When people of all ages leave Fresno, they often don’t go far.
The 2026 U-Haul Mid-Year Migration Trends Report tracked one-way transactions, by generation, of those moving from June 2025 through June 2026.
The report noted Fresno as a top location drawing Gen Z movers from two other California cities, Los Angeles and Riverside. Fresno was the second most common place Gen Z Los Angelenos moved to, and the fourth most common location for those from Riverside.
In the other direction, the most common destinations for those leaving Fresno, across all generations, were other parts of the San Joaquin Valley. Las Vegas, Phoenix and Yuma were also popular destinations, across generations.
Here’s a breakdown of survey results, by generation
Fresno Boomers, those born from 1946-1964, most often left California for Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Florida or Oregon. When leaving the city, but not the state, they tended to settle in San Diego, Sacramento, or the northern San Joaquin Valley, according to the survey.
Gen X Fresnans, those born from 1965-1980, most often left for Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Oregon or Colorado, if leaving California. If staying in-state, they often settled in Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area or the Northern San Joaquin Valley.
Fresno Millennials, those born between 1981-1996, often packed up for Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Colorado or Idaho when going out of state. If just leaving Fresno, the most common locations were the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, the Northern San Joaquin Valley and San Diego.
Gen Z Fresnans, those born between 1997 through 2012, tended to leave the state for Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, Texas or Oregon. For those who stayed in-state, they often went to the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, the Northern San Joaquin Valley, Phoenix or Denver.
Customers must be 18 to rent a U-Haul truck, and 16 to rent a U-Haul trailer, which means many of the youngest Gen Zers are not eligible for eithert.
The Fresno Bee
Amber Hair (they/them) is the food and restaurants reporter and influencer. Amber has been in professional journalism for more than a decade, writing for outlets like the Orlando Sentinel, The Villages Daily Sun, the Pacific Coast Business Times and others. In their spare time, they enjoy going to concerts, reading and spending time with their cats.