READING, Pa., May 7, 2024 - Penske Truck Rental announced its Top Moving Destinations list today, unveiling the top 10 cities consumers moved to based on one-way truck rentals in 2023. Alongside the 14th annual list, Penske released the results of a national consumer survey, Settling In: A Consumer Moving Trends Survey, which unveils new findings about people’s reasons for moving and the importance of establishing a sense of community in their new places of residence. Notably, 57% of consumers prefer to rent their own moving truck and only 24% said they would rather hire a moving company.
2023 Top Moving Destinations
For the third year in a row, Houston maintained its position as the top moving destination, closely followed by San Antonio, which moved up from its ranking of 9th last year. Florida gained new representation on this year’s list with the addition of Tampa, which has not ranked since 2020. Since the list’s inception in 2010, Texas and Florida have maintained representation, while Midwestern states have since phased out.
Penske Truck Rental – Top 10 Moving Destinations for 2023 (previous year ranking):
- 1.Houston, Texas (1)
- 2.San Antonio, Texas (9)
- 3.Charlotte, N.C. (6)
- 4.Atlanta, Ga. (5)
- 5.Las Vegas, Nev. (2)
- 6.Dallas, Texas (7)
- 7.Orlando, Fla. (3)
- 8.Austin, Texas (10)
- 9.Tampa, Fla. (New! Has not ranked since the 2020 list)
- 10.Jacksonville, Fla. (8)
"It’s intriguing to see the evolution of the top moving destinations and where our customers are headed. Knowing just how hectic moving can be, we prioritize our customers' needs above all else," said Kevin Malloy, senior vice president of Penske Truck Rental. “Penske is here to make your moving experience as seamless as possible, offering top-notch rental services and support every step of the way."
The survey asked consumers to reflect on their decisions to move and how they adapted to their new city to understand how relocating plays a role in feelings of happiness. Respondents appear optimistic about their decision to relocate with 73% indicating that they are happier in their new town compared to their previous place of residence.
Why People are Moving
Proximity to family (34%), lower cost of living (32%) and desire for more space (27%) were the biggest reasons that consumers were compelled to move over the past five years. Employment was a key driver of relocation to the top 10 moving destinations. Respondents from Nevada (40%), North Carolina (37%) and Georgia (39%) indicated that better job opportunities prompted their decisions to move.
Settling In New Cities
The survey found that 32% of consumers who recently moved were most challenged by adjusting to their new neighborhood during their move, but establishing a consistent routine helped them acclimate, according to 72% of respondents. Further, consumers are eager to become active with their new cities, as 88% say that feeling a sense of community where they live is important.
As many consumers plan to move in the summer months, the survey highlights activities that helped people build a sense of community and acclimate to their new cities. The top activities include exploring new restaurants and shops (57%), meeting neighbors (48%), discovering new parks and outdoor spaces (47%) and participating in local events (35%).
Move and Groove
To help consumers discover the rhythm of their new cities, Penske has released a new curated Spotify® playlist to set the tone for new beginnings. From packing to driving to your new home or meeting the neighbors, Penske has playlists to support every step of the moving experience. Consumers can subscribe to Penske’s Spotify® channel by clicking here.
With quick pick-up and drop-off at more than 2,500 rental facilities across North America, Penske trucks are easy to find. Consumers can check out the Penske Truck Rental app to make and edit rental reservations, find loading guides and how-to videos, access Penske's 24/7 roadside service team and more. And if plans change, consumers can cancel their reservation anytime with no fees attached.
About Penske Truck Rental
Penske Truck Rental is a business unit of Penske Truck Leasing. With one of the newest moving truck rental fleets, Penske Truck Rental provides do-it-yourself movers with clean, well-maintained and reliable rental trucks as well as moving equipment, packing supplies and accessories. Call 1-800-GO-PENSKE for questions about moving.
About Penske Truck Leasing
Penske Truck Leasing is a Penske Transportation Solutions company headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania. A leading provider of innovative transportation solutions, Penske operates and maintains more than 422,000 vehicles and serves its customers from more than 980 maintenance facilities and more than 2,600 truck rental locations across North America. Solutions from Penske include full-service truck leasing, fleet maintenance, truck rentals, used trucks, and a comprehensive array of technologies to keep the world moving forward. Visit pensketruckleasing.com for more information.
Top Moving Destinations Methodology
For the past 14 years, Penske Truck Rental has been compiling this list using analysis of one-way consumer truck rental reservations made via the company's website, calls to its 1-800-GO-PENSKE call center and through one-way reservations made at Penske's over 2,500 truck rental locations.
Settling In: A Consumer Moving Trends Survey Methodology
The Moving Trends Survey was conducted via a survey fielded online by Big Village among a sample of 437 U.S. adults 18 years of age and older who have moved to a new city or town in the past five years with an oversample of residents of Florida, Georgia, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina and Texas. This survey was live on March 27-April 2, 2024.
America is on the move, folks, and it may not be where you would expect. According to data compiled by 
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