Texas top destination for do-it-yourself moves

Amy Pyle
Updated
Texas no. i for do it yourselfers
Texas no. i for do it yourselfers

Cities in Texas took three of the top-10 spots for U-Haul destinations in 2009, according to the latest migration report by the moving van rental company and, while Bronx, NY was the top growth city, two Texas towns also made the top 10 for growth in do-it-yourself moves.

Houston was the most popular locale in all 50 states, followed by San Antonio in fourth place and Austin in sixth place, according to U-Haul. It's not only DIY-ers either, since mega-mover Atlas found Texas, along with neighboring New Mexico and Oklahoma, to be among its top destinations last year as well. And both come atop the mid-year U.S. Census estimates, showing Texas added more people between 2000 and 2008 than any other state: 3.9 million.

So what's the attraction? A lower-than-average unemployment rate and relatively low cost of housing seem to be the main motivators, according to various experts. The Texas Comptroller boasts on her state government agency Web site of a few other statistics behind some of the movement:

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