Housing Market Updates and Migration Trends
Jason Haber, a co-founder of the American Association of Realtors, shared insights on the housing market during “The Craman Countdown.” He highlighted Redfin’s forecast of a “Great Housing Reset” expected in 2026.
U-Haul’s analysis shows that Texas and Florida are still the leading states in terms of net migration. The company looked at over 2.5 million one-way moves within the U.S. and Canada for its 2025 Growth Index, noting that Florida ranks first, followed by North Carolina, Tennessee, and South Carolina. In contrast, states like California, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts are seeing significant outflows.
U-Haul pointed out that the trend of moving from blue states to red states has become a significant political topic, especially since the pandemic in 2020. “Seven of the top ten growth states have Republican governors, and nine were red in the last election,” they stated. On the flip side, nine of the ten states with the least migration have Democratic governors, with seven voting blue in the last election.
While improvement in the housing market is projected, the outlook for 2026 may not offer substantial relief for buyers.
According to U-Haul, many movers are drawn to warmer climates and sunshine, a factor that seems to influence relocation patterns.
For the seventh time in the last decade, Texas has claimed the top spot as the fastest-growing state. South Carolina fell four positions after being the leading growth state in 2024, yet it has moved up slightly from a previous ranking. The top ten states also showcase Washington, Arizona, Idaho, Alabama, and Georgia.
Additionally, U-Haul indicated that fluctuations in economic conditions, including mortgage rates, could impact home buying trends in various markets.
Interestingly, Oregon made one of the most notable gains, jumping 23 places in rankings from 2024, while Ohio saw the largest drop, going from 14th to 43rd place.
U-Haul emphasized that their Growth Index reflects how effectively states attract and retain residents, even though the rankings don’t necessarily correlate with population or economic growth.
Lastly, they mentioned that even though California experienced a significant outflow of movers, the net loss for 2025 was less dramatic than in the previous year.
