Belleville has been ranked the third fastest-growing city in Canada for 2024, according to U-Haul’s Growth Index. The ranking is based on one-way U-Haul customer transactions, with 57 per cent of traffic into Belleville being inbound last year, while 43 per cent was outbound.
Year-over-year data shows U-Haul arrivals into Belleville rose by 24 per cent, while departures stayed the same. This helped the city climb 17 places in U-Haul’s top 25 growth rankings.
Antony Grocott, president of U-Haul Company of Eastern Ontario, credits Belleville’s affordability, job opportunities, and better lifestyle for attracting new residents.
Also on the List, Trenton taking spot number four. The city attracted 58 per cent of all one-way U-Haul traffic last year, with inbound arrivals increasing by 22 per cent year-over-year and departures rising by 4 per cent.
Trenton climbed 10 places in the growth rankings compared to 2023, driven by the strong presence of Canadian Forces Base Trenton, one of the largest Royal Canadian Air Force bases. The base is also the region’s largest employer, bringing in many new residents.
The U-Haul Growth Index analyzes over 2.5 million transactions annually across Canada and the U.S. It ranks cities by net gains or losses of moving equipment.
Provincially, Alberta topped the growth rankings for the second year, followed by British Columbia. Ontario had the biggest net loss, while Newfoundland & Labrador climbed to third place.
Written by Emily Chatwood
