Here's where Cincinnati's newest residents are coming from. Hint: it's not just Ohio

The Queen City might seem like a big small town to people who grew up here. But a new study shows that the Cincinnati metro area is expanding, becoming one of the nation's hotspots for relocation.

U-Haul recently released its midyear migration trends report for 2025, which shows the most common cities where people relocated to in the first half of the year, based on U-Haul's one-way rentals data collected between January and July.

The study shows Cincinnati is one of the top destinations for people moving within the U.S., yet it also lists Ohio as a top origin state for 11 of the 35 cities examined.

Here's where new Cincinnati residents are coming from, and where some longtime locals are moving to.

Where are new Cincinnati residents coming from?

Per the report, Kentucky is the leading origin state for new residents moving to the Cincinnati metro area, followed by Indiana and Florida. Other popular origin states include Tennessee, Michigan, Illinois and more.

Here are the top 10 states where new Cincinnati residents are moving from, according to U-Haul:

1. Kentucky

2. Indiana

3. Florida

4. Tennessee

5. Michigan

6. Illinois

7. Texas

8. Georgia

9. North Carolina

10. Pennsylvania

Top out-of-state metro areas sending residents to Cincinnati

When looking at metro areas, most newcomers are arriving from other nearby cities, with Lexington, Kentucky, topping the list.

Here are the top 5 U.S. cities outside of Ohio where new Cincinnati residents are moving from, according to U-Haul:

1. Lexington

2. Indianapolis

3. Louisville

4. Chicago

5. Detroit

Top Ohio cities sending residents to Cincinnati

Cincinnati also draws heavily from these other Ohio cities, according to U-Haul.

• Columbus

• Dayton

• Cleveland

• Akron

• Toledo

Where are Cincinnatians moving to?

While Cincinnati is gaining residents, some locals are heading elsewhere − especially to other nearby metros. Per the report, Cincinnati is listed as a common origin city for Cleveland, Columbus and Indianapolis.

Where are Ohians moving to?

Ohio was the No. 1 origin state for new residents in Detroit and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, according to U-Haul.

It was also among the top 10 origin states for these cities:

• Atlanta

• Charlotte, North Carolina

• Chicago

• Indianapolis

• Miami

• Nashville

• Philadelphia

• St. Louis

• Tampa

Contributing: Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: These 10 states are sending the most new residents to Cincinnati