Click here to subscribe FREE to Ray Hanania's Columns
Chicagoland No. 2 destination for U-Haul renters
Chicago continues to safeguard its standing as the No. 2 U-Haul U.S. Destination City, according to the latest U-Haul migration trends report.
Chicago saw a 5.8 percent drop in 2016 arrivals compared to 2015, although it managed to stave off San Antonio as the second busiest U.S. market for incoming U-Haul trucks.
U-Haul Destination Cities are ranked according to the total number of arriving one-way U-Haul truck rentals to a city in the past calendar year. Destination Cities do not account for departing traffic and thus do not necessarily reflect growth like U-Haul Growth Cities. Destination Cities reflect the volume and regularity of do-it-yourself movers coming into a community.
“Chicago is growing,” said Jamie Lee, U-Haul Company of North Shore Chicago president. “The city saw there was a need for more housing and upgraded facilities. Now apartments and condos are being built by reusing and refurbishing old buildings. We make it easy for do-it-yourself movers to come to a new place. We have lots of convenient locations, and U-Haul Team Members take the extra step to make everyone’s move as smooth as possible.”
U-Haul has 17 Company-owned stores and 96 independent neighborhood dealers within the city limits, and also offers many more locations to fulfill the needs of suburbs outside Chicago. Find U-Haul truck and trailer sharing locations in Chicago at uhaul.com/locations.
“Chicago offers a wide variety of public activities throughout the year,” Lee added. “Festivals and shows are held indoors and outdoors, often with no charge.”
The annual Chicago Air & Water Show is the largest free-admission air and water exhibition in the U.S. The show will celebrate its 57th anniversary in August while welcoming an estimated 2 million spectators.
Chicago is also site of the newest branch of Humble Design Fueled by U-Haul, a Detroit-born nonprofit bringing dignity to families escaping homelessness by furnishing and decorating their homes with donated items. Volunteer opportunities are available.
U-Haul is the authority on migration trends thanks to its expansive network that blankets all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. The geographical coverage from more than 21,000 U-Haul locations provides a comprehensive overview of where people are moving like no one else in the industry. Migration trends data is compiled from more than 1.7 million one-way U-Haul truck rental transactions that occur annually.
Follow the Top 10 U.S. Destination Cities daily countdown through May 26 on Twitter @uhaul. U-Haul Destination Cities announced so far include: 10. Charlotte 9. Kansas City 8. Philadelphia 7. Brooklyn 6. Las Vegas 5. Austin 4. Orlando 3. San Antonio. View all migration trends reports, including the U-Haul 2016 U.S. Growth Cities and Growth States, at myuhaulstory.com.
About U-Haul
Since 1945, U-Haul has been the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers, with a network of more than 21,000 locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul customers’ patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to more than 139,000 trucks, 108,000 trailers and 38,000 towing devices. U-Haul offers more than 536,000 rooms and more than 47 million square feet of self-storage space at owned and managed facilities throughout North America. U-Haul is the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry and is the largest retailer of propane in the U.S. www.uhaul.com
Click here to subscribe FREE to Ray Hanania's Columns
His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today
Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
Email Ray Hanania at [email protected].
Follow RayHanania at Twitter
- United States Attorney Andrew S. Boutros Hosts First-of-Its-Kind All Fed-Head Summit in Chicago - May 11, 2026
- Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas Honors Mothers from Around the World in Downtown Office Celebration with Live Music and Awards - May 11, 2026
- Illinois Senator Committee approves resolution urging Illinois K through 12 schools to offer Arabic as Foreign Language option - May 8, 2026
