Chicago U-Haul’s No. 2 Destination City

Creative Commons 2.0: Jason Helle, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aerial_view_of_Chicago.jpg

Chicago was the No. 2 metro area in the U-Haul Top 10 U.S. Destination Cities for 2014, an annual ranking that measures the top destinations of one-way U-Haul truck rentals for the past calendar year.

That second-place ranking represents a two-spot jump from Chicago’s No. 4 ranking in 2013, and is the highest ranking for the city since its No. 2 placement in 2007.

Andree Dolan, the VP of Communications and Programs for the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, said Chicago’s innovative spirit and strong business culture lure people to the area.

“Chicago has long held a reputation as an innovative, hard-working city that does business the right way,” Dolan said. “With its $720 billion economy, Illinois is an international center of global commerce, and Chicago is the business and cultural epicenter of Illinois. In fact, 385 companies either expanded or located in Chicago in 2014, resulting in the city being named Site Selection Magazine’s Top Metro in the U.S. for the second straight year.

“Small businesses,” she continued, “which are the key to job growth and our region’s economic regeneration, have a positive outlook for the future. According to our recent Small Business Economic Outlook Survey, 71 percent plan to grow their business over the next year, while 60 percent expect higher sales and/or revenue over the next year.”

U-Haul has not yet revealed its No. 1 destination city, but following on Chicago’s heels were:

10. Sacramento

9. Kansas City

8. Philadelphia

7. Austin

6. Brooklyn

5. Orlando

4. San Antonio

3. Las Vegas