Not just the rich are U-Hauling it out of here

It isn't just billionaires leaving California.

- BY NILESH CHRISTOPHER

Gado Images/Sipa USA via Associated Press

A SURVEY showed the gap between the number of one-way U-Haul rentals leaving California and the number arriving was highest in U.S.

Anecdotal data suggest there is also an exodus of regular people who load their belongings into rental trucks and lug them to another state.

U-Haul's survey of the more than 2.5 million one-way trips using its vehicles in the U.S. last year showed that the gap between the number of people leaving and the number arriving was higher in California than in any other state.

While the Golden State also attracts a large number of newcomers, it has had the biggest net outflow for six years in a row.

Generally, the defectors don't go far. The top five destinations for the diaspora using U-Haul's trucks, trailers and boxes last year were Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Texas.

California saw a net outflow of U-Haul users with an in-migration of 49.4%, and those leaving of 50.6%. Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Illinois also rank among the five states with the biggest net losses.

U-Haul didn't speculate on reasons California continues to top the ranking.