Chatham-Kent is the No. 10 Canadian growth city of 2024, according to U-Haul Growth Index data analyzing one-way customer transactions during the past year.
U-Haul customers coming to Chatham-Kent accounted for 55% of all one-way traffic in and out of the market (45% departures) in 2024, making it a top destination., U-Haul officials say.
Analyzing year-over-year changes, U-Haul arrivals into Chatham-Kent fell 2% while departures remained the same.
Chatham-Kent dropped three spots from 2023 but still saw a net gain of one-way U-Haul customers that ranked it among the top 10 growth cities.
“Chatham-Kent is a low-cost area that sees a lot of people moving here after living in Toronto and other high-cost areas,” stated David Anstett, U-Haul Company of Western Ontario president, in a press release.
“Canadians like to move to the many lakefront properties here to retire and start something new in a place where it is cheaper to live.”
Here is the Top 25 list:
U-Haul ranks growth cities by each city’s net gain or loss of one-way equipment from customer transactions in a calendar year.
The U-Haul Growth Index is compiled from more than 2.5-million one-way U-Haul truck, trailer, and U-Box portable moving container transactions that occur annually across Canada and the U.S.
Alberta is the top U-Haul growth province for the second year in a row, followed by BC.
“People are moving to Alberta because of the opportunities and investments being made in the province,” stated Naga Chennamsetty, U-Haul Area District Vice President, in a media release.
“The cost of living is not as bad as compared to some other provinces. You have the Canadian Rockies and lots of recreational activities. It’s all of these factors. And it’s not really international migration that brings people to Alberta — it’s interprovincial migration. I also think people are still moving to British Columbia because it is beautiful and offers a slower, laid-back lifestyle.”
Ontario ranks last with the largest net loss of one-way U-Haul movers.
In Ontario, 50.7% of one-way U-Haul traffic was leaving the province.
However, Ontario still boasted 16 of Canada’s top 25 growth cities.
“Ontario will always be the economic heart of Canada and has so much to offer its residents,” explained Jake Spelic, U-Haul Area District Vice President, in a media release.
“What is interesting on our growth cities list is that all the top destinations in Ontario are smaller cities, and most are considered four-season recreational areas. The trend seems to be people are looking for more affordable housing in popular recreational areas with less hustle and bustle than the larger cities.”
Provincial migration trends were very similar to 2023, with the biggest change being Newfoundland and Labrador’s climb up the rankings from seventh to third.
