Where Detroit newcomers are coming from: U-Haul study reveals where people move from

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Why are people moving to Michigan?

Paul Wolfert works in metro Detroit as a realtor. He's seeing a shift toward more interest in starting a family and setting down roots in Michigan. Lots of available land to build a home isn't the only reason either.

Detroit's comeback is not to be missed. Don't take it from us, though. The proof is in the people who are moving into the city from across the country. From Ohio to Florida and Texas, people are pulling into neighborhoods with U-Haul in Detroit from all over.

So where did your new neighbors come from? A recent study from U-Haul may shed some light.

Using the latest U.S. Census reports, the do-it-yourself moving company analyzed migration trends for one-way U-Haul trips in the 25 most populated U.S. cities during the first half of 2024.

The number one originating state is Ohio. No surprise there, we all know how much better Michigan is, right? 

Front view of a U-Haul truck parked in the parking lot of the U-Haul truck rental agency in in Concord, California, December 8, 2020. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

All jokes aside, other neighboring states of Illinois and Indiana also made the list of the top ten with most people coming from Chicago to Detroit.

Here are the top origins for U-Haul rental trucks pulling into the Chicago area this year:

Top origin metro areas for arriving U-Haul customers outside Michigan

  1. Chicago
  2. Toledo
  3. Columbus
  4. Atlanta
  5. Cleveland
  6. Indianapolis
  7. Nashville
  8. New York City
  9. Tampa
  10. Washington, D.C.

Top origin states for arriving U-Haul customers (excluding Michigan)

  1. Ohio
  2. Florida
  3. Illinois
  4. Indiana
  5. Tennessee
  6. Texas
  7. Georgia
  8. North Carolina
  9. Kentucky
  10. Pennsylvania

Top origin metro areas for arriving U-Haul customers within Michigan

  1. Grand Rapids
  2. Ann Arbor
  3. Lansing
  4. Flint
  5. Saginaw