of them.

According to Moving to Florida Guide, Florida has remained in the Top 5 growth states consistently, but 2025 stands out due to the scale of net gains and the jump in ranking.

Economic and planning implications of Florida’s ranking

Florida’s rise to No. 2 has implications beyond population totals. Growth influences workforce availability, housing demand, infrastructure planning, and business expansion decisions.

For employers, sustained in-migration expands the labor pool; for developers, it reinforces long-term demand signals; for public-sector planners, it underscores the importance of aligning transportation, utilities, and housing with demographic realities.

According to the Business Observer, Florida’s upward movement in the rankings reflects not just popularity, but durability. The state’s growth has proven resilient even amid national economic uncertainty and shifting interest rate environments.

That consistency matters.

Florida’s competitive position compared to other states

Texas reclaimed the No. 1 spot in 2025, but Florida’s No. 2 ranking places it ahead of every other state in the nation. That includes fast-growing Sun Belt competitors and historically strong migration destinations.

The takeaway is not rivalry. It is relevance.

Florida is competing at the top tier of national growth states, and it is doing so year after year.

What Florida growth states 2025 signals going forward

Florida’s climb from No. 4 to No. 2 in a single year suggests momentum is building, not fading. According to U-Haul’s methodology, this ranking reflects thousands of individual household decisions made across the country.

People are choosing Florida. Again. And again.

That choice is shaping everything from local housing markets to statewide economic strategy. While rankings alone do not tell the full story, they provide a clear signal of direction.

And right now, Florida’s direction remains firmly upward.

Sources