...in 2020, San Francisco was the epicenter of the Bay Area’s exodus. Departures accounted for 58% of all one-way U-Haul traffic from March through June. Limited fleet inventory prevented the numbers from being more lopsided in favor of departures. The ratios in San Jose and Oakland were similar.
For the entire Bay Area, arrivals from March-December 2020 dropped 31% year-over-year, while departures tapered by just 12% from their 2019 pace to create the disparity of more trucks going out than coming in.
Top destination cities for U-Haul customers leaving the Bay Area during the pandemic include the Sacramento/Roseville corridor, San Diego and Stockton. Outside of California, the top destinations are Reno, Las Vegas, Portland, Phoenix and Seattle.
The top 10 states DIY movers from the Bay Area customers are migrating to are: California (outside the Bay Area); Nevada; Arizona; Oregon; Washington; Colorado; Texas; Utah; Idaho; and New Mexico.
Limited fleet inventory prevented the numbers from being more lopsided in favor of departures.
...the 30 most populated U.S. cities (based on 2019 Census estimates) all witnessed more U-Haul trucks departing than arriving over the next three months. This indicated customers who were able to move, on the whole, were looking to escape urban cores for less-crowded destinations.
Southern markets attract DIY movers; Florida cities sweep top 3 spots, led by North Port